PREP UPDATE: Trinity golf finishes second in sub-state; PCA softball grabs two regional wins

COMBINED REPORTS

The Trinity golf team finished two strokes ahead of Montgomery Academy to grab second place in the 3A boys’ sub-state golf tournament on Monday at Lagoon Park 

The Wildcats will join sub-state winner Northside Methodist in the 3A state golf tournament next Monday and Tuesday at the RTJ at the Shoals in Florence.

Northside Methodist shot a 313, followed by Trinity (319), Montgomery Academy (321), Opp (328), Alabama Christian (347), St. James (373), Straughn (375) and New Brockton (391).

The top four teams from Section 1 and Section 2 advanced to the sub-state, along with the top eight individuals that were not on advancing teams or playing as individuals. The top two teams qualified for the state tournament, along with the top two individuals or the top two on a team not advancing.

Opp’s Banks Johnson, playing as an individual, shot a 74 to advance. Montgomery Academy’s Jackson McIntyre and Opp’s Will Boyd both shot a 77 for second place. McIntyre won a one-hole playoff to advance to the state tournament.

Northside Methodist’s Mason Crowder was the low medalist with a 75 to lead his team into the state tournament. David Moore was second with a 78, followed by Tanner Beasley at 79, Hayden Foy at 81 and Nolan Williams with 89.

Trinity was led by Thomas Stewart with a 76. Mac Stewart shot an 80, followed by Whit Bixenmann at 81, Matthew Schroll at 82 and Anderson Burns at 88.

Following McIntyre were Thomas Floyd (80), William Hall (82), Connor Evans (82) and Mac Freeman (89) for Montgomery Academy.

Following Boyd were Clay Kyser (79), Brody Ellis (85), Caden Machen (87) and Conner Machen (89) for Opp.

Mac Moorer led Alabama Christian with an 80, followed by Cooper Waldo at 81, Judson Graham at 91, Hudson Smith at 95 and Daniel Little at 111.

Gray Evans led St. James with an 82, followed by Eli Sommer at 87, Liam Devlin at 98, William Taylor at 106 and Carter Miller at 123.

Cade Wilson led Straughn with an 85, followed by Ridge Wilson (95), Cooper Sasser (97), Grant Barnes (98) and Jackson Bishop at 100.

Colton Cain led New Brockton with an 88, followed by Nick Cassady (98), Dallas Bourne (100), Cannon Richmond (105) and Ryan Gay (109).  

SOFTBALL

Prattville Christian 1, Bibb County 0

Laura Beth NeSmith pitched a five-hit shutout with seven strikeouts to lead the Panthers to the winner’s bracket finals of the Central Regional at Lagoon Park Softball Complex on Monday.

PCA (26-6) will play Northside (38-17) on Tuesday at 1:45 p.m., with the winner advancing to the state tournament in Oxford next week. The loser will return to action at 5 p.m., with the opportunity to advance to the state tournament as the second qualifier from the regional.

Payson Hanson doubled and Kandice Crosby followed with an RBI double to drive in Hanson with the game’s only run. Erin Williams had two hits to lead the PCA offense. 

Prattville Christian 9, Sipsey Valley 7

Prattville Christian pounded out 17 hits to defeat Sipsey Valley in the opening round of the Central Regional on Monday at Lagoon Park Softball Complex. 

PCA (25-6) advanced to the second round of the regional later in the day against Bibb County.

Payson Hanson hit for the cycle to lead the Panthers, recording a solo home run in the fourth inning, a triple in the second, a double in the first and a single in the fifth. She also had three RBIs. 

Chloe Hollon went 3 for 4 with two doubles and two RBIs, Saniyah Weaver was 3 for 4 with an RBI and Kandice Crosby was 2 for 4, including a two-run homer.

Alivia Messick picked up the win in the circle, striking out 10. 

GIRLS SOCCER

Montgomery Academy 2, Spanish Fort 0

SPANISH FORT -- Montgomery Academy and Spanish Fort played a physical game from start to finish, getting a goal in each half and a tough defensive effort to defeat the Toros 2-0 in the 6A quarterfinals of the state soccer playoffs on Friday.

Montgomery Academy (13-3-1) will play Briarwood Christian (14-4-4) in the 6A semifinals on Thursday at the Huntsville Soccer Complex at 9 a.m., with the winner advancing to Saturday morning’s battle for the state championship. 

Sophia Cho opened the scoring against Spanish Fort with a wonderful free kick 25 yards away, which curved into the right hand side of the goal to give the Eagles the lead. 

The Montgomery Academy girls kept the same intensity throughout the second half, pushing for the second goal to seal the game off. With eight minutes left, Mary Elizabath Cole scored a wonderful half volley to make it 2-0. 

TRACK AND FIELD

Montgomery Academy boys, girls both finish fifth in 4A state meet

GULF SHORES -- Isabella Johnson closed out her Montgomery Academy career with a victory in the shot put, a runner-up finish in discuss and a third-place finish in javelin to account for 24 of the Eagles’ 39 points in a fifth-place finish at the Alabama High School Athletic Association 4A state outdoor meet on Saturday.

Johnson won the shot put with a throw of 40 feet, 0.5 inches, while her discus throw was 125-9 for a second-place finish and a javelin throw of 112 feet to finish third.

Freshman Elle Ingram accounted for nine points, including a fourth-place finish in the 3200-meter run and a fifth-place finish in the 1600-meter run. Other points were scored by Sarah Elizabeth Casey (fifth in high jump) and Megan Link (seventh in pole vault) as well as eighth-place finishes by the 4x100-meter relay team of MJ Brown, Ashlyn Boswell, Ava Thomas and Tara Samant and the 4x400-meter relay team of Isabella Arnett, Bennett Britt, Samant and Casey.

The boys also placed fifth, led by Skyler Stovall’s state championship jump of six feet, six inches in the high jump and his fourth-place finish of 21 feet, five inches in the long jump.

Other points were scored by Eli Jernigan (fourth in 400-meter run), Knox Wingate (fourth in pole vault), DJ Vinson (fifth in high jump), Bobby Bradford (sixth in 400-meter run) and Frank Williford (eighth in 3200-meter run). The 4x400-meter relay team of Bradford, Jernigan, Rick McBride and Jackson McIntyre placed third, while the 4x100-meter relay team of Mac Benefield, McBride, Jernigan and Vinson was fourth.