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Kayla Beaver, Brett Barry, Tarius Johnson, Davon DeMoss, and Carita Cole have been named the newest inductees into the Jackson–Madison County Sports Hall of Fame. The five will be honored during the 40th annual induction ceremony, scheduled for 7 p.m. on April 16, 2026, at the Carl Perkins Civic Center.
Kayla Beaver, a standout softball player at South Side High School, enjoyed an impressive four-year career at the University of Central Arkansas, compiling a 74–22 record with a school-record 1.96 earned run average. As a graduate student at the University of Alabama, Beaver earned All-Conference and NFCA All-American honors, appearing in 40 games with 30 starts. She helped lead the Crimson Tide to its 15th Women’s College World Series appearance in 2024, finishing with a 19–10 record, 1.68 ERA, and 185 strikeouts over 200 innings.
Brett Barry, a four-sport letterman at Jackson Christian School in golf, basketball, baseball, and track, went on to excel in golf at Union University. A member of the Union University Sports Hall of Fame (Class of 2021), Barry was a three-time All-TranSouth Conference selection and earned TranSouth Golfer of the Year honors in 2011 and 2012. He also helped lead his teams to three conference championships in 2010, 2011, and 2012.
Tarius Johnson, a 2010 graduate of Liberty High School, was a key contributor on the Crusaders’ 2006 and 2007 Class 3A state championship teams. During his prep career, he earned all-District and all-Region honors while scoring 1,733 career points. Johnson continued his basketball career at Three Rivers Community College, averaging a double-double of 17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds per game as a freshman. He later transferred to Eastern Kentucky University, where he helped the Colonels win the 2014 Ohio Valley Conference championship and earned All-Tournament Team honors.
Davon DeMoss rose from walk-on to scholarship athlete in track and field at the University of Memphis, where he established multiple school records, including the 60m dash (6.61), 100m dash (10.05), 200m dash (21.0), 4x100m relay (39.1), and 4x400m relay (3:07). A three-time NCAA Division I All-American, DeMoss qualified for the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100-meter dash. A graduate of Madison Academic High School, he also set the school record in the 100m at 10.8 seconds. Now a police officer, DeMoss earned the title of “World’s Fastest Cop” at the 2023 World Police and Fire Games.
Carita Cole starred in track and field at both Jackson Central-Merry and North Side High School. At JCM in 2001, she captured Class 3A regional championships in the 100m and 200m. After transferring to North Side, Cole became the school’s first track and field athlete in 20 years to reach the State Championships, finishing third in the 200m and fourth in the 100m. She continued her collegiate career at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga before transferring to Western Kentucky University on a full track and field scholarship.
Terry Smith has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Billy Schrivner Distinguished Service Award in recognition of his long-standing commitment to service, leadership, and mentorship. From the early 1980s through the 1990s, Smith coordinated recreational leagues, officiated basketball games, and dedicated countless hours to creating positive, impactful opportunities for athletes of all ages to learn, compete, and grow.
The evening’s guest speaker will be Bob Kesling, who spent 26 years as the play-by-play voice of University of Tennessee football and basketball on more than 70 stations across the Vol Network before retiring following the 2025 basketball season.
If you are interested in attending the 2026 Jackson–Madison County Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony, please contact Beth Sedberry at bethsedberry@gmail.com.