Loachapoka honors memory of Javion Gary

BY NOAH GRIFFITH FOR THE OBSERVER

LOACHAPOKA — Just moments before Loachapoka High School football star Javion Gary left practice on Aug. 8, he was running up and down the sidelines shouting to his teammates to help the team elevate their energy. Little did they know, that was his last time on the field.

Not long after he left practice that day, Gary was shot and killed in an incident near a basketball court on Union Camp Road in Notasulga. Gary, 16, was preparing for his junior year playing middle linebacker, but now the team has to forge a path forward without its defensive captain.

“A lot of our guys want to lead by action because they’re afraid to speak out and hold guys accountable, like they’re afraid people will look at them different, but Gary didn’t care,” said defensive coordinator Tellis Stone. “He would hold everybody to a higher standard. He was the vocal guy, you know, and we just — haven’t been able to replace him. I don’t think he will be replaceable.” Gary was a leader, but his coaches also described him as a “class clown.” He was a guy who knew how to make anyone laugh and could light up any room. First-year head coach Branden Hall said he got onto Gary for being late to practice one day, to which the linebacker replied that his teacher held him late. The next day, he came sprinting in

See GARY, page B7

Lee-Scott beats Loachapoka in early-season matchup

BY NOAH GRIFFITH FOR THE OBSERVER

LOACHAPOKA — It was a game full of mistakes and missed opportunities between the Lee-Scott Warriors and the Loachapoka Indians on Friday night, but somebody had to come out on top. Lee-Scott was the fortunate one.

The Warriors went to

Loachapoka and took home their first road win of the season, 21-12. Lee-Scott improved to 2-0 to start its first season in the AHSAA, while Loachapoka dropped its season opener to start out 0-1.

“It’s like I told [Loachapoka head coach Branden Hall], we both played about as bad as we could play in that game. We were lucky to come out with a win,” said Lee-Scott head coach Buster Daniel.

“2-0 is good. I told the guys I’m proud of them, but I’m gonna tell them the truth.

That’s my job. We’re going to fix our mistakes and move on.”

Hall echoed the same displeasure with the way his team played. The Indians highly anticipated getting back to the field after their week one matchup with

Notasulga was cancelled, but they left feeling dissatisfied.

“Horrible play everywhere — offense and defense,” Hall said. “No excuses for playing sloppy, man; turnovers, not getting lined up, jumping offside... The bright side of it is that was our first game. We’ll go back to the drawing board in the morning.”

See LSA, page B3