PREP UPDATE: AHSAA releases classifications for '22-'24; Pike Road sweeps Greenville in hoops
COMBINED REPORTS
The Alabama High School Athletic Association Central Board of Control unanimously approved the new seven-classification system for championship play in fall sports for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years. The vote was held Tuesday during the monthly meeting.
Several schools in the River Region were affected with the new plan including Robert E. Lee, which will move back to Class 7A after spending the last two years in 6A. The Generals will rejoin Jeff Davis and Prattville as part of a nine-team region that also includes Opelika, Smiths Station, Dothan, Auburn, Central-Phenix City and Enterprise.
Pike Road will move up to Class 6A and join fellow River Region opponents G.W. Carver, Sidney Lanier, Park Crossing, Wetumpka and Stanhope Elmore as part of Region 2. Russell County rounds out the region.
Two schools were affected by the Competitive Balance Factor. Both Montgomery Academy and Montgomery Catholic moved up to Class 4A and will compete in a region with Andalusia, BT Washington, Bullock County, Dale County, Geneva County and Slocomb.
Alabama Christian, Trinity and St. James are paired in Class 3A, Region 3 with Prattville Christian, Greensboro, Southside-Selma and Sumter-Central.
Tallassee is back in Class 5A in a region with familiar foes as the last two years. The Tigers are in Region 4 with Elmore County, Central-Clay County,Beauregard, Sylacauga and Valley. Marbury and Holtville are paired in Class 5A, Region 3 with Demopolis, Jemison, Selma and Shelby County.
Classification is based on Average Daily Membership (ADM) figures furnished by the State Department of Education for public schools for grades 9 through 11 plus eighth-grade hold-back students. Member private schools report that same data directly to the AHSAA. An index of 1.35 is used to determine the enrollment figure for classifying private school members. Each private school student counts 1.35 for classification purposes. A competitive balance success factor is also applied to private school sports teams which affects approximately 10% of private school teams.
“I want to thank the Classification Task Force, Central Board and AHSAA staff for their dedicated effort and time put in and the recommendations they made,” AHSAA Executive Director Alvin Briggs said. “As always, it was a difficult job, but everyone worked together to find the best solution as we move forward.”
A complete list of new classifications can be found here.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Pike Road 55, Greenville 26
PIKE ROAD -- Jazz Johnson led all scorers with 24 points and eight steals to lead the Patriots to a 55-26 win over the Tigers in the Pike Road gym on Tuesday.
Jada Roberts added 15 points and six steals for Pike Road (6-3), which travels to Autaugaville on Thursday, to Booker T. Washington on Friday and will face Catholic in the opening round of the Jack Schweers Capital City Conference Tournament on Saturday at Trinity.
Wetumpka 56, LAMP 46
Arianna Cannida led LAMP with 20 points as the Golden Tigers fell to Wetumpka 56-46 in the LAMP gym on Tuesday night.
Janae McCall had 19 points and Zariah Fannin had 13 for Wetumpka.
LAMP (6-6) travels to Gulf Shores for the Gulf Shores Christmas Tournament on Monday.
Stanhope Elmore 64, Shelby County 15
COLUMBIANA -- Jace Haynes scored 17 points to lead a balanced attack as Stanhope Elmore pounced on Shelby County 64-15 on Monday night in the Shelby County gym.
The Mustangs jumped out to a 17-5 lead by the end of the first quarter and led 35-8 at the half.
Haynes had eight of her points in the second quarter and six more in the third. Kelbi Johnson added 13 points, followed by Ariel Gilchrist with 10 and Summer Hicks with nine.
Paci Clark led Shelby County with five points.
Stanhope Elmore travels to Holtville on Friday.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Pike Road 56, Greenville 51
PIKE ROAD -- Jayden Cooper had 15 points, eight rebounds, an assist, a blocked shot and two steals to lead the Patriots to a 56-51 win over the Tigers on Tuesday in the Pike Road gym.
KJ Westry added 15 points, seven rebounds, a pair of assists, a blocked shot and two steals and Blayne Battaglia had eight points.
Pike Road travels to Autaugaville on Thursday, to Booker T. Washington on Friday and will face St. James in the opening round of the Jack Schweers Capital City Conference Tournament on Saturday at Trinity.