SATURDAY PREPS: Park Crossing wins first state title in school history
Park Crossing’s Saniya Jackson drives past Chelsea’s Kamryn Hudson in the championship match Saturday at Legacy Arena. (AHSAA/David Holtsford)
COMBINED REPORTS
BIRMINGHAM -- Saniya Jackson hit a pair of baskets to put her team back in control, then added four free throws in the final minute as the Thunderbirds won their first state championship with a 49-39 win over Chelsea in the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 6A girls state tournament at Legacy Arena on Saturday.
Park Crossing (34-1) broke out to a lead late in the first quarter and extended it to 10 points in the second quarter. Chelsea (26-7) never got closer than six points until Sadie Schwallie hit a 3-pointer with 1:40 remaining to trim the deficit to 41-38.
Jackson took control at that point, hitting a pair of baskets to put the Thunderbirds back in command, then securing the victory at the free-throw line.
Jackson finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds and five assists to earn most valuable player honors. Maliyah Meeks added 12 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots.
Apparently, Jackson was playing with an illness Saturday, saying she was “maybe 50 percent.”
“Saniya makes our team go. Half of Saniya is better than no Saniya at all,” PCHS coach Freeda Smith said.
Haley Trotter led Chelsea with 18 points and 13 rebounds.
Jackson, who went over 2,500 career points in the win, was named tournament MVP.
It was the first championship of any kind for the east Montgomery high school which opened in 2013 and added athletics a year later. Freeah Smith became coach of the girls’ basketball program eight years ago and has led the Thunderbirds to seven postseason berths, including three appearances in the state tournament the last four years.
BASEBALL
St. James 5, Tallassee 4
St. James pinch hitter Wilson Aman singled in the bottom of the seventh, driving in Jimmy Dickens with the game winning run as the Trojans edged Tallassee 5-4 in the 32nd annual Jason Armstrong Memorial FCA Tournament at Riverwalk Stadium on Friday night.
Tabor Offord started for the Trojans and pitched six innings of shutout ball, allowing just one hit while striking out 12. Conner Johnston picked up the win in relief, allowing four runs, three earned, and two hits in the seventh inning that tied the game before Aman won it in the bottom half of the inning.
Benton Offord and Charlie Cutler had two RBIs each to lead the Trojans.
St. James (7-1) will travel to Trinity on Tuesday.
Alabama Christian 4, Providence Christian 3
Teilan Long drove in the game winning run in the bottom of the seventh to lift Alabama Christian to a 4-3 win over Providence Christian in the 32nd annual Jason Armstrong Memorial FCA Tournament at Riverwalk Stadium on Friday night.
Long also picked up the win in relief after pitching the seventh inning. Cam Sutton started for the Eagles and pitched the first six innings, allowing six hits and three runs while striking out four.
For the Eagles, Alex Heilman went 2 for 3 with a pair of RBIs, Ethan Dabney went 1 for 1 with a triple, scoring twice and driving in a run, Levi Summers went 1 for 2 and scored twice and Jackson Burton went 1 for 3.
St. James 4, Prattville 1
Conner Johnston drove in a pair of runs as the Trojans defeated Prattville 4-1 in the 32nd annual Jason Armstrong Memorial FCA Tournament at Riverwalk Stadium on Thursday afternoon.
Jimmy Dickens picked up the win, allowing four hits and one earned run in four innings. Luke Catchings got the save, throwing three innings of shutout ball, allowing just one hit.
SOFTBALL
St. James 14, Central-Clay County 0
VALLEY -- Emily Needham pitched a perfect game as the Trojans used an eight-run third inning to overwhelm the Central-Clay Volunteers 14-0 in the championship game of the Lady Rams Invitational at the Valley Sportsplex on Saturday.
Needham pitched five innings, allowing no runs, no hits and no walks while striking out 12 of the 15 batters she faced.
She had plenty of offensive help. Tat Shuford went 3 for 3 with a run scored and two RBIs, Emily Darby went 3 for 3 with two RBIs and Lily Stanford went 3 for 3 with a pair of runs scored. Ava Stanford went 2 for 3 with an RBI and two runs scored and Mary Olive Maddox went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Arden Green went 2 for 4, scored twice and drove in a pair of runs, Sydney Johnston went 1 for 4 with an RBI and scored two runs and Kayla Blackwell went 1 for 1 with a double, scoring twice and driving in a pair of runs.
St. James (12-0) returns home to play host to Glenwood School on Thursday at 5:30 p.m., before traveling to Hoover to play in a tournament at Spain Park on Friday and Saturday.
St. James 5, Beauregard 0
VALLEY -- Emily Needham pitched a three hitter in the circle and drove in a run at the plate to lead the Trojans to a 5-0 win over the Hornets in the semifinals of the Lady Rams Invitational at the Valley Sportsplex on Saturday.
Needham went the distance, allowing three hits and no runs in six innings while striking out 10 and walking two. At the plate, she went 2 for 3 with a double, scoring a run and driving in another.
Kaitlyn Hudson and Tat Shuford both went 2 for 3 and scored a run, while Emily Darby also went 2 for 3. Arden Green went 1 for 3 and scored twice.
St. James (11-0) advanced to the finals of the tournament with the win.
St. James 6, Beulah 1
VALLEY -- Tat Shuford went 2 for 3 with a pair of home runs to lead St. James to a 6-1 win over Beulah in the quarterfinals of the Lady Rams Invitational at the Valley Sportsplex on Saturday.
Shuford drove in three runs, while Mary Olive Maddox, who went 1 for 2, drove in two.
Peyton Middleton allowed four hits and a run in four innings of work. Emily Needham pitched the fifth inning, striking out the side.
Charlee Burgess went 1 for 2 and drove in a run for Beulah.
St. James (10-0) advanced to the semifinals of the tournament with the win.
St. James 16, Beulah 0
VALLEY -- In their first game back on the softball team, Sydney Johnston and Kaitlyn Hudson combined for five hits to help the Trojans finish pool play undefeated in the Lady Rams Invitational at the Valley Sportsplex on Saturday morning.
Johnston and Hudson, along with Kaitlin Mitchell and Lily Stanford, missed the first eight games of the season while playing for the girls basketball team in the state tournament. Johnston went 3 for 3 with a run scored and two RBIs, while Hudson went 2 for 2 with two runs scored and an RBI.
That was more than enough for Peyton Middleton, who pitched a three hitter over three innings, striking out three and walking one.
In addition to Johnston and Hudson, Ava Stanford went 3 for 3, scored three times and drove in a run, Arden Green went 2 for 3 with a double, scored twice and drove in four runs, Tat Shuford went 2 for 2, scored three times and drove in a pair of runs and Emily Darby went 2 for 2 with four RBIs.
Madison Tapley went 2 for 2 with a double to lead Beulah.
St. James (9-0) advanced to bracket play later in the day.
Prattville Christian 8, Ragland 0
OHATCHEE -- Laura Beth NeSmith pitched a no hitter, striking out five, to lead the Panthers to an 8-0 win over Ragland in the Ohatchee Tournament on Saturday.
Saniyah Weaver went 2 for 3 and Megan Masters went 1 for 2 with 2 RBIs to lead the Panthers.
PCA (9-1) returned to play in the tournament with a game against Ohatchee.
Prattville Christian 8, Ohatchee 0
OHATCHEE -- Alivia Messick pitched a no hitter, striking out six, as the Panthers won their second game of the Ohatchee Tournament on Saturday with an 8-0 shutout of the host Indians.
Saniyah Weaver was 2 for 2, Laura Beth NeSmith was 1 for 2 with 2 RBIs and Laney Little added a solo home run for the Panthers.
PCA (10-1) continued play in the tournament with a game against Jacksonville.
Prattville 8, Jacksonville 3
OHATCHEE -- Prattville Christian closed out play in the Ohatchee Tournament on Saturday with an 8-3 win over Jacksonville.
Laura Beth NeSmith picked up the win in the circle, striking out seven.
Saniyah Weaver was 2 for 3 with an RBI, Addie Byrd was 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs and both Caralee Janes and Sara Payton Schmidt went 1 for 2 with an RBI.
PCA (11-1) returns home to play Marbury on Tuesday at 6 p.m. before opening 4A Area 5 play with a game against Booker T. Washington on Thursday. The Panthers then host their own tournament next weekend.
Pike Road 15, Russell County 0
PIKE ROAD -- Addison Belyeu tripled in a run in the first inning and tripled in two more in the third to lead the Patriots to a 15-0 area win over Russell County on Thursday.
Belyeu got the Patriot offense started in the first inning with her RBI triple. Ava Milton singled in Belyeu, Kennedy Thompson and Paisley Forshey followed with RBI singles and America Anderson grounded out to drive in Forshey for a 5-0 lead.
After scoring two runs in the second inning, the Patriots added five more runs in the third. Belyeu drove in two runs and groundouts by Abby Oleson and Mary Hayden Hargrove added two more runs. Forshey later drew a walk to force in another run.
Forshey picked up the win in the circle, giving up one hit in three innings while striking out one and walking three. Milton pitched the fourth, striking out two of the three batters she faced.