GDW Analysis:
HANCEVILLE: A fire alarm went off inside Tom Drake Coliseum Friday afternoon while the AHSAA Northwest Regional Class 7A girls game between Hillcrest Tuscaloosa and Florence was in intermission.
The Coliseum was evacuated at the command of the Wallace State campus police.
An announcement over the PA system had the fans to exit the building under a calm protocol.
AHSAA associate director Tara Osborne instructed the two teams to go into their respective locker room.
Media row that was very full, exited at the command of AHSAA associates.
Gameday Weekly was on the phone to WKUL FM, speaking with program director Ron Mosley around 12:51 p.m. when the alarm began to sound.
GDW remained inside the Coliseum as media, fans, cheerleaders went outside.
At approximately 1:07 p.m., Osborne allowed the teams to get back on to the floor.
Florence and Hillcrest warmed up for several minutes.
Fans returned to the Coliseum around 1:20 p.m.
The 2nd half resumed at 1:25 p.m. according to GDW's watch.
Hillcrest, the No. 1 girls team in 7A, led Florence 37 to 25 when the game resumed.
Everything was back to normal.
GDW did see a member of a local fire department walk down the corridor with Wallace State employees.
The cause of the sounding of the alarm has not been disclosed by Wallace State.
Photo of an empty press row from the Northwest Regional at Wallace State Community College. The photo was taken at approximately 1:15 p.m.
GDW photo by Johnny Thornton.
