ACA Baseball Week in Review

The Eagles (6-6) played in-town opponents this week and won one of three games. The week started at home against Brew Tech on Monday. The game was a pitcher’s duel which ACA won, 3-2. The offense was provided by the Dansby brothers as they collected all four hits for the Alabama Christian offense. Ethan drove in the game winner in the sixth with a two-out single to left driving in AJ Shannon. Beau Gainey picked up the win with three innings of one-hit relief work. The righty struck out three with no walks.

Tuesday brought Catholic calling in what would end up as a high scoring game. Early on, the Eagles had things their way as they scored three runs in the first and David Johnson mowed through the Knight’s lineup not allowing his first hit until two outs in the fourth inning. However, once the Catholic offense got rolling, ACA couldn’t stop them. The visitors scored eleven runs over the final four innings in an 11-7 defeat of ACA. Jeremiah Johnson and Teilan Long led the offense with two hits apiece.

Friday sent ACA to Trinity for an afternoon contest. The song choices from the press box for the opposing players was disappointing at best, classless at worst, but that didn’t take away from the Wildcat’s effort on the field. The Eagles had Trinity’s starter on the ropes in the first two innings but could not produce the timely hit needed to score a run. In the first, ACA had runners at first and second with no outs, but two strikeouts and fly ball ended the inning. In the second, ACA loaded the bases with one out but a strikeouts and a fly ball once again ended the threat. The offense did not put a man in scoring position with less than two outs again until the seventh inning. Meanwhile, Trinity’s offense did just enough for the 5-0 win. Jeremiah Johnson, Alex Heilman, and Ethan Dabney each had two hits to lead the offense.

Season Leaders

Batting Avg. - Alex Heilman - .324, David Johnson - .312, Jeremiah Johnson - .306 On-base % - David Johnson - .532, Teilan Long - .521, Ethan Dabney - .467 RBI’s - Jeremiah Johnson and Beau Gainey - 9, David Johnson - 8 Runs Scored - Teilan Long - 13, Bryson Dabney - 11, David Johnson - 9

Wins - Beau Gainey and Mason Henry - 2, Cam Sutton and David Johnson - 1 Strikeouts - Beau Gainey and Mason Henry - 19, Cam Sutton - 18 ERA - Cam Sutton - 2.33, Mason Henry - 2.88, Baeu Gainey - 3.07

ACA Softball Week in Review

For the second week in a row, Alabama Christian (3-7) played just one game over the course of the week. The Eagles hosted Stanhope Elmore on Monday and were defeated in an extra inning shootout, 10-13. ACA scored three in the first as Elizabeth Hall smashed a two-run homer in the inning. Stanhope scored seven in the third and owned a 7-4 lead after three. In the sixth, ACA took a two-run lead after scoring three times in the bottom half. Unfortunately, the Mustangs scored twice in the seventh to force extras. In the eighth, the visitors scored four times and held ACA to one run for the 13-10 win.

Despite the loss, the offense was in high gear on the afternoon. Anna Gleason went 4 for 5 with three RBI’s to lead the team. Campbell Hammett and Elizabeth Hall both had two hits. Hammett scored five runs and stole four bases against Stanhope. She is the eighth player in program history to score at least five runs in a game and the first since 1996. In addition, she is just the sixth player in program history to steal at least four bases in a game.

Season Leaders

Batting Avg. - Elizabeth Hall - .524, Anna Gleason - .440, Campbell Hammett - .333 On-base % - Elizabeth Hall - ..536, Anna Gleason - .517, Adalee Lincoln - .500 RBI’s - Elizabeth Hall - 13, Laura Matthews - 6, Anna Gleason - 5 Runs Scored - Campbell Hammett - 16, Elizabeth Hall - 9, Anna Gleason and Emma Redmon - 7

Wins - Adalee Lincoln - 2, Maddie Owens - 1 Strikeouts - Maddie Owens - 16, Adalee Lincoln - 3 ERA - Adalee Lincoln - 5.37, Maddie Owens - 8.08

ACA Baseball Week in Review

Alabama Christian (5-4) split its four games this week as they participated in the FCA tournament Wednesday through Saturday. The week started with a home game against Autauga Academy on Monday. ACA took advantage of nine General’s walks, five errors, three hit batsmen, and two catchers interference calls in a 10-2 victory. David Johnson pitched six innings with eight strikeouts to earn the win and added two hits at the plate. Dee Howze went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI’s.

The remainder of the week, the Eagles played in the FCA tournament with all three of their games being held at Riverwalk. ACA opened against Lee-Scott on Wednesday. The game was tied 1-1 after three innings, but LSA scored ten runs over the next three innings for an 11-1 win. David Johnson drove in Teilan Long in the first inning for the team’s only run. On Friday, Alabama Christian took on Pike Road. The contest did not feature much offense, but the Patriots did just enough for a 2-1 victory. Cam Sutton pitched a solid six innings and deserved a better outcome, but the offense left eight runners on base and did not have a single hit with runners in scoring position.

Saturday saw Mason Henry pitch a gem of a game and the offense came through in a 6-1 defeat of Marbury. The freshman went the distance allowing just three hits with nine strikeouts and no walks. The righty also helped himself at the plate with three hits in four at-bats. Beau Gainey also delivered three hits with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. Bryson Dabney, Teilan Long, and David Johnson each had two hits. Every starter had at least one hit.

ACA trailed 0-1 after four innings. In the fifth, Ethan Dabney had a two-out single to center to tie the game. In the sixth there was more two-out drama as the Eagles took the lead on a bases loaded walk by Teilan Long. In the seventh, four insurance runs sure felt good as ACA pulled away. Beau Gainey, Alex Heilman, and Long each had run scoring hits.

Team Leaders

Batting Avg. - David Johnson and Dee Howze - .400, Teilan Long - .333 On-Base % - David Johnson - .571, Teilan Long - .556, Ethan Dabney - .485 RBI’s - David Johnson and Beau Gainey - 8, Jeremiah Johnson - 7 Runs Scored - Teilan Long - 12, Bryson Dabney - 11, Jeremiah Johnson and David Johnson - 7

Wins - Mason Henry - 2, Cam Sutton, Beau Gainey, and David Johnson - 1 Strikeouts - Cam Sutton - 18, Beau Gainey - 16, David Johnson - 15 ERA - Cam Sutton - 0.84, David Johnson - 1.36, Mason Henry - 1.91

ACA Softball Week in Review

After a busy first two weeks, Alabama Christian played a single game in week three with a visit to PCA on Thursday. The Panthers defeated ACA in five innings, 13-3. Elizabeth Hall, Anna Gleason, Chloe Childs, and Adalee Lincoln each had a hit. Hall drove in two runs in the game.

Team Leaders

Batting Avg. - Laura Matthews - .538, Elizabeth Hall - .529, Anna Gleason - .350 On-base % - Adalee Lincoln - .588, Laura Matthews - .538, Elizabeth Hall - .522 RBI’s - Elizabeth Hall - 11, Laura Matthews - 6, Chloe Childs, Bentley Lamberth, and Peri Laine Holley - 4 Runs Scored - Campbell Hammett - 11, Elizabeth Hall - 7, Anna Gleason and Emma Redmon - 6

Wins - Adalee Lincoln - 2, Maddie Owens - 1 Strikeouts - Maddie Owens - 13, Adalee Lincoln - 3 ERA - Adalee Lincoln - 5.37, Maddie Owens - 7.52

ACA Softball Week in Review

The Lady Eagles (3-5) had a full slate of games scheduled over the past week. The week started with a tough loss at Catholic on Monday. Thursday the team traveled to Elmore County but did not make it through the second inning before the rains came and stayed. That game will be completed at a later date. The weekend saw ACA participate in a tournament in Wetumpka where teams from all over the state played. Alabama Christian split their four games over Friday and Saturday.

Catholic - 3/23

In a game where the lead changed hands four times, ACA could not hold the Catholic offense down in an 11-12 loss. The Eagles led 7-3 after four and a half innings, but could not hold the lead. Bentley Lamberth’s three-run jack in the third gave ACA a 4-2 lead. Three Eagles, Campbell Hammett, Elizabeth Hall, and Peri Laine Holley, each had two hits to lead the offense. Hall also drove in four runs.

Billingsley - 2/27

ACA scored nine runs in the first two innings and was able to hold off a fifth inning rally by the Bears for a 10-7 victory. Adalee Lincoln picked up the win with a complete game effort. Lincoln pitched five innings allowing just one earned run with three strikeouts. At the plate, Laura Matthews led the way with a 3 for 3 performance with two runs driven in. Campbell Hammett finished 2 for 2 with three stolen bases and two runs scored while Peri Laine Holley went 2 for 4 with two RBI’s.

Gulf Shores - 2/27

ACA hung with Gulf Shores for an inning and a half, but when the Dolphins got going they ran away with the game. The Eagles lost by a score of 2-16. Anna Gleason got the team’s only hit for the game.

Stanhope Elmore - 2/28

ACA was given the last two time slots for the second day of the tournament. As expected, games were running late which delayed the Eagles start time. Like the Gulf Shores game, ACA stayed close to a much larger opponent to start. After four innings against the Mustangs, ACA trailed by just one run. Stanhope Elmore pulled away in the last frame for a 13-4 defeat of the Eagles. Laura Matthews paced the offense with two hits in three at bats and an RBI. Campbell Hammett scored two runs and stole two bases.

Isabella - 2/28

The night and the tournament ended on a high note as ACA pounded Isabella 16-3. The Eagles scored six runs over the second and third innings on just two hits. Maddie Owens got the win as she pitched all five innings allowing no earned runs with three strikeouts. Chloe Childs went 2 for 3 with two RBI’s and two runs scored. Both Elizabeth Hall and Laura Matthews went 2 for 4 and each drove in two runs.

Team Leaders

Batting Average - Laura Matthews - .538, Elizabeth Hall - .533, Anna Gleason and Campbell Hammett - .333 On-base percentage - Adalee Lincoln - .600, Laura Matthews - .538, Elizabeth Hall - .524 RBI’s - Elizabeth Hall - 9, Laura Matthews - 6, Chole Childs, Bentley Lamberth, and Peri Laine Holley - 4 Runs Scored - Campbell Hammett - 10, Elizabeth Hall - 7, Anna Gleason and Emma Redmon - 6

Wins - Adalee Lincoln - 2, Maddie Owens - 1 Strikeouts - Maddie Owens - 9, Adalee Lincoln - 3 ERA - Adalee Lincoln - 5.37, Maddie Owens - 6.22

ACA Baseball Week in Review

After dropping both games in the first week of the season, the Eagles bounced back in week two to win all three of their games. The week started with a bitterly cold trip to Beulah and an extra-inning victory over the Bobcats. ACA capped off the week with a doubleheader sweep of Park Crossing. An all-star grounds crew worked all day Friday to make sure the games could be played.

Beulah - 2/24

When the starting lineups were being announced before the Beulah game, no one knew a botched attempt at a name would give a player his potential permanent nickname. However, when you get Muhammad out of Mason Henry , the name has a chance to stick. David Johnson pitched the Eagles to 5-3 lead as the starter. The sophomore lasted 4 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts. Jeremiah Johnson’s two-run single with two outs in the fourth inning gave ACA a 4-3 lead and an inning later Beau Gainey singled in Alex Heilman for a 5-3 advantage. Three defensive errors in the sixth allowed Beulah to tie the game 5-5 and force extra innings. In the eighth, Dee Howze put the Eagles ahead with an RBI ground out. Alex Heilman followed with a run scoring single and Mason Henry capped the frame with a two-run single for a 9-5 lead. Beau Gainey struck out the side in the bottom half to pick up the win in relief. The right hander went 3 2/3 innings giving up no earned runs with eight strikeouts. Jeremiah Johnson and Alex Heilman led the offense with two hits a piece.

Park Crossing (Game 1) - 2/27

Alabama Christian scored in every inning of the 15-1 run-rule victory. Cam Sutton, who pitched well enough to win last week, picked up his first win of the year with a dominating performance against Park Crossing. The senior pitched five innings allowing just three hits with ten strikeouts. The offense was aided by 12 free passes issued by Thunderbird pitchers. Bryson Dabney went 2 for 4 with a double while scoring three runs and driving in two. Beau Gainey also went 2 for 4 with a double and drove in three runs.

Park Crossing (Game 2) - 2/27

The nightcap looked very similar to game one as ACA drew nine walks and run-ruled its opponent in five innings, 15-3. Mason Henry made his 2026 debut on the mound and earned the victory. The freshman pitched four innings and struck out five with no walks. Jeremiah Johnson pitched the fifth as he struck out two and picked off a very aggressive base runner. Three Eagles tallied two hits in the game. Ethan Dabney went 2 for 2 with a double and a triple along with a walk and a run scored. Teilan Long was 2 for 3 with a double, an RBI, and two runs scored. Alex Heilman went 2 for 3 with two runs driven in and a run scored. David Johnson led the team with three RBIs.

Team Leaders

Batting Average - Dee Howze - .444, Jeremiah Johnson - .385, David Johnson - .385 On-base percentage - Ethan Dabney - .588, David Johnson - .579, Jeremiah Johnson - .550 Runs Scored - Teilan Long - 9, Bryson Dabney - 8, Jeremiah Johnson and David Johnson - 5 RBI’s - Jeremiah Johnson - 7, Beau Gainey and David Johnson- 6

Wins - Cam Sutton, Beau Gainey, and Mason Henry - 1 Strikeouts - Cam Sutton - 13, Beau Gainey - 12, David Johnson - 7 ERA - Cam Sutton - 0.66, Beau Gainey - 2.10, David Johnson - 3.23

Eagles Complete Season Sweep of Holtville

It has been said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It’s also been said, a win is a win. Both varsity basketball teams stopped four game losing streaks with wins over Holtville on Friday. Although ACA enjoyed putting a notch in the win column, the game film will not be hanging in the Louvre anytime soon.

Girls (6-8)

The ACA defense held Holtville scoreless in the first quarter as the Bulldogs managed only eight shots from the field and committed eight turnovers. Adalyn Newkirk started the scoring for the Eagles with a three followed by two-point baskets from Campbell Hammett, Sam Burgess, and Newkirk. The Eagles led 9-0 after a period and it looked like smooth sailing for the rest of the night. However, looks can be deceiving and ACA fell into an offensive funk over the next two quarters. ACA went 1 for 13 from the floor in the second quarter as Piper Powers made the lone field goal. Luckily, the home team’s offense was not much better, but the lead was cut to five points as Alabama Christian led 12-7 at the break.

Adalyn Newkirk made a shot on the Eagle’s second possession of the third quarter and then the team fell into another long scoring drought. ACA’s next point came on a free throw from Addison Smith with 1:51 left in the period for a 15-13 lead. After two offensive rebounds on their next possession, Holtville tied the game. To ACA’s credit, the team responded and closed the third with four points for a 19-15 lead. A three-ball by Newkirk to start the fourth stretched the lead to 22-15. Both offenses finally found the range in the fourth and the teams played evenly the remainder of the game. The lead stayed between six and twelve points the rest of the way. ACA outscored the home team 14-9 in the final quarter for the 33-24 victory.

Adalyn Newkirk was the game’s leading with 13 points and nine rebounds. Campbell Hammett had six points, eight rebounds, and four steals while Addison Smith finished with six points, five rebounds, and five assists.

Boys (6-10)

The boys never trailed against Holtville as they built an early 8-2 lead with just over two minutes to go in the first. Four players, AJ Shannon, Mason Henry, Levi Summers, and Christian Snipes scored in the run in a balanced attack. ACA led 11-6 after a quarter. The lead ballooned to 19-6 just two minutes into the second as Ethan Capps stole the ball like a bandit and laid it in for a 13-point lead. The Bulldogs fought back with an 11-3 run to cut the lead to five points late in the half. The Eagles led by nine at the half, 27-18.

The home team came out of the locker room ready to go and scored the first seven points of the half to cut the lead to two points. However, back to back threes by Mason Henry and Christian Snipes seem to take the wind out of Holtville’s sails as they never made another serious threat to the lead. ACA stretched the lead to 43-30 by the end of three. Both offenses cooled off in the fourth, but ACA did enough to secure the 49-41 win.

Christian Snipes led the offense with 13 points along with seven rebounds. Levi Summers finished with eight points and a team-best twelve rebounds. Noah Shack had six points and three rebounds while Mason Henry, Erthan Capps, and Cole Jordan each chipped in five points.

Eagles Defeat Reeltown for Fifth Win of the Year

Alabama Christian has a busy end to Finals week as they hosted Reeltown on Thursday night and will travel to Mobile to play on Friday and Saturday. ACA split the two games on Thursday as the boys won 48-40 and the girls lost 46-52.

Boys

The boys played uninspired offensively in the first half, but the defense kept them in it as Reeltown also struggled to score points. ACA’s (5-6) defense held the Rebels to just nine made baskets in the half in a low scoring first half. A Levi Summers score gave the home team its first lead of the night, 15-14, with five minutes left in the second period. After a Reeltown turnover, Christian Snipes scored to make it a three-point lead, the biggest of the first half. The Rebels answered and closed out the half on a 7-1 run to take a 21-18 lead at the break.

Reeltown scored to open the second half for their biggest lead of the game, 23-18. ACA chipped away at the slim lead throughout the quarter. Noah Shack hit one of two free throws with 2:37 left in the third to give the Eagles the lead for good, 26-25. On the next play Levi Summers stole the ball and found Mason Henry for a 3-pointer for what seemed like a big lead in this game, 29-25. The third ended with ACA leading 30-27. AJ Shannon started the fourth quarter with a three to extend the lead to six points. Although ACA led throughout the fourth period, Reeltown never went away. The Rebels cut the lead to one with a little less than five minutes left in the game. ACA answered with a 6-0 run to lead 41-34 with 3:21 left. Once again, the Rebels fought their way back and cut the lead to 42-40 with 2:30 left in the game. ACA’s defense would not allow another point as Reeltown missed its last six shots down the stretch. Meanwhile, the Eagles pulled away as Shannon hit a runner in the lane for a 44-40 lead followed by Henry’s acrobatic put back basket for a 46-40 lead. Levi Summers closed out the scoring as ACA prevailed 48-40.

Levi Summers led the offense with 13 points and also grabbed a team high nine rebounds. Mason Henry finished with nine points, seven rebounds, and four steals while Noah Shack scored seven points, all in the second half.

Girls

Sometimes in sports you run across a player who is just physically bigger than everyone else and can’t be stopped. ACA (5-5) lived that reality on Thursday as Reeltown had a mountain of a post player and a couple of other girls who were also bigger than any Eagle. The coaching staff tried multiple defenses to stop her, but some of the other players hit open shots in response to doubling the post. Overall, the Eagle effort was good and the team played hard all night. Despite trailing most of the second half, ACA cut the lead to two points with less than a minute to go, but Reeltown made their shots to win it, 52-46.

Campbell Hammett scored 16 points to lead the offense and eight rebounds. Adalyn Newkirk scored 13 points with seven rebounds and Per Laine Holley added six points with four rebounds. Sam Burgess led the team with nine rebounds.

ACA Defeats Elmore County on the Road

The Lady Eagles (5-4) survived a bumpy second half and held on for a 40-35 win over Elmore County Monday night. ACA dominated in the first half as the Panther offense was stagnant. The Eagles built a 21-10 lead at the break, but lost the lead in just over four minutes in the third period. Alabama Christian did just enough in the second half to walk away with the win. Mary Rachel Hunt came off the bench and gave the team valuable minutes in the second half and contributed to the victory.

ACA jumped out to a quick 7-1 lead as Adalyn Newkirk hit two from long distance for six quick points. After seeing that, the freshman became the focal point of the home team’s defense the rest of the night. The Eagles held an 11-4 lead at the end of the first quarter as Elmore County made their first basket from the field with less than a minute to go in the period. ACA kept the defensive pressure going in the second as the Panthers struggled offensively. The visitors built a 21-10 lead with just over two minutes to go in the second and the score remained for the remainder of the half.

A different Elmore County came out in the third quarter as they made their first three shots from the field to cut the lead to 23-18 in just over a minute. By comparison, the Panthers only made two shots from the floor in the entire first half. Campbell Hammett scored to make the score 25-18, but Elmore County responded with six straight points to cut the lead to one with 3:25 left in the third. ACA never led by more than six points for the rest of the game, but also never allowed the Panthers to take the lead. Hammett and Sam Burgess both made shots late in the third to give the Eagles a 31-28 lead after three.

The Panthers scored on their opening possession of the final period to make the score 31-30. After the initial basket neither team scored for more than two minutes until Sam Burgess knocked down a three for a four-point lead. Addison Smith had a steal and score on the next play to build the biggest lead of the half, 36-30. Mary Rachel Hunt had a put back scored sandwiched between two Elmore County scores to give ACA a 38-34 lead with 3:06 left in the game. The second drought of the game hit as the next point wasn’t scored until Elmore County made a free throw with 20 seconds left in the game. Smith made two freebies with 4.9 seconds left to seal the 40-35 victory.

Adalyn Newkirk’s 11 points, all in the first half, led the team. She also recorded eight rebounds and three steals. Addison Smith had 10 points with a team-high nine rebounds, five steals, and three assists. Campbell Hammett finished with eight points, seven rebounds, and three assists while Sam Burgess had seven points and four rebounds.

Levi Summers' Buzzer Beater Lifts Eagles Over Autauga Academy

For the second time this week the script read the same way for Alabama Christian and Autauga Academy. ACA handled the Generals easily in the JV boys and Varsity girls games, but the Varsity boys game was a thriller that gave the Eagle faithful palpitations. ACA trailed by one with 5.5 seconds left in the game and had to go the length of the court. The ball was inbound to Levi Summers who drove the floor, pulled up from three, and hit the winner as the buzzer sounded.

Boys

Both teams worked on defenses specifically designed to stop the two top scorers from Tuesday night’s game. Both teams planned worked and others were forced to step up and deliver offensively. Autauga Academy scored the first four points of the game but ACA (4-5) quickly tied it up and neither team led by more than three points for the rest of the first period. In the second quarter, an Ethan Capps basket gave the Eagles a 16-15 lead. However, the Generals scored the final six points of the quarter for their biggest lead of the half, 21-16.

The offense continued to sputter in the third which allowed Autauga to build a 10-point lead, 35-25, with just under three minutes left in the third. ACA closed the quarter with an 11-4 run to cut the lead to three points after three. Mason Henry connected on back to back shots for the first five points of the run while Noah Shack, Christian Snipes, and Ethan Capps scored the other points. The home team held ACA at arms length for most of the fourth quarter as they built a six-point lead on three different occasions. The last time with was with about three minutes left to play and the Generals decided to slow things down and run some clock. ACA took advantage when they did decide to shoot with timely rebounding. Capps scored to cut the lead to 43-47 and after another Generals missed shot Levi Summers hit a three from the top of the key to cut the margin to one point. As the clock ticked under a minute, AJ Shannon came up with a steal and found Summers for another three opportunity. Although the sophomore missed, Snipes was there for the put back to give Alabama Christian the lead, 48-47, with 50 seconds left to play. After missing yet again, the Generals had to foul to force free throws and finally sent ACA to the line with 14.6 seconds left. The Eagles missed both free throws and to make matters worse fouled Autauga’s best player with 5.5 seconds left to go. The senior guard made both to set up the heroics from Summers. He did not disappoint as he stunned a rowdy student section into silence with the dagger from deep and the 51-49 victory.

Christian Snipes led the team with 14 points along with nine rebounds. Levi Summers recorded a double-double with 13 points and 15 boards while Ethan Capps contributed 11 points and five rebounds.

Girls

The girls game on Friday night was not as pleasing to the eye as Tuesday’s contest, but the result was the same. The game was sloppy and riddled with turnovers. The score was still 4-2 more than halfway through the first quarter before the Generals finally melted under the defensive pressure of ACA. The Lady Eagles built a nine-point lead after a quarter and shut the home team out in the second for a 25-5 halftime lead. Like Tuesday, the backups logged important minutes in the second half. ACA continued to pull away as they led by thirty-five after three. The fourth quarter was over in a blink as the clock ran continuously even through free throws and timeouts. The final margin of victory was 50-12.

Campbell Hammett was the only Eagle in double figures as six other players scored between four and six points. The senior finished with 14 points with nine steals, seven rebounds, and three assists. Adalyn Newkirk had six points, four steals, and three rebounds. Addison Smith had five points with four steals while Sam Burgess also scored five points with ten steals and four rebounds.

Alabama Christian Sweeps Autauga Academy at Home

Both the boys and girls varsity teams stopped losing streaks as they defeated the visiting Generals from Autauga Academy on Tuesday night. The girls team won convincingly 66-10 while the boys won an exciting match up 63-59.

Boys

After the JV boys and varsity girls rolled easily by Autauga Academy, the ACA faithful might have thought the nightcap would be a breeze as well. However, the Generals came to play and the game was hard fought throughout. After Christian Snipes scored the first basket of the game, Autauga Academy punched the Eagles right in the mouth with 14 straight points over a three minute stretch. The Generals hit 5 of 6 shots in the run for the 14-2 lead. Ethan Capps and Alex Heilman combined for the final six points of the quarter to cut the deficit to eight points after one. ACA trimmed the General lead to one point twice during the second but could never surge ahead. ACA outscored the visitors 17-13 in the quarter but trailed 25-29 at the half.

The Eagles scored on its first three possessions of the second half to take a 33-29 lead less than two minutes into the period. The lead was never larger than four points for either side during the third as Autauga Academy led 46-42 headed to the final quarter. Two quick scores by Christian Snipes tied the game 46-46 less than a minute into the fourth. The Generals answered and built their biggest lead of the half, 53-48, with five minutes left to play. ACA responded with a 9-0 run over the next three minutes to lead 57-53. Four different players, Snipes, Noah Shack, Levi Summers, and Ethan Capps, scored in the run. The Generals tied it 59-59 with less than two minutes left. Capps put ACA ahead to stay as he drove the right side for a layup and a 61-59 lead with 1:01 left in the game. Snipes added two free throws with 23.4 seconds left to clinch it, 63-59.

Christian Snipes led all scorers with 25 points along with four rebounds and three assists. Ethan Capps scored 22 points as he stepped up in a much needed second scorer role on offense. Levi Summers finished with nine points and a team-high 13 rebounds.

Girls

Alabama Christian dominated from the opening tip as they led 28-0 after one and scored the game’s first 31 points. The team had a season high 19 assists as they ran the floor and looked for the open teammate. Eleven different girls scored during the game. The Generals got on the board a minute into the second quarter and trailed 38-6 at the half. The starters saw very little floor time in the second half as the backups gained valuable experience. ACA led 53-8 after three and the final score was 66-10.

Adalyn Newkirk outscored the opponent with 17 points and added seven rebounds. Addison Smith had 11 points, four steals, three rebounds, and three assists. Campbell Hammett finished with 10 points, five rebounds, and three assists.

ACA Wins One and Loses One to Finish Week

Alabama Christian (2-2) won two out of three this week as they beat Holtville on Thursday and lost at PCA on Friday after a win over LAMP on Tuesday. The Eagles defeated Holtville 51-41, at least we think that was the final score as the official operating the scoreboard had everyone guessing the score most of the night. They finished the week with an underwhelming performance in a 31-71 loss to PCA.

Holtville

Neither team gained a decided advantage in the first quarter as the lead was never more than three points for either side until the visiting Bulldogs scored to make it 13-8 with just under a minute to go in the period. A Holtville 3-pointer two minutes into the second gave the visitors their biggest lead of the night, 16-8. Despite both offenses struggling, ACA managed to outscored the Bulldogs 7-2 over the remainder of the quarter to cut the deficit to two points, 16-18, at the half. AJ Shannon and Mason Henry both scored three points in the run.

Both teams found offense in the locker room as a different game broke out in the second half. ACA outscored Holtville 20-16 in the third quarter. The Eagles trailed 21-29 with 5:24 left in the third when Coach Hill called timeout to refocus the troops. Whatever adjustments were made worked as Alabama Christian outscored its opponent 15-5 over the rest of the quarter to lead 36-34 after three. Christian Snipes scored 13 points in the quarter to spur the comeback. The momentum carried over into the fourth as ACA built a 45-34 lead with three minutes left in the game. Holtville was stuck at 34 points for seven and a half minutes over the third and fourth quarters. The two teams played even the rest of the way and ACA gained the victory, 51-41.

Christian Snipes led the team with 18 points and added five rebounds. Alex Heilman scored eight points and had a team best ten rebounds and three blocks. Mason Henry added eight points.

PCA

The visit to PCA ended up being one of those nights that you put in the trash and move on. The Eagles never seemed into the game and trailed 0-10 before you could get comfortable in your seat. The deficit was twenty points by the end of the period, 5-25. The home team built a 40-11 lead by halftime. In the second half, PCA did what they do as they continued to press up 38 in the fourth quarter and cry about every call to the officials. The Panther program has long had a reputation for rubbing another team’s nose in it whenever possible and Friday night did nothing to diminish that reputation. The final score was 31-71.

Christian Snipes led the team with 14 points and eight rebounds. Ethan Capps finished with five points. No other player scored more than three points.

Lady Eagles Split Late Week Games

After defeating LAMP on Tuesday, ACA’s busy week continued as they hosted Holtville on Thursday and traveled to PCA on Friday. Alabama Chrsitian (2-2) defeated Holtville 49-33 but dropped a hard fought game to PCA, 39-44.

Holtville

The girls team has never lost to Holtville in a series that began back in 1994. Thursday’s contest was the thirty-third meeting and the Eagles have won all 33. ACA started strong as Adalyn Newkirk (8) and Addison Smith (5) combined to score all 13 first quarter points. The visiting Bulldogs hit a free throw with 50 seconds left in the period for their first points. ACA led 13-1 after one. Sam Burgess dialed long distance a couple of times early in the second to help build a 21-2 cushion. The game looked like it would be another typical blowout. The Holtville coach called a timeout with 5:34 left in the half and must have said the right things because his team responded. The visitors ended the half on a 14-3 run to cut the lead at the break to eight points, 24-16. Newkirk had already posted a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds in the first half. The game remained relatively close through the third quarter as Holtville cut the lead to six early in the period. Piper Powers hit two free throws with 1:02 left in the third to give the home team a double digit lead for good. Sam Burgess scored again with 32 seconds left to give ACA a 12-point lead after three. ACA outscored Holtville 14-10 in the fourth for the 49-33 victory.

Adalyn Newkirk was the game’s leading scorer with 17 points. The freshman dominated on the glass with 20 rebounds along with five assists and four steals. Sam Burgess found her touch from outside as she finished with 14 points, six rebounds, and three steals. Campbell Hammett had eight points and five steals.

PCA

The Eagles knew that the game Friday against PCA would be their toughest test of the week even though the Panthers aren’t nearly as good as they have been over the past decade. The coaching staff put together a good plan for the game, but ACA made too many mistakes down the stretch and ran out of steam late in the game. The Lady Eagles jumped to a 6-0 early lead and led 12-9 at the end of the first thanks to a combined three 3-pointers from Sam Burgess and Adalyn Newkirk. Another Burgess three in the second gave ACA a 17-11 lead matching their biggest lead of the game. PCA gained momentum late in the half and finished with a 13-3 run to take a 24-20 lead into the break.

Once again ACA scored the first six points of the half to retake the lead, 26-24. The score remained close for the rest of the quarter and PCA led 31-28 after three. Adalyn Newkirk’s three tied the game 31-31 and Addison Smith’s steal and scored gave ACA a 33-31 lead with five minutes left in the game. PCA answered with a 9-0 run for their biggest lead of the night, 40-33. The Eagles were able to cut the lead to three with 34 seconds left, but PCA hit its final two free throws for the 44-39 win.

For the second night in a row, Adalyn Newkirk led the offense with 17 points along with 10 rebounds and six steals. Sam Burgess scored nine points while Addison Smith finished with seven points, five rebounds, and three steals.

Alabama Christian Sweeps LAMP on the Road

Both varsity teams picked up their first wins of the season with impressive wins at LAMP on Tuesday. The games begin a busy week of basketball as both teams play on Thursday and Friday as well.

The Lady Eagles never trailed as they led 7-0 after a quarter and scored the first eight points overall in the game. The stingy ACA defense had 24 steals on the night that led to 35 Tiger turnovers. LAMP’s first points came from the free throw line with 6:47 left in the second as they only made two shots from the field in the first half. Despite the dominant defense, the Eagles lead at the break was only seven points, 19-12. The offense heated up in the third as they outscored LAMP 22-6 in the period. Adalyn Newkirk scored ten in the quarter to lead the charge. The dominance continued in the fourth as the final basket of the night by Mary Rachel Hunt gave ACA its biggest lead of the game, 54-22. The bench scored 11 of the 13 points in the final frame.

Adalyn Newkirk led the offense with 15 points along with six rebounds and two blocks. Addison Smith had an all around good game with 12 points, nine rebounds, eight steals, and five assists while Campbell Hammett finished with seven points, seven steals, and four rebounds.

The boys game was not a thing of beauty, at least offensively, but the Eagles did enough and held off a LAMP comeback in the second half. Christian Snipes scored all six first quarter points as ACA led 6-2 after one. The Alabama Christian defense forced the home team to miss all seven of their shots in the period. In the second, the points continued to be hard to come by as Beau Gainey scored the first four to give the Eagles a 10-4 lead midway through the period. Snipes scored the last four to build a 14-4 lead with just over two minutes left in the half. However, LAMP managed to score twice in the final 43 seconds to cut the lead to 14-8 at the break. Much like the girls game, a half of dominance defensively did not equate to a commanding lead.

ACA got off to a good start in the second half as a Noah Shack bucket put the visitors up 23-11 with just over five minutes left in the quarter. LAMP responded with their best run of the night as they outscored the Eagles 12-2 over a four minute span to cut the lead to 25-23. ACA, and sometimes the officials, helped the cause as the Eagles were whistled for five fouls in the stretch. Mason Henry hit a three with less than a minute to go in the third to give his team a 28-23 advantage heading to the fourth. The final quarter belonged to ACA as they outscored LAMP 16-8. for a final margin of 44-31.

Christian Snipes was the game’s leading scorer with 17 points and led the team with eight rebounds and four assists. Mason Henry finished with eight points and four rebounds while Alex Heilman contributed seven points and five boards.

ACA Opens Season Against Lee-Scott

The varsity basketball season started on Thursday as Alabama Christian hosted Lee-Scott Academy. The games were a late addition to the schedule as both the boys and girls teams were looking to gain valuable floor time for new and inexperienced players. Both teams will look drastically different this season. For the girls, all five starters were seniors and accounted for 80% of the offense and rebounding last season. Although not all five starters were seniors for the boys, there were eight total seniors and one player who moved away that accounted for 75% of the scoring and rebounds. Only two players are back from last year’s boys team. Learning roles and trying to figure out where the offense will come from will be major themes for each coach in the early season.

The girls game was riddled with fouls and turnovers which affected the flow of the game. Both teams combined for 47 turnovers and 37 fouls which resulted in 45 free throw attempts. Adalyn Newkirk scored the first point of the year with a first quarter free throw and Campbell Hammett made the first shot from the field as she hit a three in the first to cut the Warrior lead to four points, 8-12. After the Hammett make, Lee-Scott finished the period with a 6-0 run to take a ten point lead after a quarter. A Piper Powers bucket cut the lead to seven late in the second, but that was as close as the Eagles would get. An 8-0 Warrior run to end the half made the halftime score 29-14. Lee-Scott pulled away in the second half and went on to win by a score of 58-32.

Campbell Hammett led the team in scoring with 10 points and added three rebounds. Adalyn Newkirk scored nine points and pulled down a team high 12 rebounds. Piper Powers was a spark off the bench as she scored five points and had four rebounds. Peri Laine Holley recorded a team best three steals.

The boys game was also plagued by fouls as both teams combined for 45 fouls. Both offenses struggled early as the teams missed their first nine combined shots. The first score of the night was made by Lee-Scott with 3:52 left in the first. Levi Summers scored the first basket for ACA as he put back a Cam Sutton miss. The visitors hit a three at the buzzer to take a 12-6 lead after one. The Eagles opened the second by committing four fouls in the first 43 seconds of the quarter. The Warriors shot free throws after any foul for the last 5:45 of the half. With just over three minutes in the half, Noah Shack hit two free throws to bring the deficit back to single digits. However, that was as close as the team would get. ACA trailed by fourteen at the half, 16-30. Lee-Scott consistently increased the lead throughout the second half. The Warriors led by 23 after three quarters and broke the 30-point barrier with 3:47 left in the game which constituted a running clock for the remainder of the game. Lee-Scott would win by a final score of 72-38.

Christian Snipes led the team in scoring with 14 points and five rebounds. Noah Shack finished with nine points while Ethan Capps added six of his own.

ACA Celebrates Homecoming with Victory Over Slocumb

After not playing a home football game for the last five weeks “Homecoming” took on a whole new meaning for everyone as ACA hosted Slocumb in familiar surroundings. The week ended on a high note as Alabama Christian defeated the visiting Red Tops 35-15. After building a 35-0 lead in the third quarter, the bench was cleared as multiple players saw playing time. Eleven different players carried the ball on the night including center Cam Sutton. I imagine no one had that on their bingo card.  

Slocumb got the ball first and Cam Sutton set the tone for the night as he tackled the ball carrier for a two-yard loss on the first play from scrimmage. Three plays later the visitors punted to ACA for their first drive of the night. The Eagles ran the ball seven times in a row using five different rushers to move the ball to Slocumb’s 16-yard line. An eight yard pass to Teilan Tyson-Long got the Eagles half the way there and Christian Snipes covered the last eight with his legs for a 7-0 lead with 6:17 left in the first. The drive covered 72 yards in nine plays and lasted a little over three and a half minutes. On the ensuing kickoff, David Johnson bounced the ball into the air and Beau Gainey beat the Red Top returners to the spot at the Slocumb 37-yard line to give the ball back to ACA. The offense converted a 3rd and 10 on a 17-yard pass from Snipes to Ethan Dabney to keep the drive alive and Dabney capped the possession with a 2-yard run on 4th and goal for a 14-0 advantage.

Once the Slocumb offense got back on the field, they put together a nice drive and moved the ball to the Eagle 21-yard line. However, that was far as they moved due to a penalty and a 4th down sack by Tydarius Moore. Neither team scored for the remainder of the half as both teams had the ball two more times. Micah Merritt ended the half with a sack on the final play. Although the Red Tops outgained ACA by a wide margin in the second period, they were unable to score.

Bryson Dabney opened the second half with a 27-yard kick return to give the Eagles great field position at the Slocumb 44-yard line. Dabney finished the drive with a 22-yard touchdown reception on the only pass play of the possession. ACA led 21-0 with 8:56 left in the third. The defense forced a fumble on a sack by Tydarius Moore to give the ball right back to the offense at midfield. Facing a 4th and 6 on the Slocumb 14-yard line, Christian Snipes connected with Beau Gainey for a score to push the lead to 28-0. On the second play of the next possession, Keenan McCarthy forced a fumble on a sack at the Slocumb 10-yard line. On 3rd and goal from the five, ACA had a little fun as they ran the Philly Special for a score as Bryson Dabney threw to Snipes for the touchdown. The good guys led 35-0 with 1:35 left in the third.

As the game moved into the final quarter, ACA shuffled a lot of players on and off the field as they substituted freely. Slocumb drove all the way to the Eagle 1-yard line before they were turned away on a 4th and goal. The highlight of the drive was a trick play that gave the Red Tops an apparent touchdown only to have a 10 minute conversation between the officials and the coaches that ultimately waved the score off for an ineligible man downfield. The good news was the defense prevented a score, the bad news was the offense took over on the one. Two plays later, the visitors scored their first points with a safety. Slocumb scored again from the short field after the free kick to cut the score to 35-8 with 7:35 left in the game. The offense did its job by holding the ball for 6:37 before giving it back to Slocumb. The Red Tops scored on the final play of the game for the final 35-15 margin.

Mekhi Gardner led the defense with eight tackles followed by Bryson Dabney with six. Levi Summers and Aidan Whites both added five tackles. Micah Merritt was the team’s leading rusher with 69 yards on nine carries and also had two sacks. Christian Snipes finished with 67 yards on the ground with a touchdown and 74 yards through the air with two touchdowns. Beau Gainey was the top receiver with two catches for 27 yards and a touchdown.

ACA Beaten 23-28 at Wicksburg

Although the night didn’t turn out the way the Eagles wanted in a 23-28 Region loss, the players and coaches could hold their heads high as they left the field at Wicksburg on Friday. A couple of times the team could have rolled over and taken the loss as the home team gained momentum, but they fought all the way to the end. Like last week, ACA cut the lead to one score and had the ball late. The reality of the loss means Alabama Christian will miss the postseason for the first time in a decade ending the longest playoff streak in program history.

Friday night’s game was the first with a chill in the air as fall decided to show up and brought some unexpected misty showers with it. The teams had to deal with the light rain for much of the first half. Wicksburg got the ball first and moved on the ground to ACA’s 35-yard line with six consecutive running plays. The Panthers first pass attempt turned disastrous as the ball slipped out of the quarter back’s hand as he prepared to throw. Keenan McCarthy recovered the muffed pass attempt to halt the Panthers drive. The offense took advantage of the miscue and put points on the board in its first drive. The rattled home team helped with two offsides penalties to help the possession continue. Christian Snipes' 14-yard run to convert a third down was the highlight of the drive. The offense stalled at the Wicksburg 21-yard line, but David Johnson nailed a career best 38-yard field goal to give ACA a 3-0 lead with 6:09 left in the first. After the passing mishap, Wicksburg stuck to the ground on its next drive on 13 straight plays. The scoring march ended at the start of the second quarter as the Panthers took a 7-3 lead with 11:10 left in the half. The methodical drive kept the ball away from ACA for a tick under seven minutes.

The Eagles responded to the home team’s score with one of their own. After Micah Merritt converted a 3rd and 1 with a seven yard run, Christian Snipes connected with Beau Gainey on two big pass plays that covered 62 yards in all to set up a first and goal at the 2-yard line. Snipes powered it in from there and Alabama Christian regained the lead 9-7. It looked as if the defense would get the ball back quickly for the offense as Wicksburg faced a 4th and 4 from ACA’s 44-yard line. The Panthers went for it and drew up a play that snuck the tight end out down the middle (ironically his number was 44, that’s a lot of 4’s) which resulted in a touchdown. With 6:20 left in the half, Wicksburg led 14-9. A three and out by the ACA offense gave the ball back to Wicksburg with just over five minutes to go in the half. The Panthers used the opportunity and the clock to perfection as they scored with just 16 seconds left in the half for a 21-9 halftime lead.

ACA started the second half with a three and out on offense and after a very short punt, the Panthers started on the Eagle 35-yard line. It took the home team just one play to score to extend their lead to 28-9 with 10:05 left in the third. The offense answered with a 7-play, 72-yard drive to cut the score to 17-28. Christian Snipes had an eleven yard run to get the drive going and had two important completions. The first was to Gekar Kelly for 28 yards to the Wicksburg 25-yard line. Four plays later he found Ethan Dabney in the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown. For the second game in a row, Mason Henry found Teilan Tyson-Long on the two-point conversion. After a little confusion about where ACA would kickoff from, David Johnson had a Panther in his sights and he nailed him with a line drive that caromed so hard off him that Ethan Dabney recovered the ball at his own 36-yard line (four yards behind where the kickoff came from). The Eagles moved to the opponent’s 29-yard line, but got no closer and turned the ball over on downs.

Wicksburg’s next possession moved all the way to the ACA 7-yard line. However, the defense did not break and forced a field goal attempt early in the fourth quarter. Cam Sutton blocked the kick which allowed ACA to take over on its own 16-yard line. On 3rd and 9 from the 17-yard line, Christian Snipes found Teilan Tyson-Long on a go route for 50-yard pass play to the Panther’s 33-yard line. Reeling from the previous play, the Wicksburg defense never saw the next one coming as Mason Henry lined up at receiver. Snipes handed off to Ethan Dabney on a fake reverse who flipped the ball to Henry for the pass. While all the eyes were in the backfield, no one noticed Beau Gainey 30 yards behind the defense. Henry saw him and the duo hooked up for a 33-yard scoring pass to cut the lead to 23-28 after the two-point conversion failed. The Eagle faithful anticipate many more Henry to Gainey scores in the coming years. Alabama Christian did manage to get the ball back with 1:56 left in the game but was unable to take advantage and turned the ball over on downs. The home team kneeled twice and the game was over.

Christian Snipes finished the game 12 of 28 for 217 yards and a touchdown while Mason Henry completed his only attempt for 33 yards and a score. Beau Gainey finished with four catches for 101 yards and a touchdown. Teilan Tyson-Long also had four catches for 68 yards. Ethan Dabney added three receptions for 29 yards and a touchdown. On defense, Mekhi Gardner was the team’s top tackler with 11 followed closely by Micah Merritt with 10 and Levi Summers with nine. Aidan Whiten finished with seven tackles while Bryson Dabney and Cooper Milner both had six.

Eagles Lose Important Region Game at Houston Academy

If Alabama Christian wanted to keep their postseason streak alive, conventional wisdom was the Eagles would need a split in their two road trips to Houston Academy and Wicksburg. On paper, Houston Academy looked like the easier team to beat, but ACA fell short 14-21 on Friday night. While they can still attain their goal, the path is much harder now with a must-win at Wicksburg next week.

The defense did everything it could to keep the Eagles in the game against Houston Academy without much help from the other phases of the game. Special teams allowed two punts to be blocked which set up scoring drives of 4 and 28 yards, respectively, for the Raiders. After no first downs and only 25 yards of offense in the first half, the strategy turned to throwing deep in hopes of some explosive plays in the second half. On the two drives a long connection was made, ACA was able to put points on the board.

Both defenses dominated early as the six combined possessions in the first period ended with a punt. Although the teams were trading punts, Houston Academy had the field advantage. ACA started the second quarter on its own 20-yard line after a touchback from a punt. After an incomplete pass, Christian Snipes was sacked on second down to give the Eagles a 3rd and 21 from the 9-yard line. Back to back pre-snap penalties moved the ball to the 2-yard line. The offense gained five yards on third down to set up a punt deep in its own territory. Houston Academy was able to block the punt and recover it on the 4-yard line. Three plays later the home team struck first with a touchdown run for a 7-0 lead with 7:52 left in the half. The Raiders scored again with 1:16 left in the second to take a 14-0 lead. The drive covered 56 yards in just four plays. 

Houston Academy got the ball to start the second half and could for all intents and purposes put the game away with a score to start the half. However, the Eagle defense held and gave the offense a chance to cut the lead. On 3rd and 9 from their own 21-yard line, Christian Snipes connected on a 39-yard pass play with Ethan Dabney. A facemask call on the tackle moved the ball to the Raiders 25-yard line. Pass interference on the next play produced another first down at the 13-yard line. Three plays later Snipes ran one in from 4 yards away to cut the lead to 6-14 as the extra point was blocked. The home team geared the offense down and took their time as they kept the ball for the final six minutes of the third quarter. Although they didn’t score, precious time was ticking away.

Houston Academy punted back to ACA to start the fourth period and once again pinned the offense inside their own 10-yard line. Facing a 4th and 7 from the 11-yard line, the Eagles were forced to punt. The Raiders broke through and got a piece of the punt to take over at ACA’s 28-yard line. The home team scored in four plays to extend the lead to 21-6 with 9:21 left in the game. Much to the credit of the players, ACA kept fighting and put together its best drive of the game. The offense moved 67 yards in 9 plays and took just 2:26 to cut the score to 14-21. The big play of the drive was a 36-yard pass from Christian Snipes to Beau Gainey. The duo hooked up again three plays later for another 15 yards to the Houston Academy 3-yard line. Snipes scored on the next play to cut it to a one possession game. The Raiders continued to work the clock as they milked almost four minutes off before punting back to ACA with 2:58 left in the game. The Eagles were 78 yards away from potentially tying the game. The offense made it as far as their own 47-yard line but could not convert a second consecutive fourth down. The home team kneeled in Victory formation one time and the game was over.

Noah Shack led the defense with nine tackles while three defenders, LaDarius Walters, Mekhi Gardner, and Aidan Whiten, each had seven tackles. Cam Sutton and Levi Summers both had six tackles. Christian Snipes finished the night 6 of 19 passing for 117 yards with Beau Gainey being his favorite receiver with three receptions for 60 yards. Micah Merritt was the leading rusher with 23 yards on nine attempts.   

Alabama Christian Overpowers PCA in Region Tilt

Just like last year, the contest against PCA had major playoff implications. The loser would be in a deep hole with little hope for the postseason. Also like last year, Alabama Christian (3-2) handled its business and walked away with a convincing win. After falling behind early, the Eagles put an old fashioned whooping on PCA. If there had been a woodshed around in the fourth quarter, you might have seen the Eagles taking their hosts back behind it.

PCA got the ball first and moved quickly down the field as they took advantage of the size of their outside receivers. With 9:30 left in the first the home team led 6-0. ACA’s first possession was a marathon 11-play, 63-yard march that ate up eight minutes of the first quarter clock. The offense converted two third downs and a fourth down on the way to the end zone. Micah Merritt punctuated the drive with a 21-yard scoring run to tie the game 6-6 late in the first. The defense got after it on the Panther’s second drive as Merritt and Keenan McCarthy both had sacks that eventually forced a punt.

In the second period things started to get strange with the clock. Before a fourth down, PCA called a timeout with 10:30 left in the second. Five plays later, with one of those plays being an incomplete pass which should have stopped the clock, the Panthers punted the ball back to Alabama Christian with 5:35 left in the half. ACA managed to score to take the lead but again big chunks of time seem to be coming off the clock. Ethan Dabney scored on a 39-yard run with 1:42 left in the half for a 12-6 lead. PCA then made a crucial mistake as they fumbled deep in their own end to give the Eagles another chance to score. Levi Summers recovered the fumble on the PCA 26-yard line with 1:22 left. Christian Snipes scored from 4 yards out with 29 seconds left to build a 19-6 lead heading into halftime. At the break, it was rumored a Go Fund Me was set up for remedial clock operating lessons to help with future games.

The Eagles would get the ball to start the second half and hoped to take control with an early score. After two pitiful onside kick attempts, ACA took over on its opponent’s 48-yard line. Three different runners carried the ball over five plays as the offense found pay dirt to take a 26-6 lead. Mekhi Gardner had a 23-yard scoring romp for the first points of the half. To PCA’s credit, their team responded with an 11-play, 72 yard drive to cut the margin to 26-13. Micah Merritt made sure the momentum did not stay on the Panther’s side as he rumbled 53 yards to the PCA 26-yard line on the first play of the next possession. Four plays later, David Johnson hit a 30-yard field goal to give ACA a 29-13 lead with just over two minutes left in the third. PCA turned it over on downs with 10:28 left in the game to start ACA’s next drive.

Teilan Tyson-Long hit the PCA defense with lightning as he ran for 16 and 35 yards, respectively, on the first two plays of the Eagle drive. Micah Merritt delivered the thunder as he scored two plays later to extend the lead to 36-13. The Panthers seemed uninterested in fielding the next kickoff and when they finally did, they fumbled and Noah Shack came up with the ball for the good guys. With 4:48 left in the game, the night was over for a number of starters including QB Christian Snipes. Even with the backups, ACA scored again as Tyson-Long had a six-yard score for a 43-13 lead. On the next play from scrimmage for PCA, Levi Summers took the ball away from the Panther runner and raced 34 yards for another Eagle touchdown. With 3:10 left in the game, Alabama Christian led 50-13. PCA punted the ball back to ACA with just three seconds left in the game. Every coach's favorite play, Victory formation, was executed and the Eagles left Prattville with a ‘W’.

The ground game was king on Friday night as ACA racked up 285 rushing yards and needed to throw just nine passes all night. Micah Merritt led the rushers with 137 yards on 12 carries and two touchdowns. Ethan Dabney had three carries for 63 yards and a score while Teilan Tyson-Long had 53 yards on six attempts and a touchdown. Mekhi Gardner and Christian Snipes also had rushing touchdowns. Snipes finished 5 of 8 for 50 yards passing. Beau Gainey and Tyson-Long both had two receptions to the receivers. On defense, Merritt had seven tackles and a sack to lead the way. Noah Shack and Aiden Whiten both had five tackles while Kennan McCarthy, Jackson Burton-Elayihan, and LaDarius Walters all had four tackles.

Eagles Drop Region Game to Trinity

Unfortunately for the Alabama Christian program, Friday night’s game against Trinity was the same story, just a different chapter. ACA was optimistic coming into the game and although the offense was ineffective in the first half the game was still competitive. However, the visiting Wildcats came out of the halftime locker room and controlled the second half in a 28-0 victory over Alabama Christian. The offense managed just 134 total yards and had only two first downs in the second half.

ACA got the ball first and converted one third down opportunity, but ultimately punted the ball to Trinity. Levi Summers booted the ball 48 yards to the Wildcat 4-yard line. The visitors moved the ball to ACA’s 32-yard line but turned it over on downs as a fourth down pass fell incomplete. After a three and out by ACA, Trinity turned the ball over again in Eagle territory as LaDarius Walters recovered a fumble with 4:48 left in the first period. The home team returned the favor as the Wildcats recovered an ACA fumble at midfield to start the second quarter.

For the third time in a row the Wildcats drove into enemy territory only to come away with no points. This time they missed a 25-yard field goal attempt to keep the game scoreless with 5:34 left in the half. Once again the offense could not move the ball and produced just an 11-yard punt to give Trinity the ball on ACA’s 23-yard line. The visitors did not waste the chance to score this time. The Wildcats scored on its only completed pass of the first half to take a 6-0 lead with 3:18 left in the second. In the second half, Trinity scored touchdowns on its first three possessions while the Eagles had a turnover and two three and outs to essentially end the suspense of the outcome.

The defense was led by Mekhi Gardner with 10 tackles. LaDarius Walters had eight tackles followed by Bryson Dabney with seven. Four Eagles, Noah Shack, Cam Sutton, Jackson Burton-Elayihan, and Aiden Whiten, each had five tackles. Micah Merritt was the team’s leading rusher with 60 yards on eight carries. Christian Snipes finished with 42 yards on the ground and 41 yards in the air. Beau Gainey was the top receiver with four catches for 25 yards.