THURSDAY PREPS: Catholic girls close out regular season with win; MA tennis opens season

COMBINED REPORTS

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Catholic 56, Brewbaker Tech 28

Catholic outscored the Rams 13-2 in the second quarter to break open a 12-10 lead and defeat Brew Tech in the final regular-season game at PICE Arena on Thursday night.

Hannah Smith scored 25 points, along with seven rebounds and two steals, to lead the Knights. Heaven Bailey added 11 points, seven assists, five rebounds and four steals, followed by Grace Levanda with seven points and 10 rebounds and Kierstyn Green with seven points and six rebounds.

The Rams were led by Heleyna Pennic with nine points.

Catholic (17-6) will play Tallassee in the 4A Area 5 semifinals at Trinity on Monday, with the winner advancing to the finals and earning a berth in the state playoffs.

Lowndes Academy 32, Evangel Christian 25

LOWNDESBORO -- Erica Burton had 14 points for Evangel Christian but the Lions’ offense was held in check in an area game against the Rebels in the Lowndes Academy gym on Thursday.

Lowndes moved into a first-place tie with Fort Dale Academy (4-2) in AA Region 1 Area 2 play, while Evangel is a half-game back at 3-2 with a game remaining against Hooper.

The Lions (14-6) return home to play Hooper on Monday at home on Senior Night.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Evangel Christian 59, Lowndes Academy 33

LOWNDESBORO -- Mekhi Williams led four players in double figures for Evangel Christian in a Class AA Region 1 Area 2 win over the Rebels in the Lowndes Academy gym on Thursday.

Williams scored 15 points, along with four assists, two rebounds, three steals and a blocked shot. Tylon Shine added 14 points, five assists, seven rebounds and a blocked shot, while Desi Stovall and Jordan Duncan both scored 11 points. Stovall grabbed 12 rebounds and had an assist while Duncan grabbed three rebounds, had two assists and came up with three steals.

Evangel improved to 4-3 in area play, trailing Valiant Cross (6-1) and Hooper (6-1) and leading Fort Dale (1-5) and Lowndes (0-7).

Evangel Christian (16-5) returns home to play Hooper Academy on Monday for Senior Night.

 TENNIS

MA opens season with win over Lee-Scott

AUBURN -- Montgomery Academy’s tennis teams opened the 2025 season on Thursday, with both the boys and the girls recording 9-0 wins over Lee-Scott Academy.

In the boys’ match, seniors John Alford and Edwin Wu and junior Jackson Brown led the Eagles in the win. Alford won at No. 1 singles, Brown won at No. 2 singles and Wu won at No. 4 singles for the Eagles.

Ford Morano (No. 3), Duncan McInnes (No. 5) and Liam Baker (No. 6) also won their singles matches.

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

The Montgomery Academy boys (1-0) will return home to McLemore Tennis Center to play host to St. James on Wednesday.  

In the girls’ match, the Eagles have some new faces but continued their dominating performance, led by Gabby Barrera at No. 1 singles and doubles.

Other singles winners were Lola Campbell at No. 2, Mary Surhea White at No. 3, Marianna Lassner at No. 4, Elizabeth Campbell at No. 5 and Alyssa Kaplan at No. 6.

Montgomery Academy’s Lillian Cameron also posted an exhibition win.

In doubles, Barrera teamed up with Lola Campbell to win No. 1 doubles. White and Elizabeth Campbell won at No. 2 and Sailor Vance and Kaplan teamed up to win No. 3.

The Montgomery Academy girls (1-0) play host to St. James on Tuesday before traveling to a tournament in Muscle Shoals next weekend.

The junior varsity girls also won, 7-2, as No. 1 Sawyer Murphy, No. 2 Charlotte Vann, No. 3 Fiona Pollard and No. 4 Lizzy Lynn Taylor won in singles. The Eagles swept doubles with Murphy-Vann at No. 1, Pollard-Taylor at No. 2 and Lucille Robertson-Rivers Bell at No. 3.