Decatur Daily Photography

08/28/2024

Framed by camera-toting spectators in shorts, bathing suits and T-shirts, 200 men clad in Union blue and Confederate gray wool uniforms will fire cannons, shoot rifles and wield bayonets.

06/04/2024

I've been photographing the construction of the Alabama Center for the Arts student residence hall in downtown Decatur for two years. At last, it opened its doors today. This is the evolution:

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05/11/2024

I had to work today (Saturday), but it was fun. More pictures in this gallery: https://www.decaturdaily.com/gallery/news/2024-dragon-boat-races/collection_ff3de826-0fd6-11ef-8550-7337b9cdb5f5.html

11/10/2023

The HS football playoffs are here and West Morgan crushed Etowah in the first round. The complete gallery is here: https://www.decaturdaily.com/gallery/sports/playoffs---1st-round-west-morgan-vs-etowah/collection_22dcd703-0bee-54f9-b3fc-acc326661e86.html

01/09/2023

Kailyn Quails said it was a bittersweet moment.

Putting on her uniform for the last time, she reflected on her playing time at Hatton.

"It's kind of sad. It ended quicker than I wanted it to," Quails said. "But I'm glad for the time I've been able to spend here. I feel like I did the best I could to help this program."

Quails did more than just help. The senior has been a star for the Hatton volleyball team for the past three seasons.

This year, she proved just how valuable she was as she finished the season with 632 kills, 393 digs, 97 aces, 61 assists and 57 blocks while helping lead the Hornets to a 41-14 record and a No. 2 ranking in Class 2A.

Her strong season has earned her the honor of being the 2022 Decatur Daily Volleyball Player of the Year.

Photo by Caleb Suggs

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01/09/2023

After a junior season with just four wins, Decatur quarterback Ellis Dickman was determined that his senior season would be one to remember.

The determination paid off with the Red Raiders’ best season since 2016 with a 9-3 record that included the program’s first playoff win since 2018.

Dickman is The Daily’s Class 5A-7A Player of the Year.

Decatur’s Jere Adcock is The Daily’s Coach of the Year. It’s the fifth time he’s received the honor in 27 years of leading the program. It will also be his last. Adcock announced shortly after the end of the season that he is retiring. His last day at Decatur is scheduled for Jan. 31.

“It’s just a good time to step aside and start a new chapter in my life,” Adcock said.

Adcock retires with a 187-120 record.

Photo by Jeronimo Nisa

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01/09/2023

The path to being named the Daily’s Player of the Year is really simple.

All that’s needed is a great season with numbers to back it up.

Falkville’s Isaiah Warnick did that times three and is The Decatur Daily’s Class 1A-4A Player of the Year. West Morgan’s Drew Phillips is The Daily’s 1A-4A Coach of the Year.

Photo by Jeronimo Nisa

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12/27/2022

My favorite ones of 2022:

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07/08/2022

Justin Hanline joined Danville's varsity soccer program in the seventh grade and served as team captain his entire high school career.

During his six years in the program, Hanline and his teammates helped transform a losing program into a unit achieving back-to-back playoff appearances in 2021 and 2022.

"Because we have a smaller school, we don't have a JV team so varsity is seventh through 12th," Danville coach Brandy Sutton said. "To come in in the seventh grade and be a team captain that was pretty amazing."

As part of the culmination of Hanline's high school career he has been named the Daily’s All-Area Soccer Player of the Year. Photo by Jeronimo Nisa

07/06/2022

East Limestone forward Lily Hosmer's relationship with the game of soccer was not a case of "love at first sight."

Hosmer's mother, Angela Ennis, had to encourage her to play.

Ennis coached her daughter's team during Hosmer's first attempt at soccer.

"She got me playing when I was 4 and I didn't like it," Hosmer said, "so I played softball up until I was 11."

At that point, Hosmer decided to give soccer another chance, and it worked out pretty well. Hosmer, The Daily’s Player of the Year, helped her team reach the Class 4A-5A state championship match. Photo by Jeronimo Nisa

06/24/2022

Decatur tennis player Hampton DeMent had a season to remember.

During the regular season, the junior was near perfect. He went undefeated (10-0) at No. 1 singles. He and doubles teammate Brady Mann suffered just one loss (9-1) playing at No. 1.

The success continued in the postseason with championships at sectional in singles and doubles. DeMent advanced all the way to the state quarterfinals in singles. He and Mann advanced to the state semifinals in doubles.

“The crazy thing about state was that Hampton and Brady went as individuals,” Decatur coach Amanda Whitmire said. “Our team didn’t qualify. Because of how well Hampton and Brady did at state, Decatur finished 11th in the team standings out of 17 teams.”

DeMent is The Decatur Daily’s Player of the Year. It’s a repeat for DeMent, who received it in 2019 as an eighth grader. Photo by Jeronimo Nisa

06/24/2022

When it comes to team success among area high schools, Decatur girls tennis ranks right there with the best.

The Red Raiders finished fourth at the state tournament this year. It’s the program’s third fourth-place finish at state in the last four years. There was no state tournament in 2020 due to COVID.

One common denominator on those three teams is the girl swinging the racket at the No. 1 spot on the roster.

That’s Anna Harbin, who is the Daily’s Player of the Year for a second straight season.

Being the No. 1 singles player on a tennis team means more than just being the best player on the team. There’s some responsibility that comes along with the lofty status.

“You have to set a good example for your teammates to follow,” Decatur tennis coach Amanda Whitmire said. “Anna does a great job of doing that. She never does anything halfway. Photo by Jeronimo Nisa

06/22/2022

Tristin Wisener is the Daily’s Golfer of the Year.

Hartselle golf coach Will Lang says one of the best parts of his job is getting to watch him attack a course.

“It’s a lot of fun to see him play the game,” Lang said. “At the level Tristin is playing now, nothing he does on the golf course surprises me. He can make some unbelievable shots.”

Lang is not the only one who likes what he sees from Wisener. Last summer the University of Alabama golf program offered him a place on the team in 2023. It was quickly accepted.

“I’m really excited about the opportunity to play at Alabama,” Wisener said. “It’s always been a dream to play golf in college and then go pro.” Photo by Jeronimo Nisa

06/21/2022

Jinger Heath’s name has been a part of the junior golf scene for several years.

She was The Daily’s Player of the Year for the first time in 2019 as an eighth grader. COVID wiped out the 2020 season when she was a freshman.

Heath received the Player of the Year honor in 2021 and now she’s done it again in 2022 following an outstanding junior season.

“Qualifying for state as a team this year was something really special that we wanted to do,” Heath said. “We all worked hard this season to make it possible. It was our goal and we made it.”

Golf is usually thought of more as an individual sport than a team sport. It is a team sport in high school and college. Having the opportunity to play on a team that can compete for state honors is pretty special.

This year’s state tournament saw Hartselle trail UMS-Wright by two shots after the first day of play at Hampton Cove. The next day Heath led the Hartselle charge with a career-best 66.

The final round of 66 for Heath showed what she can do in a pressure situation. That kind of play has a lot of college coaches watching her at tournaments around the South this summer. Photo by Jeronimo Nisa

06/19/2022

On the night Hartselle’s newest baseball state championship team returned home from Jacksonville, the bus ride ended at Sparkman Park.

Waiting for the Tigers was a celebration at Reuben Sims Field for the team that brought the baseball powerhouse its ninth state championship.

The stands were packed. The scoreboard was lit up with the score from that day’s 10-2 win over Pelham that brought the school its first championship in nine years.

Each player was introduced. There were plenty of photos taken with players, family, friends and the newest hardware for the school’s trophy case.

Among the many names called, two deserve some special recognition. Coach William Booth calls Elliott Bray and fellow pitcher William Turner the “anchors of the team.”

They are The Daily’s Class 5A-7A Players of the Year. Photo by Jeronimo Nisa

06/17/2022

Savannah Williams is The Decatur Daily’s girls Track Athlete of the Year and much like the Energizer Bunny she just keeps on running.

The only difference is Williams keeps running for gold.

Whether it’s cross-country or track, the Lawrence County junior has shown time and time again that she’s one of the best runners around.

Already a star in cross-country, Williams added to her already stacked resume this past spring, placing first in the 800-meter run, 1,600 and 3,200 to win three state championships at the 5A state track meet in Gulf Shores. Photo by Jeronimo Nisa

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06/17/2022

For the second year in a row Nash Rippen is the Decatur Daily’s Class 1A-4A Player of the Year.

The Decatur Heritage catcher helped Decatur Heritage (28-11) advance to the Class 2A state championship series where the Eagles fell short in a tight series with powerhouse G.W. Long.

The Wallace State-Hanceville signee finished the season hitting .465 with 47 hits, 14 doubles, 15 home runs, 50 RBIs, 17 two-out RBIs, 34 runs scored and 36 walks earning himself the Class 2A Hitter of the Year All-State honor.

Rippen admits he’s had bittersweet feelings since the season ended. He’s looking forward to his future at Wallace. Playing at the junior college gives him a great opportunity to impress coaches at four-year colleges and even pro scouts. Photo by Jeronimo Nisa

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06/15/2022

Finishing first in an event at the state track and field meet is a good thing.

Helping your team finish first in a state meet is even better.

When the individual "firsts" add up to give your school its first state championship in any sport, that’s something extra special.

Lindsay Lane’s Henry Woodall and Joe Quez Keith-Parker are the Daily’s boys Track and Field Athletes of the Year after leading their school to the 1A state championship. Photo by Jeronimo Nisa