PREP UPDATE: MA soccer stays unbeaten in area play; ACA girls soccer tops PCA
COMBINED REPORTS
BOYS SOCCER
Montgomery Academy 10, Russell County 0
SEALE -- The Eagles won their third consecutive area game with a shutout, finishing off Russell County with 26 minutes remaining on the scoreboard in a 6A Area 3 matchup.
Montgomery Academy improved to 3-0 in area play, winning all three by shutout. On Tuesday, the Eagles got hat tricks from Brewer Welch, Jacob Stubblefield and Tanner Bartgis as well as a goal from Win Berry.
Goalie Rob Ashworth preserved the shutout.
Montgomery Academy (5-3) will now take a couple of weeks off for spring break, resuming play with Russell County on March 28 at McLemore Field.
Prattville Christian 9, Alabama Christian 2
PRATTVILLE -- Cade Segars scored eight goals to lead the Panthers to an easy win over Alabama Christian at Panther Stadium on Tuesday night.
Brady Roberson scored a goal and had an assist, while Liam Taylor had three assists. Spencer Perkins recorded the win in goal.
PCA (1-4) will travel to play Saint James on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
Trinity 2, Catholic 1
The Wildcats pulled out a 2-1 win over the Knights with a goal late in the second period of extra time, snapping the Knights’ eight-game winning streak in the process.
Ben Chitlik scored the lone goal for Catholic with an assist from Joe Reeves.
Catholic (8-3) dropped to 4-1 in 4A Area 2 play and will return to area play on Wednesday against BTW Magnet at the Emory Folmar YMCA Soccer Complex.
GIRLS SOCCER
Alabama Christian 4, Prattville Christian 2
PRATTVILLE -- Avery Rogers and Addison Sutton each scored a goal in Prattville Christian’s loss to Alabama Christian on Tuesday.
PCA (1-4) will travel to play St. James on Thursday at 7 p.m.
BASEBALL
Montgomery Academy 11, Pike County 1 (5)
Montgomery Academy jumped on Pike County with four runs in the first inning on the way to a run-rule victory over the Bulldogs at Bowman Field on Tuesday.
The Eagles pounded out 10 hits, led by Rick McBride and Andrew Hosein with three hits each. McBride finished with two RBIs and Hosein added an RBI. Luke Jones was 2 for 3 with two RBIs. Ware McCollum and John Allen Jones each had a hit.
The Eagles were led on the mound by eighth grader Reid McBride who allowed just one run on one hit while striking out seven in four innings of work. Parker Cook finished the game in the fifth by striking out the side.
Montgomery Academy 7, LAMP 5
Montgomery Academy jumped out to a big lead in the second inning, then held off a LAMP rally late to defeat the Golden Tigers 7-5 on Monday at the LAMP baseball field.
The Eagles grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to an RBI single by Andrew Hosein and a fielder’s choice by Luke Jones that plated another run.
Montgomery Academy extended the lead to 6-0 in the second inning with a pair of RBI singles by Hosein and John Allen Jones.
LAMP scored a pair of runs in the third inning to cut into the lead, but Parker Cook answered with a solo home run to right center field to make it 7-2.
LAMP scored a run in the fourth and two more in the seventh before Luke Jones came on in relief in the seventh and secured the win.
Hosein went 3 for 4 with three RBIs to lead the Eagles, while John Allen Jones was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, Rick McBride was 2 for 4 and Cook was 1 for 2 with the home run.
Starter Ware McCollum gave up two runs on two hits in three innings. Oscar Fiore allowed three runs on three hits over the next three innings before Luke Jones got the save, allowing just one hit.
The Eagles (5-4) return home to play Pike County on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
Lowndes Academy 12, Meadowview Christian 2
SELMA -- Jase Howard went 2 for 4 with a double, scored a run and drove in two more as the Rebels scored in six of the seven innings on the way to a 12-2 win over the Trojans on Monday.
Ashton Yelder also went 2 for 4 with a double, scoring two runs and driving in another, while Grant Casey went 2 for 2 with a double and an RBI. Nick Dougan added an RBI double and Clayton Hussey and Cooper Dansby drove in runs as well.
Hussey went 2.1 innings as the starter, allowing two runs on one hit while walking four and striking out two. Dansby pitched 1.2 innings, allowing one hit, and Reid Owen pitched the final three innings, allowing three hits.
Kemyron Pritchett went 1 for 2 and drove in a run for Meadowview.
Lowndes Academy 13, Meadowview Christian 1 (3 Inn.)
The Rebels followed up Monday’s win with a victory over Meadowview on Tuesday in a mercy-rule shortened game.
Cooper Carver and Brassell each had two hits.
Pierson Hill was the winning pitcher for the Rebels.
SOFTBALL
Trinity 15, Montgomery Academy 1
The Lady Wildcats used 15 hits along with solid pitching and defense to defeat Montgomery Academy in the 3A Area 6 opener at Trinity on Tuesday.
In the circle, Madi Milton pitched five innings, giving up three hits and striking out four to earn her fifth win of the season.
At the plate, all Wildcat starters recorded at least one hit. Marley Sharpless went 3 for 3 with four RBIs and scored twice, while Micaiah Shelton went 3 for 3 with two RBIs while scoring three runs. Harper Johnson and Emory Harris each went 2 for 3 and scored twice, with Johnson driving in three runs and Harris driving in one. Kate Knight, Emma Rose Meldrum, Madi Milton, Mae Mae Milton and Olivia Caraway each added a hit.
Trinity (5-0) will travel to Catholic on Thursday at 2 p.m.
St. James 6, Catholic 0
Emily Needham pitched a complete game no-hitter and was one walk away from a perfect game as the Trojans shut out the Knights 6-0 at Saint James on Monday afternoon.
Needham struck out 14 of the 21 batters she faced.
The Trojans scored a run in the first inning on doubles by Kaitlyn Hudson and Tat Shuford. They added three runs in the fifth inning on four singles and two unearned runs in the sixth for the margin of victory.
Hudson scored three runs, reached base in three of her four plate appearances with a sacrifice and stole three bases. St. James pounded out 11 hits, with at least one in every inning.
Catholic pitcher Jennifer Looney kept the Lady Knights in the game with a fine pitching performance of her own until the Trojans broke through in the fifth inning.
St. James (10-0) will participate in the Gulf Coast Classic II at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex next week during spring break.
Prattville Christian 8, Tallassee 5
TALLASSEE -- Lara Beth Nesmith pitched the first two innings to get the win and Alivia Messick pitched the final three innings for the save as the Panthers defeated the Tigers 8-5 at Southside Middle School on Tuesday.
At the plate, Kandice Crosby went 4 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs, Paysley Bayer was 2 for 4 and Saniyah Weaver was 2 for 2 with a pair of stolen bases.
PCA (5-3) will return home to host Stanhope Elmore on Thursday.
Dothan 5, Pike Road 4
PIKE ROAD -- The Patriots scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning but came up a run short in a 5-4 loss to the Class 7A Wolves.
Haley Melton suffered her first loss of the year, surrendering nine hits and four runs, three earned, in 3.1 innings while striking out one and walking none. Anna Williams pitched the final 3.2 innings, allowing one run on four hits, walking a batter and striking out one.
Center fielder Kelsey Williams kept the game close by throwing out two Dothan runners at the plate following singles. Williams led the Patriot batters with a 3-for-3 performance.
Ava Milton went 2 for 3, Kennedy Cuthbert added a single, Mary Hayden Hargrove had an RBI single in the second inning, Ameria Anderson had a double and Addison Belyeu had an RBI single, a stolen base and a sacrifice fly to drive in another run.
For Dothan, Kinley German had three hits, including two doubles and an RBI. Maylee Lancaster had three singles, while Sara Harris and Brantlee McCarthy each had a pair of singles. Savanna Kendrick picked up the win in the circle, giving up nine hits and four runs, striking out three and walking one.
GOLF
Montgomery Academy finishes sixth at Dumbwaiter Invitational
LOXLEY -- The Eagles finished in sixth place on both days of the Dumbwaiter Invitational, switching to stroke play on the second day at the Steelwood Country Club.
The tournament consisted of 20 teams, with Montgomery Academy being one of the only two 3A teams at the tournament hosted by Bayside Academy. The field consisted mostly 5A, 6A and 7A teams with many collegiate bound golfers. Freshman Jackson McIntyre tied for first as the individual medalist with a 71.
On the second day, Connor Evans was the low man for MA with a 79. Montgomery Academy beat every 3A, 4A and 5A team at the tournament and the majority of the 6A and 7A teams. The team was only outscored by a handful of the 6A-7A teams.
On the Stableford day, the team was 37 points behind first place Mountain Brook. On stroke play, the team was only 11 shots over tournament champion St. Paul’s Episcopal.
BOYS TENNIS
Vestavia Hills 8, Montgomery Academy 1
VESTAVIA HILLS -- A day after taking on the defending 6A state champion, the Eagles faced the defending 7A state champion and the results were similar as Montgomery Academy was swept in singles.
John Alford and Jackson Brown won at No. 1 doubles to pick up the Eagles’ only point.
Montgomery Academy (4-2) will take a couple of weeks off for spring break, returning to action on March 27 against Catholic at O’Connor Tennis Center.
GIRLS TENNIS
LAMP girls wins McT Invite tourney
MOBILE -- The LAMP girls’ tennis team won each of the final four singles matches with third-set tiebreakers to edge Northridge 5-4 and capture the championship of the annual McT Invite at the Mobile Tennis Center on Saturday.
The Golden Tigers were originally scheduled to compete in the ‘A’ division, but inclement weather changed the plans and LAMP found itself in a six-team ‘B’ division.
In the quarterfinals, the Golden Tigers defeated Mount Carmel Academy of New Orleans 7-2. The Cubs compete in the Louisiana High School Athletic Association’s top class (5A).
Mount Carmel’s No. 1 singles player, Emmy Cohn, defeated LAMP’s Reena Chen (8-6), but the Tigers won the other five singles matches, with Hannah Lee defeating Abby Galloway at No. 2, Grace Liu defeating Madeleine Thorne at No. 3, Dabeen Choi beating Grace Rivera at No. 4, McKenzie Kim beating Ruby Krupp at No. 5 and Jamie Lo defeating Sophie Ellison at No. 6.
In doubles, Cohn teamed with Avery Wicker to beat Lee and Liu at No. 1, but Chen and Kim defeated Galloway and Rivera at No. 2 and Choi and Hannah Baik beat Thorne and Krupp at No. 3.
In the semifinals, LAMP faced a rematch of last year’s ‘B’ division finals, won by Hewitt-Trussville 9-0. This time, on Saturday morning, the Golden Tigers defeated the Class 7A Huskies 6-3.
In singles, LAMP’s Chen defeated Riley Edwards at No. 1, Lee beat Ann Claire Bryant at No. 2, Liu defeated Allie Claire Monski at No. 3 and Kim beat Kate Armstrong at No. 5.
Hewitt-Trussville picked up wins at No. 4 from Ryleigh Martin and at No. 6 from Riley Austin.
In doubles, Lee and Liu defeated Bryant and Monski at No. 1 and Choi and Baik beat Armstrong and Austin at No. 3, while Hewitt-Trussville’s Edwards and Martin won at No. 2.
On Saturday night, LAMP faced Northridge, a team which had defeated the Tigers 5-4 in a February match in Tuscaloosa that lasted more than four hours. Saturday night’s match topped that, with LAMP dropping two of the three doubles matches and two singles lines to fall behind 4-1 before rallying with four consecutive tie-break matches to secure a 5-4 win in a grueling five-hour match that wrapped up late on Saturday night.
The Class 6A Jaguars took a 2-1 lead by winning at No. 1 doubles as Alice Rowley and Carter Thomason defeated Lee and Liu and at No. 2 as Alexandra Salekin and Kate Thom defeated Chen and Kim. At No. 3, the LAMP duo of Choi and Baik defeated Piper Davis and Anushka Nichani.
In singles, Thomason defeated Lee at No. 2 and Thom defeated Liu at No. 3 to surge out to a 4-1 lead.
From there, the Golden Tigers responded with tie-break rallies on each court.
At No. 1, Chen and Rowley split (6-4, 1-6) before Chen won the third set 10-3.
At No. 4, Choi and Salekin split (6-7, 6-2) before Choi fought to a 10-7 win in the third set.
At No. 5, Kim and Nichani split (6-0, 2-6) before Kim won the third set 10-3.
At No. 6, Lo and Thom split (2-6, 6-3) before the pair waged a furious battle in the third set, won by Lo 10-8.
LAMP (13-4) will now take a week off before facing Carroll in a 4A-5A Section 3 match on March 19. The boys’ team will be back in action this weekend in the McT Invite at the Mobile Tennis Center.
TRACK AND FIELD
MA boys win second Monday Madness meet
The Montgomery Academy boys defeated 19 area teams in the second Monday Madness meet at Montgomery Academy, while the girls finished third.
The boys were led by Eli Jernigan in the sprints, John Bennett Lester in the throws and Price McLemore in long distance. The girls were led by Elle Ingram in long distance and Sarah Elizabeth Casey in the jumps and hurdles.
Jernigan picked up 10 points with a second-place finish in the 200-meter run and a seventh-place finish in the 100-meter dash. Lester recorded eight points with a second-place finish in javelin and McLemore also had eight points with a runner-up performance in the 3200-meter run.
Ingram had the only first-place finish for Montgomery Academy, winning the 3200-meter run with a time of 12:12. Casey earned nine points, placing fourth in triple jump and fifth in the 300-meter hurdles.
Montgomery Academy will compete in a meet in Enterprise on the final day of classes on Thursday before taking off for spring break.
Isabella Johnson records top throw in shot at Vestavia Hills
VESTAVIA HILLS -- Montgomery Academy senior Isabella Johnson recorded the top throw in the girls’ shot put this season with a throw of 40 feet, 2.25 inches at the King of the Mountain Invitational on Saturday.
The Eagles competed against 45 other teams and more than 1,400 athletes, with Johnson placing first in the shot put and second in the discus (with a throw of 118 feet, 6 inches) to account for 18 of the Eagles’ 19.5 points. Sarah Elizabeth Casey scored the remaining points with a seventh-place finish in high jump with a jump of 4-10.
Montgomery Academy’s only point production in the boys was a fourth-place finish for Eli Jernigan in the 400-meter run with a time of 50.75.