ALL-CCC GIRLS: STJ's Card headlines top players
St. James’ Ava Card was named Capital City Conference Girls Player of the Year for 2023-24. (File Photo)
By TIM GAYLE
Her role didn’t change a lot this season, St. James senior Ava Card noted, but her attitude certainly did.
“This season really did mean more than any other season,” she said. “I went through it with volleyball. The clock is ticking down and this will be your last time playing high school and with this group of girls and coach (Katie) Barton. Especially toward the second half of the season, it really clicked with me that I’m not going to be back next year, this is the last time.
“All seasons are important, but this one felt so much more important.”
Card didn’t finish the season in the state tournament as she had hoped, but the end result was pretty satisfying as the Trojans tied for the regular season area title, won the area tournament and advanced to the regional finals for the fourth consecutive year, the best stretch in the program’s history, while recording a school-record 27 wins.
And while there were some expectations to get back to the regional final, where they lost to Trinity a year ago, and have an opportunity to defeat their arch rival and reach the state tournament, Card said it never felt like pressure to the players.
“I wouldn’t say I felt pressure,” she said. “I would say I felt my passion more than ever. I feel like it was really strong when it came to playoffs and things like that. I could feel myself getting almost anxious and nervous about the outcome.”
Card was chosen by the Capital City Conference coaches as the CCC Player of the Year for the third consecutive year after averaging 20.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.9 steals per game this season.
Along the way, Card became just the 10th player in the River Region to go over the 2,000-point plateau in her career as she navigated the 2023-24 season.
“I had no idea about the points,” Card said. “I didn’t even know when I hit 2,000. They were starting to scream and I was like, ‘What are y’all yelling about? It’s a free throw.’ I didn’t know about any of the points or records. I just tried to block it out because I don’t want it to be a mental thing.”
She finished her career as the third leading scorer in girls’ basketball history in the River Region with 2,272 points, trailing only Catholic’s Michelle Delongchamp (2,685 points in 1990) and St. James’ Leslie Claybrook (2,668 points in 1989).
Card was also nominated this week as a finalists for 3A Player of the Year by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.
“I haven’t thought much about accolades or point rankings or anything like that,” she said. “I feel like it’s a good reflection of how much work I’ve put in and what a good community I have behind me, how I just hoped to get better and all the teammates I had behind me. It’s a reflection of that and less of an individual achievement in my eyes. I just see it as a reflection of my journey and the commitment I made to the sport.”
Trinity coach Blake Smith was chosen as the CCC Coach of the Year after leading the Wildcats to a 26-6 record and a second consecutive 3A state championship. Injuries and a rugged schedule created some doubt at times, but Trinity was at its best in its final three games, beating St. James in the Central Regional final, Clements in the state semifinals and Plainview in the finals.
GIRLS ALL-CAPITAL CITY CONFERENCE
First Team
Maddie Smith 5-8 G Jr. Trinity
Francie Morris 5-9 G Jr. Trinity
Mya Moskowitz 5-11 F Jr. Trinity
Hannah Smith 5-11 F So. Catholic
Natalie Barton 5-8 G Fr. St. James
Second Team
Heaven Bailey 5-2 G Fr. Catholic
Morgan Lilly 5-7 G 7th St. James
Jaide Newkirk 5-10 F Jr. Alabama Christian
Katelyn Sutton 5-3 G Jr. Alabama Chrisrian
Kaci Armistead 5-5 G Fr. Montgomery Academy
Honorable mention: Ellie Causey, 5-7, G, So., Trinity; Kierstyn Green, 5-8, G, Fr., Catholic; Grave Levanda, 5-8, F, Jr., Catholic; Kaitlin Mitchell, 5-9, G, 8th, St. James; Lilly Smith, 5-10, F, 8th, Trinity; Olivia Smith, 5-7, F, Jr., Montgomery Academy; Caroline Waller, 5-9, F, Jr., Montgomery Academy.
Player of the Year -- Ava Card, St. James
Coach of the Year -- Blake Smith, Trinity