AISA PLAYOFF RECAP: Cornerstone boys top Snook to advance

Cornerstone’s Cohen Hewitt dribbles past Snook’s Micah Brunson for layup in Tuesday action at the AISA state. tournament at the Cramton Bowl Multiplex. (Tim Gayle)

COMBINED REPORTS

BOYS

Cornerstone Christian 46, Snook Christian 36

The Chargers held Snook Christian to one field goal in the third quarter to pull away from a 23-21 halftime lead and defeat the Eagles 46-36 in the Alabama Independent School Association’s Class A state tournament at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl on Tuesday morning.

Cornerstone will play Abbeville Christian in the Class A semifinals on Thursday at 1:30 p.m., with the winner advancing to the state championship game on Friday at 2 p.m.

Zeke Adams led the Chargers with 20 points, followed by Seth Dillard with 13 and Malachi Adams with eight. Cornerstone reached the quarterfinals in 2017, 2019 and 2024 but lost each time.

Josh Gabel and Cayden Shaffer each had 11 points to lead Snook, followed by Braiden Parker with eight.

Abbeville Christian 51, Wilcox Academy  37

Freshman Macen Brown hit four 3-pointers to stake the Generals to an early lead in Abbeville Christian’s 51-37 win over Wilcox Academy in the AISA Class A quarterfinals at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl on Tuesday.

Abbeville Christian will play Cornerstone Christian in the Class A semifinals on Thursday at 1:30 p.m., with the winner advancing to the state championship game on Friday at 2 p.m.

Jayden Buckhannon hit 10 of 11 free-throw attempts to lead Abbeville with 16 points, followed by Brown with 13, Riddge Crawford with nine and Blake Cooper with eight.

Abe Crosswhite led Wilcox with 13 points, followed by Julian Curry with 10.

Escambia Academy 60, The Oaks 46

Ronta Watson scored 34 points, including 12 in the first quarter, to lead the Cougars to a 60-46 win over The Oaks School in the AISA Class A quarterfinals at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl on Tuesday.

Escambia Academy will play Trinity Christian in the Class A semifinals on Thursday at 10:30 a.m., with the winner advancing to the state championship game on Friday at 2 p.m.

Watson followed up his first-quarter performance with seven points in the second quarter, seven more in the third and eight in the fourth to keep the Mighty Oaks in check. Christian Burks and Bryce Stevens each added eight points for the Cougars.

Joey Allen led The Oaks, a first-year program in the Alabama Independent School Association, with 17 points. Kensley Henderson added eight.

Trinity Christian 55, Patrician Academy 39

Reid House scored 26 points to help Trinity Christian pull away in the second half from Patrician and earn the Eagles their second trip to the Class A semifinals in as many years as an Alabama Independent School Association program.

Last year, Trinity Christian beat Snook Christian in the quarterfinals and lost to Escambia in the Class A semifinals. This year, the Eagles beat Patrician 55-39 in the quarterfinals, earning a rematch with Escambia in the semifinals on Thursday at 10:30 a.m., with the winner advancing to the state championship game on Friday at 2 p.m.

Nate Riddle added 11 points for Trinity, which rallied from a first-quarter deficit to take a 29-23 halftime lead, then pull away from an eight-point lead in the third quarter by holding the Saints to just five points in the final eight minutes.

Matthew Mize led Patrician with 14 points.

GIRLS

North River Christian 44, Sparta Academy 32

North River outscored Sparta 16-5 in the second quarter to break a 13-13 tie and send the Chargers to their first-ever final four appearance with a 44-32 win over the Warriors in the AISA Class A quarterfinals at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl on Tuesday.

North River will play Patrician Academy in the semifinals at noon on Thursday, with the winner advancing to the championship game on Friday at noon.

Alayna Fuller scored 15 points and Diamond Chankio added 13 for the Chargers, which were making only their second-ever appearance in the state tournament after losing to Escambia in the quarterfinals a year ago.

Sparta, which lost in the Class AA finals a year ago, kept pace in the first quarter with 3-pointers from KJ Johnson, Carly Gauna and Krisalyn Johnson, but scored just five points in the second quarter and 14 in the second half.

Gauna led the Warriors with 13 points, followed by KJ Johnson with seven.

Patrician Academy 68, Abbeville Christian 39

Katelee Sikes hit four 3-pointers in the first quarter to get the Saints rolling early in a 68-39 win over Abbeville Christian in the Class A quarterfinals at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl on Tuesday.

Patrician Academy will play North River Christian in the semifinals at noon on Thursday, with the winner advancing to the championship game on Friday at noon.

Sikes finished with 24 points to help the Saints to a 22-7 lead in the first quarter. Isabel McPhearson led Patrician with 25 points, including seven in the first quarter, as the sophomore point guard hit 13 of 17 shots at the free-throw line.

Amari George led Abbeville Christian with 14 points, followed by Taylor Hudspeth with 10.

Jackson Academy 62, Cornerstone Christian 27

Jackson Academy scored 19 points in the first quarter and 20 in the second to race out to a 39-10 halftime lead in Tuesday’s 62-27 win over Cornerstone Christian in the AISA Class A quarterfinals at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl on Tuesday afternoon.

Jackson will play Lakeside School in the semifinals on Thursday at 9 a.m., with the winner advancing to the state championship game on Friday at noon.

Lola Carlisle led Jackson Academy with 17 points, followed by Bethany Clayton with 14 and Lily Carlisle with eight.

Katelyn Keef had eight points to lead Cornerstone. Alizabeth Cleckler added six.

Lakeside School 43, Wilcox Academy 31

The Chiefs won a defensive battle with Wilcox Academy, holding the Wildcats to just four points in the final quarter and 13 in the second half to give Lakeside a 43-31 victory in the AISA Class A quarterfinals at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl on Tuesday.

Lakeside led 20-18 at the half, then turned to its defense in the second half to secure the victory and help the Chiefs advance past the quarterfinals for only the second time in the last six tournament appearances.

Lakeside School will play Jackson in the semifinals on Thursday at 9 a.m., with the winner advancing to the state championship game on Friday at noon.

Addysen Eriksen led Lakeside with 13 points, followed by Leigh Ann Judah and Addy Helms with nine points each and Dylin White with eight.

Sha’Nya Brooks led Wilcox Academy with 11 points.