Heaps announced earlier this week that he was retiring from Russellville to pursue a private school job in Birmingham. He led the Golden Tigers to state titles in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021 and 2022.

Those were words used by Cole R-I School District officials to describe the Class of 2023 as they bid them farewell Friday in a commencement ceremony at Russellville High School. Forty-six seniors ...