PREP NEWS: AHSAA adjusts area layout; MA, Trinity tennis advance to state

STAFF REPORT

The Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Central Board of Control voted to change the postseason look of the high school baseball and softball playoffs beginning in 2023, converting baseball to region play and eliminating the year-end area tournaments in softball. 

The board also changed the format of soccer and tweaked the format for bowling. 

In baseball, the schools will change from competing in area play to region play with the top four teams advancing to the state playoffs. The change won’t be noticeable to most fans as the AHSAA will simply change from taking the top two teams in areas comprised of three or four teams to taking the top four teams in regions comprised of seven or eight teams. 

A similar change will take place in soccer, although the classification format may need some tweaking as well. In 6A and 7A, there are typically three to four teams in an area and consolidating those areas into larger regions will be a seamless transition, much like baseball. In the smaller classifications, however, a large number of teams comprise area play. In 4A-5A, for example, Alabama Christian, Brew Tech, LAMP, St. James, Montgomery Academy and BTW Magnet are in Area 4 and combining with another area to make one region will exclude several playoff-quality teams from postseason. 

In softball, the biggest change will take place with the elimination of area tournaments. Currently, the teams in an area play a home-and-home series in the regular season to determine the seeding for an area tournament in early May. Beginning in 2023, the top four teams in the standings will simply advance to the softball regionals.  

The Central Board also received an update concerning future sites for the basketball regionals and approved the membership request of Pike Liberal Arts, a former Alabama Independent School Association member from Troy. The approval was good news for Catholic, which has the Patriots on their 2022 football schedule. The Knights will travel to Troy to play Pike Lib on Sept. 23. 

The Southwest Regional and Southeast Regional were played at one site in 2021 because Alabama State University, host of the Southwest Region, cited COVID-19 restrictions in refusing to host the event. In 2022, similar restrictions imposed by the university caused AHSAA administrators to move some of the games to the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl and others to Garrett Coliseum as part of the Southeast Regional

AHSAA officials are looking into options that include moving at least one of the regionals out of the Capital City.  

GIRLS TENNIS

MA, Trinity finish 1-2 in section tennis tournament

Montgomery Academy swept the 6A Section 2 tournament on Wednesday, defeating Trinity in all six singles matches and all three doubles matches to win the tournament at O’Connor Tennis Center.

Both teams will advance to the 6A state tennis tournament at the Mobile Tennis Center on April 21-22.

In singles, Gabby Barrera defeated Sydney Speagle 6-0, 6-1 at No. 1; Jenna Chandler defeated Margaret Roby 6-0, 6-1 at No. 2; MaeMae Voltz defeated Stella Grayson 6-0, 6-1 at No. 3; Kareena Singh defeated Elaina Ladner 6-0, 6-1 at No. 4; Clara Ryan defeated Sally Warren 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) at No. 5; and MaryLee Kelso defeated Halley French 6-0, 6-1 at No. 6.

In doubles, Chandler-Voltz defeated Speagle-Ladner 6-0, 6-1 at No. 1; Barrera-Ryan defeated Grayson-Kensley Williamson 6-1, 6-1 at No. 2; and Kelso-Cate Peeples defeated Warren-Katharine Moore 6-3, 6-2 at No. 3.

SOFTBALL

Prattville Christian 15, Montgomery Academy 0 (3)

PRATTVILLE -- Alivia Messick and Brylee Byrd combined on a no hitter as the Panthers closed out regular season Area 6 play with a 15-0 win over the Eagles in a Tuesday game shortened by the mercy rule.

Messick pitched the first inning and Byrd pitched the final two innings to help PCA improve to 6-0 in area play.

Katie Johnson went 2 for 2 with four RBIs. Jersee Carter went 2 for 2 with three RBIs and Chloe Hollon went 2 for 2 with two RBIs.  

PCA (18-6) will travel to play in the Spanish Fort tournament. Friday’s opposition will be Spanish Fort and Mary Montgomery. Saturday’s schedule is Robertsdale and Baldwin County. 

Prattville Christian 6, Catholic 4 (Tues.)

Lara Beth Nesmith pitched a complete game, striking out seven and scattering four hits over seven innings, as the Panthers clinched the top seed in 3A Area 6 with a 6-4 win over the Knights at Catholic on Tuesday. 

With the win over Catholic, PCA is assured of hosting the area tournament at home on May 2-5. 

For PCA, Jersee Carter went 3 for 5, Sarah Williams was 2 for 3 with an RBI, Nesmith was 2 for 4 with an RBI and Chloe Hinely was 2 for 3 with a home run and a pair of RBIs. 

Brew Tech 13, Highland Home 0 (5)

Khamiyah Brown hit her second home run in as many days and JaQuayla Jarrett homered over the center field fence to help the Rams defeat the Flying Squadron 13-0 on Wednesday. 

Grace Hunter, Jarrett, Brown, Erica Ellis, Taniyah Brown and Hannah Vandiver all picked up hits for BrewTech. 

Taniyah Brown and Peyton Garrett combined on a no hitter, with Brown striking out five and picking up her 20th win of the season with a four-inning performance and Garrett striking out two of the three batters she faced in the fifth. 

Brew Tech (25-2) will have a week off for prom and Easter, returning on Tuesday for a crucial 5A Area 5 home game with Tallassee on Tuesday before closing out the area schedule with a game against Beauregard on Wednesday.

Brew Tech 10, Beauregard 0 (6)

The Rams got home runs from Taniyah Brown, Khamiyah Brown and Gabbie York to defeat the Hornets in a 5A Area 5 matchup on Tuesday shortened by the mercy rule. 

Six of the Rams’ 10 hits went for extra bases, including a solo homer by Taniyah Brown, a two-run home run by Khamiyah Brown and a grand slam by York.

In the circle, Taniyah Brown picked up her 19th win of the season, allowing only one hit in six innings while striking out a career high 13 and not allowing any walks. 

Brew Tech (24-2) improved to 3-1 in 5A area 5 play. 

BASEBALL

Macon East Academy 6-12, Lakeside School 2-0

CECIL -- Macon East swept a doubleheader from Lakeside on Tuesday to clinch the AA Region 1 Area 1 championship in winning for the 17th time in the last 18 games. 

Deonte Powell allowed just four hits and a walk while striking out nine in six innings of work to turn back the Chiefs and earn the area championship on Tuesday. Matthew Kitchens pitched the seventh inning, striking out two of the three batters he faced. 

Gunner Justice went 2 for 3 to lead the Knights, including a double, and Jabe Boroff, Kitchens, Hunter Timmerman and Dalton Nickles all finished with a hit and RBI each. Bryant Rascoll also finished with a hit.

The win gave Macon East the area title and a first-round bye in the upcoming state playoffs on April 22-23. 

In the second game, which only counted as a tiebreaker, Camden Bell was a walk and a hit batter away from a perfect game, allowing no hits and no runs while striking out five in a four-inning performance shortened by the mercy rule. 

Nickles went 1 for 3 with three RBIs at the plate, Boroff went 1 for 3 with a double, Khamani Driver went 1 for 2 with a double and walk and Justice went 1 for 2 with a double, a walk and an RBI.

Macon East (27-3) plays host to Glenwood on Thursday and Fort Dale on Monday to close out the regular season. 

Catholic 10, Montgomery Academy 2

Alex Wieser pitched a two hitter as the Knights scored three runs in the fifth and six more in the seventh to break open a tight game and defeat the Eagles 10-2 in a 3A Area 6 game at Bowen Field on Tuesday.

Catholic (2-3 in area play) returns home to play the Eagles (0-5) in an area doubleheader on Wednesday at 2 p.m.

Rick McBride went 1 for 1 and drew three walks and Joseph Talley went 1 for 2 with an RBI to account for both of Montgomery Academy’s hits. Judson Lindsey drew a pair of walks, Parker Cook had a walk and an RBI and Oscar Fiore had a pair of walks for MA.

Alex Fleet went 3 for 4 with a pair of RBIs to lead Catholic, while Jaylin Rose went 2 for 2 with a pair of RBIs, Wieser went 2 for 3, Hudson Parrish went 2 for 5 with a pair of RBIs and Pat Ryan went 1 for 4 with a pair of RBIs. 

Wieser allowed just two runs and two hits in six innings, but had nine walks and eight strikeouts. 

Judson Lindsey pitched five innings for Montgomery Academy, allowing eight hits and four earned runs while striking out four. Bray Renfroe allowed a hit in one inning of relief, Luke Nelson gave up two hits, two walks and five earned runs in one-third of an inning and Beau Smith allowed a run on three hits in two-thirds of an inning as the Eagles (6-13) dropped their seventh consecutive game.

Alabama Christian Academy 13, Robert E. Lee 2

Three pitchers combined on a three hitter as the Eagles continued their mastery of the 6A Generals with a 13-2 victory at the AUM Baseball Complex on Tuesday.

ACA (17-11) defeated Lee 11-0 on March 21 in a one-hit shutout of the Generals by Isaac Warrick and on Tuesday it was Hayes Hunt, JT Moorer and Warrick who combined on the three hitter.

Hunt allowed both runs on three hits while striking out three in three innings. Moorer pitched a scoreless fourth, striking out one, and Warrick pitched a scoreless fifth, striking out one. 

Thomas Stovall went 2 for 4 with an RBI and Preston Hicks went 2 for 4 with a double and a pair of RBIs to lead the Eagles. Warrick added a two-run home run, Carson Horn went 2 for 3 with an RBI and Moorer went 3 for 3 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs. 

St. James 7, Andalusia 5

St. James scored in each of the first four innings and the strong relief pitching of Foster Rasmussen allowed the Trojans to hang on and defeat the Bulldogs 7-5 on Tuesday at home.

Andalusia struck for two in the top of the first as leadoff hitter Ayden Ames connected for the first of three extra base hits, a double. After a pair of outs, Parker Adams doubled in Ames and Tucker Glenn singled in Adams. The Trojans cut the lead in half as Shaun Bridges led off with a single, stole second, and later scored on a ground out by Rasmussen.

Trojan starter Cooper Wright gave up an unearned run in the second inning as Ames’ second double in as many innings knocked in Conner Dalton, who reached on an infield error.

The Trojans added three in the bottom of the second to take the lead. Carter Carroll reached on an error and stole second, advanced to third on a Adam Garnett single and scored on a wild pitch. Ariel July knocked in Garnett with a single, and after another error July scored on a Bridges’ ground out.

Each team added a single run in the third and Rasmussen made it 7-4 with a two-out double in the fourth.

Ames added a solo home run to give Andalusia their fifth run, but Clint Shores would pitch a perfect seventh for the save.

The Trojans try to clinch the 4A Area 3 title with a scheduled doubleheader against Bullock County on Thursday and will play at Pike Road on Saturday.

BOYS SOCCER

Trinity 6, Providence Christian 0

Jackson Champion scored four goals and had an assist in the Wildcats’ 6-0 shutout of Providence Christian in a region matchup at Ragsdale-Boykin Field on Tuesday.

Will Owen added the other two goals, while Lawson Roth, Kip Brown and Bo Stewart each contributed an assist.

Trinity goalkeeper Joe Handey had 14 saves in goal. 

The Wildcats (13-2) host region opponent Houston Academy on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Chilton County 1, Prattville Christian 0

CLANTON -- The 6A Tigers shut out Prattville Christian 1-0 in a defensive battle on Tuesday, dropping the Panthers’ record to 4-5-1.

In the junior varsity game, Chilton County recorded a 7-0 shutout over PCA (3-4-2).

GIRLS SOCCER

Montgomery Academy 1, St. James 0

Montgomery Academy scored in the final five minutes of the game and won a defensive struggle 1-0 over the Trojans at McLemore Field on Tuesday night.

St. James returns to action on April 20 against Prattville at 4:30 p.m. at Carlisle Field.

Trinity 5, Providence Christian 1

Ella Wiswall scored two goals and Mary Alice Sasser, Hastings Avant and Katherine Warren each added one as the Wildcats defeated Providence Christian 5-1 in a region victory on Tuesday.

Emma Reid Gamble had a pair of assists and Ansley Claire Addison added one. Goalkeeper Kaylee Peevy recorded the shutout in goal.

Prattville Christian 5, Chilton County 0

CLANTON -- CoCo Thomas scored three goals to lead the Panthers to a 5-0 road victory over the 6A Tigers on Tuesday. Chloe Steakley added a goal and two assists for PCA (4-3-1) and Avery Rogers added a goal. Riley Johnson and Kayden Carr each had an assist. Savannah Lamar, Thomas and Rogers combined in goal for the shutout.