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ALABAMA BASEBALL

Northridge’s Coker signs with Crimson Tide

By Andrew Carroll Sports Writer

Northridge High School senior Zack Coker plans to go off to college next year, but all he has to do is cross the Black Warrior River.

Coker, a shortstop and pitcher, signed on Friday to play baseball at the University of Alabama. “To know that’s where I’m going to be next year, it’s a big relief,�

Coker said. “It gets my mind straight on this year instead of focusing on the stress that’s been on me. I want to be the best that I can be and work hard to set an example for the coming years; just show the kids how the game should be played and how you

need to work to be good.�

Coker said he was impressed by Alabama coach Mitch Gaspard and his staff. “The coaching staff is really what hooked me,� Coker said. “They’re real enthusiastic about how they go about baseball. That’s what made me want to stay at Alabama, along with the hometown team. I’ve been rooting for them since I was a kid.�

Coker will get to play in a new Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The $30 million construction project begins after the 2014 season. “That’s deďŹ nitely a plus,â€? Coker said. “Being one of the ďŹ rst to play in it is something I will deďŹ nitely en-

UA CROSS COUNTRY

Combined reports

NCAA SOUTH REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS Alabama Individual Women’s Results 13. Katelyn Greenleaf, So. 20:38 19. Meropi Panagiotou, So. 20:43 26. Rebecca Stover, So. 20:52 43. Susie Kemper, So. 21:12 50. Hannah Waggoner, Fr. 22:10 65. Kimberley Ficenec, So. 21:32 68. Hilary Stafford, Fr. 21:34 Alabama Individual Men’s Results 39. Parker Deuel, So., 31:03.76 49. Matt Airola, Jr., 31:16.85 68. Andrew Faris, So., 31:41.78 73. Conner Thompson, Fr., 31:45.37 113. Payton Ballard, Fr., 32:40.11 127. Gil Walton, So., 33:05.83 143. Eric Sivill, So., 33:39.40

bama player. Jim Wells, Garner’s coach at A labama, joined the Northridge staff last season as a volunteer pitching coach. After Garner took a job in Mississippi, Wells was named to lead the program. “I’ve really enjoyed this fall working with him,� Coker said. “Everything’s real structured. We have a purpose every day. “Coach Garner told us all kind of stories about Coach Wells. I didn’t believe him until he got here. Now it’s a sure thing. He was telling the truth. Coach Wells is a great guy.

He’s a character.�

Wells said Coker might not leave the ďŹ eld. “I like a lot of things about him,â€?

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Reach Andrew Carroll at andrew.carroll@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205722-0223.

JAMARCUS HOWARD

CHAD TOOCHECK

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Wells said. “He’ll pitch and play middle inďŹ eld for us. “This is a great honor, and he’s deserving. He’s a smart kid and a hard-working kid. He’s going to be able to play multiple positions at the next level. He’s just one of those guys that’s going to be very valuable because he’s able to do a lot of things. “In the limited time I’ve been here he’s been very helpful to me with the team and getting things done and giving me some insight. He’s just a good, all-around young man.â€?

WEST ALABAMA HEROES

WEST ALABAMA FOOTBALL

Tide women third at South Region meet

T he Universit y of A labama cross country team hosted runners from approximately 50 teams at the NCAA South Region Championships on Friday at the Harry Pritchett Running Course. The Crimson Tide women finished third among a ďŹ eld of 27 teams while the men placed 13th in a ďŹ eld of 26 teams.

The two top teams from each race advanced to the NCAA championships to be held on Nov. 23 in Terre Haute, Ind. Individually, the top-four ďŹ nishers not on a qualifying team (automatic or at-large) will receive invitations to the NCAA championships.

Florida State won the women’s team standings with 35 points.

Vanderbilt was second with 116, Alabama was third with 143 and Florida placed fourth with 153.

Ole Miss closed out the top ďŹ ve with 169 points.

In the men’s event, Georgia won the men’s race with 72 points.

Florida was second with 73, Florida State was third with 101, Auburn was fourth with 117 and Tennessee took ďŹ fth with 181. Alabama had 341 points in its 13th-place ďŹ nish.

In the women’s standings, Alabama’s third-place ďŹ nish was highlighted by a 13th-place showing by sophomore Katelyn Greenleaf.

Running in a ďŹ eld of 194 runners, Greenleaf covered the 6-kilometer course in 20 minutes, 38 seconds.

Other Alabama ďŹ nishers included sophomore Meropi Panagiotou (19th, 20:43), sophomore Rebecca Stover (26th, 20:52), sophomore Susie Kemper (43rd, 21:12), freshman Hannah Waggoner (50th, 21:17), sophomore K imberley Ficenec (65th, 21:32) and freshma n H ila r y St a f ford (6 8t h, 21:34).

Parker Deuel led the Tide men by placing 39th, covering the 10-kilometer course in 31:03. Matt Airola was 49th in 31:16. Andrew Faris (68th overall, 31:41) and Conner Thompson (73rd, 31:45) and Payton Ballard (113th, 32:40) rounded out the top-ďŹ ve ďŹ nishes for Alabama.

joy doing.�

Coker sa id his strength as a batter is to hit for average and to spray the ball to all ďŹ elds. “I try to get on base for the guys beZack Coker hind me to knock me in,â€? Coker said.

As a pitcher he can throw a fastball, curveball and changeup.

Coker is considering engineering as his ďŹ eld of study. He said his father is a civil engineer and an Alabama graduate.

Coker’s coach for three seasons was Travis Garner, a former Ala-

TOUCHDOWNS

Coffeyville career: Howard played in 16 games and recorded 89 tackles (54 solo tackles), five interceptions (131 return yards and one touchdown), five pass breakups and t wo blocked kicks.

Co f f ey v ill e (2013): He played in all nine games this season and earned second-team All-Jayhawk League honors ‌ He was fourth on the team with 52 tackles and added five pass breakups, three tackles for loss (minus-14 yards), two interceptions (69 return yards and one touchdown), two forced fumbles and two blocked kicks ‌ His best game came against Northeastern Oklahoma A&M on Sept. 7, when he logged 10 tackles, two pass breakups and scored on a 59-yard interception return ‌ He added 11 tackles against Trinity Valley on Aug. 31 and blocked two kicks in the win over Fort Scott Community College.

Coffeyville (2012): Howard played in seven games and recorded 37 tackles (22 solo tackles), three interceptions (62 return yards) and one tackle for loss (minus-2 yards).

Howard gets shot with Div. I team

By Barry Allen Special to The Tuscaloosa News

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Tigers see increase in production from passing game

By Zackary Al-Khateeb Special to The Tuscaloosa News

The University of West Alabama’s offense has seen an interesting trend in the 2013 football season. The offense, which for the last two years has led the Gulf South Conference in rushing yards, has seen exponential growth in the passing game this season.

The team’s top three receivers, Seth Roberts, Chad Toocheck and Malik Lofton, have doubled their receiving yards and touchdowns from last season.

Roberts has 746 receiving yards

Central State at West Alabama â– When: 6 p.m. â– Where: Tiger Stadium, Livingston â– Records: West Alabama 7-3, Central State 2-8 â– Radio: 104.9 FM

and 10 touchdowns this year, as compared to 312 yards and no touchdowns last year.

Toocheck led the team last year with 388 receiving yards and ďŹ ve touchdowns, but has 630 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. Lofton nearly quadrupled his output from

last year, jumping from 86 receiving yards in 2012 to 304 this season.

Roberts, who leads the team in receiving yards, said he’s worked harder than ever before to make himself the best possible receiver this season. “We worked hard in the spring to come back this season and be the best, tip-top shape we could be in,�

Roberts said. “I think that really helped us, just knowing the offense, getting it down pat, that’s really helped us be such a threat this year.�

SEE A IR | 5C

Jamarcus Howard has always dreamed of playing Division I football. After two successful seasons at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, he will finally get his chance.

H ow a r d , w h o p l a ye d a t Northridge High School in 2010 and 2011, has committed to Texas Tech. He plans to sign with coach Kliff Kingsbury and the Red Raiders in February. “It has always been my dream to play football at the Division I level,� Howard said.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound cornerback had offers from Texas Tech, Ole Miss, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Middle Tennessee State and Southern Miss. He chose Texas Tech because of a chance to play right away in the Red Raiders secondary. “I made my visit, and I could see myself going to school there and playing there,� Howard said. “I also think I have a chance to step in and play right away. Coach Kingsbury is a really cool coach.

I really enjoyed meeting him and spending time with him. I liked the coaching staff there, and they are all real young.�

SEE HOWARD | 5C