RRS PREP RECAPS: St. James girls falls in tourney final to BTW; STJ boys advance to final
St. James forward Ava Card goes up for a shot against BTW-Tuskegee’s Makayla Sanders in the Class 4A Area 3 Tourney on Wdnesday. (Eddie Olszewski)
COMBINED REPORTS
They say it is difficult to defeat the same team three times in one season, and after two regular season wins with not much difficulty, the St. James Lady Trojans had a fight on their hands, down by as many as five points in the final quarter before a 9-0 run put them ahead as they held on for the victory over Booker T. Washington 50-44 in the championship game of the 4A Area 3 tournament at St. James on Wednesday night.
Tournament Most Valuable Player Ava Card was in foul trouble in the first half and fouled out with 4:17 remaining in the game, but her teammates held strong in a defensive and foul-intensive contest.
The Trojans built an early 13-6 lead, but held a tedious 27-26 margin at halftime and trailed 41-36 after the Lady Eagles scored the first basket of the fourth quarter before the nine-point Saint James’ scoring run.
K.K. Hall led the Trojans with 15 points. Card scored 14 before fouling out. Danielle Greene and Maddox Trumbly each added eight points to the winning total.
Booker T. Washington’s Kiera Davis led all scorers with 23 points and Trayviona Fielder added seven.
Each team will continue in the sub-regional round of the 4A playoffs. St. James will play host to the loser of Thursday’s game between Geneva and Straughn on Monday at 6 p.m. in the St. James gym, while Booker T. Washington will travel to face the Geneva-Straughn winner on Monday at 6 p.m.
Joining Card on the all-tournament team were Hall and Greene of St. James and Davis and Fielder of Booker T. Washington.
At halftime, a special presentation was made to St. James senior Bradley Thomas who led the boys’ varsity to a 70-44 win over Bullock County on Tuesday in the 4A Area 3 tournament in Tuskegee. In the process, Thomas surpassed the 1,000-point career mark (1005 and counting) -- the 10th such Trojan on the boys’ basketball team to reach that plateau.
The boys will compete against Booker T. Washington in the Area 3 finals on Friday at 7 p.m., with both teams advancing to Tuesday’s sub-regional round.
BOYS: St. James 70, Bullock County 44
TUSKEGEE -- Bradley Thomas had 18 points to lead St. James into the Class 4A Area 3 tournament finals with a 70-44 victory over Bullock County in the at Booker T. Washington on Tuesday.
Thomas went over the 1,000-point career mark in the process and was honored at halftime of the girls’ area tournament game at St. James on Wednesday.
St. James (15-5) will play Booker T. Washington in the tournament championship game on Friday at 7 p.m. Both teams will advance to sub-regional play on Tuesday at 6 p.m., with the winner hosting the Straughn-Dale County loser and the runner-up traveling to the Area 2 tournament champion.
Stanhope Elmore girls 51, Benjamin Russell 44
WETUMPKA -- Kelbi Johnson had 23 points and four rebounds and Jace Haynes added 11 points, 26 rebounds and four blocked shots to help Stanhope Elmore earn a playoff berth with a 51-44 win over Benjamin Russell in the first round of the 6A Area 5 tournament at Wetumpka High on Tuesday.
Johnson had three 3 pointers in the first half to give her 14 points as the Mustangs built a 29-26 lead at the half. Benjamin Russell drew within 37-36 entering the fourth quarter, but Johnson hit her fourth 3 pointer, Haynes had a pair of crucial baskets and the Mustangs secured the win at the free-throw line.
Tylicia Calhoun led Benjamin Russell with 17 points.
Stanhope Elmore (20-6) will face Wetumpka for the area tournament championship on Friday at 6 p.m., with the winner hosting the Area 6 runner-up in the sub-regional round on Monday and the loser traveling to either Pelham or Helena on Monday.
GIRLS TENNIS
Montgomery Academy 9, Trinity 0
The Eagles improved to 2-0 after sweeping the Wildcats in singles and doubles at Montgomery Academy on Wednesday.
In singles, Gabby Barrera defeated Sydney Speagle 6-0, 6-1 at No. 1; Jenna Chandler beat Stella Grayson 6-0, 6-1 at No. 2; Mae Mae Voltz shut out Sally Warren 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3; Clara Ryan defeated Kathryn Moore 6-2, 6-1 at No. 4; Kareena Singh beat Elaina Laudner 6-0, 6-0 at No. 5; and Cate Peeples defeated Haley French 6-1, 6-0 at No. 6.
In doubles, Chandler-Voltz beat Speagle-Grayson 6-2, 6-0 at No. 1; Barrera-Ryan defeated Moore-Warren 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2; and Peeples teamed with Mary Lee Kelso to secure a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Reese Patterson and Melisa Pace.
GIRLS SOCCER
Montgomery Academy 6, Catholic 1
The Eagles opened defense of their state championship with a convincing win over Catholic on Tuesday night.
A dominant display from the Eagles began with a cross field ball by Sophia Cho finished off by Kerstin Daniels. Cho got her second assist of the game with a long ball over the defense which Bae Corley capitalized on to grab her first goal of the campaign. After two assists from Cho she would turn goal scorer, receiving the ball just inside the opposition half and rifling the ball past the goalkeeper to give the Eagles a 3-0 lead at the half.
Corley jumped straight back into the action in the second half, clinically finishing off her second strike of the game. Cho then followed up with her second goal of the game with a precise free kick flying into the top corner. Kaitlin Phenix would put the final nail in the coffin as she beat two defenders in the box to slide it past the goalkeeper.
Catholic would grab a late goal at the death ending the game on a high.