PREP UPDATE: Former Macon East standout Desmarais aids Auburn run to Final Four; MA boys tennis tops Auburn

COMBINED REPORTS

Grow The Game announced 11 student managers across the country were named to its Manager All-American teams, including Auburn basketball manager Will Desmarais.

Desmarais has spent the last four years helping the Tigers’ mens basketball program, including this year’s trip to the Final Four. He managed football and baseball statistics for Macon East Academy, turning that opportunity into an invitation to work with Auburn’s program over the last four years.

Desmarais was one of six basketball managers named to the Grow the Game Manager AA team for men’s basketball, joining Ohio State’s Eric Oberholtzer, Florida’s Corey Reynolds, Justin Berryhill of St. Louis University, Graham Sandefer of Louisville and Andrew Korta of Kansas.

The organization also named a Manager All-American team for women’s basketball, selecting five individuals for that award. They include Alabama’s Jane Spitulnik, Duke’s Michael Romney, Isaiah Dowling of James Madison, Erhen Joseph of Florida International and Emilie Brinser of Elizabethtown College.

This is the third year the non-profit organization has been selecting All-American teams. The organization’s Web site notes that “student managers are the backbone of college basketball programs across the country, doing everything from laundry, to driving players to class, to working out players, to helping prepare scouting reports. However, many do this for little to no pay.”

 The organization got its start during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 after Clemson men’s basketball manager Jake Cerota and Kansas men’s basketball manager Ashton Hopp saw a chance to make a positive impact amongst their peers by providing free professional development and networking opportunities. Grow the Game’s webinar series became a fast success, impacting hundreds of student managers.

Since 2020, the organization has grown to be established as an official 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. While Grow the Game continues to host zoom webinars, it has grown to include a mentorship program, summer development cohorts, GA Pathway and job fairs and events at the men’s and women’s final fours. 

BOYS TENNIS

Montgomery Academy 8, Auburn 1

AUBURN -- Montgomery Academy swept the Tigers in doubles and won five of the six singles matches to remain unbeaten in 7A Section 2 play on Tuesday.

The match was originally scheduled for Feb. 11 but was postponed because of inclement weather, With the win on Tuesday, the Eagles improved to 6-0 in section play and will be the No. 1 seed in the section tournament that starts next Monday at Lagoon Park.

In singles, John Alford won at No. 1, Jackson Brown won at No. 2, Ford Morano won at No. 3, Edwin Wu won at No. 4 and Liam Baker won at No. 6 for the Eagles.

In doubles, Alford-Brown won at No. 1, Morano-Wu won at No. 2 and Anton Yang and Bo Johnston won at No. 3.

Montgomery Academy (16-1) will return home to host Houston Academy on Wednesday at McLemore Tennis Center.

GIRLS TENNIS

Mountain Brook 7, Montgomery Academy 2

MOUNTAIN BROOK -- Gabby Barrera won in singles and teamed up with Lola Campbell to win in doubles for the only points in Montgomery Academy’s 7-2 loss to the Spartans on Tuesday.

Barrera defeated Ann Royal Goodson 6-3, 6-0 in No. 1 singles and Barrera and Campbell defeated Goodson and Olivia Roberts 8-4 at No. 1 doubles.

BOYS SOCCER

Montgomery Academy 4, Enterprise 3

ENTERPRISE -- Tanner Bartgis delivered the game-tying goal in regulation and the game-winning goal in overtime to help the Eagles escape with an overtime victory over the Wildcats in a Class 7A Area 3 victory on Tuesday night.

Hampton Welch scored the first goal for the Eagles and Jacob Stubblefield added a second goal on a penalty kick before Bartgis forced overtime with his first goal of the game.

Montgomery Academy (13-1-2) improves to 7-0 in Area 3 play and travels to Birmingham to play Briarwood Christian on Thursday at 7:15 p.m.

Lee-Scott Academy 3, Prattville Christian 1

PRATTVILLE -- Cooper Dunn scored the lone goal for the Panthers in an area loss to the Warriors at Panthers Stadium on Tuesday night.

PCA (3-12) dropped to 1-5 in area play and will travel to play Autauga Academy on Monday.

Catholic, 6, JAG 0

Stott Blancas and Matt Russo each scored a pair of goals to lead the Knights to a 6-0 win over JAG on Friday.

Seventh grader Sebastian Alfreds scored the game’s first goal before Blancas scored a pair of goals with assists by Tony Lemuz and Bryan Rue, respectively. Blancas then assisted on a goal by Ben Chitlik for a 4-0 lead.

Russo scored the Knights’ final two goals, the first with an assist by J.P. Costa, the second with an assist by Chitlik

Goalkeeper Garrett Sanford had four saves on four shots on goal. Tony Lemuz played the final 13 minutes and had three saves on three shots on goal.

Catholic (10-8) will return to action on Tuesday with an area game at home against LAMP.

GIRLS SOCCER

Lee-Scott Academy 10, Prattville Christian 0

PRATTVILLE -- The Warriors shut out the Panthers 10-0 in an area game at Panther Stadium on Tuesday.

PCA (4-8-1) dropped to 1-5 in area play and will play host to Charles Henderson on Friday.

SOFTBALL

St. James 10, Brew Tech 0

Emily Needham pitched a one hitter in helping the Trojans defeat the Rams 10-0 in a five-inning game at St. James on Tuesday.

Tat Shuford went 3 for 3 with a home run, scoring twice and driving in five runs. Ava Stanford went 3 for 3, scoring twice and driving in two runs. Sydney Johnston and Arden Green both went 2 for 3.

Reese Woody had the lone hit for the Rams, going 1 for 2.

St. James (32-6) will travel to Trinity on Thursday for a 3A Area 5 game.  

Prattville Christian 15, Marbury 4

MARBURY -- Chloe Hollon had three hits, including an RBI single in the fourth, a two-run home run in the fifth and a two-run triple in the sixth to help the Panthers to a 15-4 win over the Bulldogs on Tuesday.

Prattville Christian got on the board in the first with a two-run single by Caralee Janes and added another run in the third on an Addison Byrd triple.

The Panthers added five more runs in the fourth inning with RBI singles by Hollon and Sara Payton Schmidt, a sacrifice fly by Megan Masters and a two-run double by Byrd.

Peyton Thrash continued her hot streak at the plate, driving in two runs with a single in the sixth. Chasiti Lindsey added an RBI single.

Leadoff batter Saniyah Weaver went 4 for 5 to lead the Panthers.

PCA (25-5) will travel to Montgomery for a 4A Area 5 game at LAMP on Thursday.  

BOYS GOLF

Trinity ties for ninth in Joe King Memorial

OPELIKA -- The Trinity boys finished ninth out of 16 teams in the 25th annual Joe King Memorial last Monday and Tuesday at the Grand National RTJ Lakes Course.

Brycen Dorsch made the all-tournament team, shooting a one-under 71. Trinity golfers finishing behind Dorsch were Matthew Schroll (78), Mackin Roth (79), Whit Bixenman (81) and Walter McKee (83).

Auburn won the event, shooting a 291. Finishing behind the Tigers were UMS-Wright (294), Northridge (295), Spanish Fort (297), Columbus (298), Carrollton (300), St. Paul’s Episcopal (303), Vestavia Hills (306) and Trinity (309), who was tied with Smiths Station, Spain Park and another team of Auburn High golfers.

UMS-Wright’s Thomas Crane was the low medalist with a 66.

GIRLS GOLF
Pendleton finishes fourth in Orange Beach Invitational

FOLEY -- Trinity golfer Eden Pendleton shot an 83 on a windy Thursday at Glen Lakes, finishing fourth as an individual competing in the Orange Beach Invitational.

Pendleton finished fourth in the event and was selected to the all-tournament team.

TRACK AND FIELD

Montgomery Academy places fourth in Enterprise Invitational

ENTERPRISE -- Montgomery Academy’s boys and girls teams both placed fourth in Saturday’s Enterprise Invitational.

For the boys, Knox Wingate, Trey White and Matt Cone recorded first-place finishes along with the 4x800-meter relay team.

Wingate was first in pole vault and fourth in javelin, while White was first in the 800-meter run and Cone was first in the 3200-meter run. White, Price McLemore, Ian Farley and Frank Williford were the members of the first-place relay team.

McLemore also placed fourth in the 1600-meter run and sixth in the 800-meter run, while Williford was fifth in the 1600 and Farley was seventh in the 800. Stephen McLemore placed fifth in the 3200-meter run.  

For the girls, Livia Dwyer was first in the 1600-meter run and second in the 800-meter run, while Elle Ingram was first in the 800-meter run. Isabella Arnett placed fourth in the 400-meter run and eighth in the 200-meter dash.