AISA GIRLS SEMIS: Evangel Christian, Lowndes set for Class A title game; Edgewood moves into final
COMBINED REPORTS
Evangel Christian coach Haley Rosa knew this season was a rebuilding year and when the Lions lost their first seven games, it only confirmed her thoughts.
The Lions grew up fast, though, winning the area, then a pair of playoff games to reach the Alabama Independent School Association Class A finals.
Evangel held off South Choctaw in the fourth quarter with six free throws from Symone McNeil to reach the finals for only the second time since winning the 2015 championship with a 34-21 win over the Rebels on Wednesday at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl.
Evangel Christian (10-14) will play Lowndes Academy for the Class A title on Friday at 9 a.m.
“Our team is relaxed,” Rosa said. “Honestly, they didn’t expect to be at this point and once we won that first playoff game, it changed how they see themselves. With so many underclassmen, we are learning as we go.”
Both teams struggled to find the basket in the first half, but McNeil’s 24 points in the paint helped the Lions to a 10-point lead entering the fourth quarter. South Choctaw (12-6) cut the deficit to six points t 24-18 before McNeil secured the win with free throws.
“We can see a difference in the speed and quickness, which was the plan when we scheduled these (early season) games,” Rosa said of her team’s performance since starting 0-7. “You go up against the likes of Glenwood and Lee-Scott, it prepares you for games like this.”
Dixie Perry led South Choctaw with nine points, followed by Marlee Williams with seven.
Lowndes Academy 63, Escambia Academy 22
Lowndes Academy scored 20 points in the first quarter and held the Cougars to just eight first-half points on the way to a 41-point win in the AISA Class A semifinals at the Multiplex.
The defending Class A champions (12-7) will play Evangel Christian (10-14) for the A title on Friday at 9 a.m.
The inside duo of Haley Briggs and Camryn Hess provided 28 points as the Rebels dominated the shorter Cougars, building a 48-15 cushion over the first three quarters.
And while many expected the Rebels to defend their state title, Lowndes lost six of its first 10 games before Christmas break, which was followed by some intense practices.
“We had to reset how to play,” Lowndes coach Matt Marshall said. “We came back at Christmas and we went strictly to fundamentals. We worked on passing, pivoting, how to set good screens and it was amazing, the difference.
“And we didn’t know who we were, our identity. I said we’re a defense. That’s what Lowndes is known for is playing really good defense. I’ve never known any girls’ team to shoot more than about 20 percent from the field, so play defense, rebound well and we’ll have success. And the schedule eased up a little, too. But I feel like the girls bought into each other, learned their roles better and, more than anything, the fundamentals got better.”
Lowndes has only lost once since then, a setback to AA finalist Sparta Academy, and has won its last seven games.
Briggs and Hess scored 14 points each, followed by Catie Wallace Self and Abby Lovell with nine points each.
Seventh grader Krislynn Lee led Escambia (16-3) with 10 points. Freshman Zy McNeal added eight.
Edgewood Academy 54, Southern Academy 28
Lindsey Brown scored 12 points in the first quarter and eight more in the second to help her team to an 11-point lead at the half as the two-time defensive state champions cruised past Southern Academy 54-28 in the Class AA semifinals at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl.
“I like how hard we played,” said Edgewood coach Brad Starks. “This is a tough place to shoot and we seemed to struggle a little bit in the early part of the game. But we didn’t make a lot of mistakes so that made up for it.”
Brown was the catalyst for the energy and effort on both ends of the floor in the first half as the senior hit a pair of 3’s and energized her teammates on the defensive end to frustrate Southern’s offense.
“She spends a lot of time getting others involved,” Starks said. “We let her play with a lot of freedom. She is a great defender and can take chances sometimes and that creates turnovers.”
Edgewood (28-3) will play Sparta for the AA title on Friday at 1 p.m., after splitting with the Warriors in the regular season. Southern ends the season at 16-3.
Sparta Academy 49, Chambers Academy 34
KJ Johnson and Jamie Deason each scored 16 points to help Sparta pull away down the stretch and defeat the Rebels 49-34 in the Class AA semifinals at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl on Wednesday.
Sparta (22-3) will face Edgewood (28-3) for the AA championship on Friday at 1 p.m., making their first return to the finals since losing to Edgewood in 2022.
Krisalyn Johnson added eight points for the Warriors, who took an early lead and fought off several challenges by the Rebels before outscoring Chambers 13-4 in the fourth quarter.
Chambers (9-13) had a six-game winning streak snapped in the loss.
Makenzie Gilliland led Chambers with 17 points, followed by Madison Stanford with nine.
Glenwood 44, Springwood 24
The Lady Gators will make its fifth-straight appearance in the AISA Class AAA finals after a comfortable win over Springwood in Wednesday’s first game in the semifinals at the Cramton Bowl Multiplex.
Mimi Johnson led the scoring with 13 points. Clara Crisco added nine points, all coming from 3-pointers.
Glenwood (27-5) last won the title two years ago, defeating Tuscaloosa Academy in the championship game. The Gators lost to Clarke-Prep in last year’s final.
Lee-Scott 36, Clarke Prep 35
The Warriors will make their first trip to the Class AAA state finals since 2020 after holding off Clarke Prep in Thursday’s final game of the day at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl.
Lee-Scott (17-9) to the lead on a 3-point basket by Clarke Ivatt with just over a minute left in the game and led by a point in the final seconds. But Clarke Prep’s Lyla Carlisle was fouled with .3 seconds remaining but was unable to convert either free throw.
Mary Kathryn Harris led Lee-Scott with 14 points while Ivatt and Madison Davis added eight points each. Lakelyn Overstreet led Clarke Prep (20-6) with 15 points.
Lee-Scott and Glenwood will meet Friday in the Class AAA title game.