FCA Wilcox Memorial Tourney returns after COVID hiatus
G.W. Long was the 2019 champion of the Alex Wilcox Memorial Tourney. The Rebels will return along with 31 other teams for the 2021 event this weekend. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
The second FCA Alex Wilcox Memorial Softball Tournament will be held this weekend after a year’s interruption due to COVID-19.
The first tournament was held on March 22-23, 2019 to honor the legacy of Wilcox, the former Brantley High standout who led her team to three consecutive 1A state championships at Lagoon Park Softball Complex, then signed with Mississippi State and captured the nation’s heart in her valiant fight against ovarian cancer before succumbing in June, 2018.
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which holds the annual FCA Jason Armstrong Memorial Baseball Tournament in early March, came up with a similar softball tournament in late March. And just as Trinity participates in the annual baseball tournament honoring one of its former student-athletes, so, too, does Brantley in the annual softball tournament honoring Wilcox.
The first tournament included 32 teams from throughout the state, including some of the state’s top programs -- G.W. Long, Sumiton Christian, Gardendale, Saraland and Alexandria, just to mention five teams that won’t be making a return to Montgomery in 2021.
G.W. Long defeated Gardendale 6-0 in the 2019 championship game.
But even though softball returned to the field after missing half of the 2020 season because of coronavirus, things haven’t returned to normal and Jimmy Reeves, the director of the event, struggled to fill out the bracket as many teams play smaller schedules and stay close to home in a COVID world.
Nineteen teams make up the field for the two-day event on Friday and Saturday at Lagoon Park, with 12 teams advancing to single-elimination play on Saturday. There are seven pools, with five three-team pools advancing the top two teams to Saturday, while a pair of two-team pools will advance two teams to complete the 12-team bracket.
After a Saturday morning FCA program, the teams will begin bracket play at noon on Saturday with the semifinals at 3 p.m. and the championship game slated for 4:30 p.m
Eleven of the 19-team field are making return appearances, including Brantley, Luverne, Faith Academy, Opelika, Reeltown, Beauregard and Greenville. Among the local teams returning for their second appearance in the tournament are Alabama Christian Academy, Brewbaker Tech, Catholic and LAMP. Pike Road will be making its first appearance in the tournament as well.
Other newcomers include Charles Henderson, Highland Home, Corner, Tuscaloosa County, James Clemens, Springville and Spanish Fort.
FCA ALEX WILCOX MEMORIAL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
Lagoon Park Softball Complex
Friday
Brewbaker Tech vs. Opelika, 3:30 p.m.
Alabama Christian vs. Reeltown, 3:30 p.m.
Beauregard vs. Greenville, 3:30 p.m.
Catholic vs. Pike Road, 3:30 p.m.
LAMP vs. Luverne, 3:30 p.m.
Springville vs. Spanish Fort, 3:30 p.m.
Opelika vs. Faith Academy, 5 p.m.
Reeltown vs. Charles Henderson, 5 p.m.
Brantley vs. Beauregard, 5 p.m.
Highland Home vs. Catholic, 5 p.m.
Luverne vs. Corner, 5 p.m.
Tuscaloosa County vs. James Clemens, 5 p.m.
Brewbaker Tech vs. Faith Academy, 6:30 p.m.
Charles Henderson vs. Alabama Christian, 6:30 p.m.
Greenville vs. Brantley, 6:30 p.m.
Pike Road vs. Highland Home, 6:30 p.m.
Corner vs. LAMP, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday
Quarterfinals, noon and 1:30 p.m.
Semifinals, 3 p.m.
Championship, 4:30 p.m.