The Montgomery Advertiser from Montgomery, Alabama • 11

HHontgomeni 2Vdwrtiser Ben Thomas Sports editor Phone (334) 240-0190 Fax (334) 261-1548 425 Molton St. Montgomery, AL 36104 Friday Aug: 26, 2005 Golf 2B H.S. Preview 48 Baseball 6B ports Sportsline HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SEASON OPENS BISCUITS 5, SUNS 4 Same mj MONTSOUIKV- Riggans stays hot, powers Biscuits By A. Stacy Long Montgomery Advertiser tlong16gannett.com The Tampa Bay Devil Rays already face a decision this fall involving Montgomery Biscuits catcher Shawn Riggans. He may be making it easy on them.

With the major-league team needing to put him on its 40-man roster or expose him to December's Rule draft, Riggans continued an offensive onslaught Thursday. "That's their decision. My deci sions are made on the field," Riggans said after Montgomery's 5-4 win over the Jacksonville Suns. Riggans "I can't worry about what the front office may do and that's all up to the front office." Riggans scored three runs Thursday, including his seventh home run of the season. He had two hits, giving him at least one hit in 25 of his last 26 games.

In August, a month he's barely played in his pro career because of injuries, Riggans is hitting .456. "I just need to finish," he said. "I want to finish playing. I've only done it once before." Riggans, in his fifth pro season, is eligible for this year's Rule draft, unless the Devil Rays give him a major-league contract. If the Devil Rays don't, any other major-league team could claim him for $50,000.

"He's definitely in consideration," said Cam Bonifay, Tampa Bay's director of scouting and player development who's been at Riv-erwalk Stadium this week. "We have several people who are in consideration. Biscuits Page 3B Shaw eludes three Montgomery Academy defenders Garrett Davis Advertiser in the first half of Thursday's game. Trinity downs MA, keeps streak alive BASEBALL American League Oakland 11, Detroit 1 N.Y. Yankees 6, Toronto 2 Chicago 2, Minnesota 1 (10) Seattle 8, Texas 2 Baltimore 2, L.A.

Angels 0 Cleveland 12, Tampa Bay 4 Kansas City 7, Boston 4 National League Cincinnati 5, Washington 3 Florida 3, Milwaukee 1 (10) St. Louis 6, Pittsburgh 3 N.Y. Mets 3, Arizona 1 Colorado at L.A., late PRO FOOTBALL NFL Exhibition Atlanta 23, Jacksonville 7 ATLANTA AT MILWAUKEE Braves weekend: The Braves open a three-game series against Milwaukee tonight at Miller Park. Today's game: Atlanta at Milwaukee, 7:05 p.m. Starting pitchers: Braves Horacio Ramirez (10-7); Brewers Ben Sheets (9-9) On the air: Television TBS; Radio WQSI-FM 94.1 On deck: Atlanta at Milwaukee, 6:05 p.m.

Saturday NL, AL roundups 6B BRIEFLY Blakeney's relative out of Harris poll NEW YORK The new college football poll being used by the Bowl Championship Series will have to replace four voters on its recently unveiled panel, three who work for ESPN and one whose only connection to college football is his father-in-law. Lou Holtz, Gerry DiNardo and John Congemi are not permitted to vote in the Harris Interactive College Football Poll by ESPN because it is being used by the BCS to determine which teams play for the national championship. Jason Rash, the son-in-law of Troy coach Larry Blakeney, has withdrawn from the 114-member Harris voter panel after the BCS informed the Sun Belt Conference that he did not meet its voter criteria. Medial ine AUTO RACING NASCAR, Nextel Cup, pole qualifying for Sharpie 500, at Bristol, TNT, 5 p.m. NASCAR, Nextel Cup, Busch Series, Food City 250, at Bristol, TNT, 7 p.m.

PRO FOOTBALL Preseason, Pittsburgh at Washington, WCOV FOX, 7 p.m. Complete listing 2B COMING SATURDAY The Montgomery Advertiser's weekly college football section, Game Day, returns. Get all the news on your favorite state and Southeastern Conference teams. Which area college football team will lose first? Auburn Alabama Alabama State 0Try vote FOR RESULTS GO ONLINE www.montgofnaryadvertlser.com Page edited and designed by Ben Thomas David Bundy Advertiser Lee defenders Hermon Scott, right, and Daquan Pollard get a hold of Tri-Cities' quarterback Leo Mitchell at Cramton Bowl. By Wesley Lyle Special to the Advertiser The questions abounded for Trinity entering Thursday's season opener with Montgomery Academy.

How would a team with 10 new offensive starters perform? Could the defense continue in the tradition of the past few seasons? Could the Wildcats beat Montgomery Academy? The Wildcats answered all three questions, at least in part, with a 34-12 win over MA. The Wildcats moved the ball well at times and held the Eagles in check for most of the game to win their seventh straight against MA. "We had guys step up and play on both sides of the ball," Trinity senior linebacker Woody Parramore said. "We did some good things and we've still got a REPORT Snline extra i montgomeryadvertiser.com Photo galleries from each game lot to work on. But I believe we'll continue to get better." And a potential new star may have emerged in quarterbackreceiver Zack Shaw.

Shaw scored the Wildcats' first touchdown on a 1-yard run with 26 seconds left in the first quarter. He ended up scoring four of the Wildcats' five touchdowns. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound junior also rushed for 79 yards. "It was an overall team effort, but this is the kind of performance you expect from a guy like Zack," Trinity coach Randy Ragsdale Trinity Page 5B with his backfield The stage was set from the first play of the game. Lee opened with an interception of Tri-Cities quarterback Gorgio Morgan at the Bulldogs' 40-yard line.

Hermon Scott ran it back to the 22. But Lee was hit with the newly enforced sideline rule and was penalized back to the Tri-Cities' 37. The Generals managed just eight yards on three plays and had to punt the ball away. Generals Page SB FOOTBALL: ALABAMA AND AUBURN Trinity quarterback Zack Generals sacked in op ener By Graham Dunn Montgomery Advertiser gmdunnegannett.com The 2005 season began much like the 2004 season ended for the Robert Lee Generals. The Gene Allen era opened on a sour note as Tri-Cities, scored 26 unanswered points in the second half to earn a 32-6 victory over the Generals at Cramton Bowl on Thursday.

Penalties hurt the Generals badly. Lee was penalized 12 times for 110 yards. "We had several," Allen said. "We have to be disciplined. We aren't good enough to have that many yards in penalties and expect to win." scheme, I don't want to say it's impossible, but it's real hard for those kids to play because we do a whole lot," offensive line coach Bob Connelly said a few weeks ago.

Now, Davis' development has forced him to change his tune a little. "Marlon's gotten an incred-i 1 amount of reps due to B.J. and Antoine be Davis ing out," Connelly said. "Marlon Davis didn't come here to red-shirt. He wants to play and because of the absence of those other guys, he's gotten some quality reps and he's improving on a daily basis.

There's no doubt he'll help us this year." Davis, an outstanding lineman at G.W. Carver High in Columbus, Tide Page 8B COLLEGE Injuries, illness give Davis shot for Tide Stewart 'cooP role in Tigers Transfer Kenny Irons has played well quietly during the past 18 months, seizing the spotlight most recently in Auburn's two fall scrimmages. Then there's Stewart. He spent the 2004 season as the team's No. 3 backfield option.

No shame involved, of course, because the two guys ahead 3 J) A of Stewart signed lucrative professional contracts this summer. But Ronnie Brown and Carnell Williams are gone. Still, Stewart remains the third op By Tim Gayle Montgomery Advertiser tgayieegannettcom TUSCALOOSA At the beginning of fall practice, he was just another incoming freshman destined for a redshirt season. However, after injuries and struggles by others at the guard position, Marlon Davis has bucked the trend of sitting out his freshman year and appears ready to provide immediate help to the Crimson Tide's offensive line. "Marlon Davis is better because of the reps," Alabama coach Mike Simla said.

"He'll be on the field for the first game. He's not going to start, but he'll be out there." If he does, he'll become the first true freshman lineman to see action under Shula. In 2003, the new coach redshirted Travis West, Justin Moon and Chris Capps. Last year, An-toine Caldwell, B.J. Stabler and Cody Davis also were redshirted.

"A true freshman in our By Jay G. Tate Montgomery Advertiser jgtateOgannett.com AUBURN A television reporter arrived at Auburn's practice on Tuesday afternoon, set up his camera and asked the tailbacks for an interview. All of them responded. At the same So there was Tre Smith, Kenny Irons and Carl Stewart together, shaking hands, slapping shoulder pads, smiling. It was like the best moments of a high school reunion when everything is cheery and those friendships feel so strong.

One difference: These three classmates are fighting each other for playing time. "I'm cool with it," said Stewart, at 6-foot-2 the biggest and burliest of the three ballcarriers. "Everybody is trying to put this up as a competition between me, Tre and Kenny. We don't see it that way. We just have fun." The pecking order is established.

Smith is the No. 1 option. He has 29 games of Auburn experience during his three-year career, and his 126-yard performance against Alabama in 2002 perpetually boosts Smith's perceived potential. Stewart tion. In his preseason news conference, Tuberville identified Smith and Irons as "co-starters." That lack of upward mobility invites frustration, but Stewart doesn't fret.

When offensive coordinator Al Borges says all backs will have their turn in the spotlight, he has historyas evidence. Borges built an offense last season that gave both Williams and Brown a surplus of opportunities; Tigers Page 8B Advertiser Auburn running back Carl Stewart believes he'll have plenty of time to make plays this year despite being listed as a backup to Tre Smith and Kenny Irons. 66The crowd went crazy over whafl Gameday. Tomorrow. HHcntgomcrt) Advertiser nxjotoomervodverttaot.com.