ACA Sends Providence Christian Home in Walk Off Fashion

For the first time since 2020, Alabama Christian (3-3) won all three of its games in the Jason Armstrong FCA tournament. Friday night’s victory was a thriller as the Eagles overcame a two run deficit and won the game in the seventh, 4-3.

Providence Christian struck first as they pushed across a run in the opening inning with two walks and a single for a 1-0 lead. After struggling with his control in the first, Cam Sutton got just what the doctor ordered in the second as he retired the side in order on just six pitches. The score remained the same until the bottom of the third. Levi Summers started the inning with an infield single deep in the hole at short. Ethan Dabney sacrificed him to second for the first out of the frame. With two outs, Alex Heilman (fast becoming one of the most consistent bats in the lineup) delivered a single to right scoring Summers to tie the score.

The Eagles from Dothan put runners at second and third with no outs to start the fourth. Cam Sutton got the next two batters out and it looked as if ACA would escape unscathed, but a wild pitch allowed Providence to score and retake the lead, 2-1. They added a third run in the fifth for a two run lead. In the bottom half, Levi Summers led off with a walk followed by an Ethan Dabney line drive triple that tailed away from the right fielder as he made a diving effort. Summers scored to cut the Providence lead to one run. Alex Heilman delivered again as he singled to right, scoring Dabney, to tie the game, 3-3. Neither team scored in the sixth and Teilan Long came in for ACA to pitch the seventh in relief of Sutton. Long navigated the top of the opponent’s lineup only giving up a one-out walk.

Ethan Dabney led off the seventh with a four-pitch walk. With one out, Alex Heilman walked which forced a pitching change for Providence. The pitching style went from a hard throwing lefty to a right handed soft tosser, but the result was the same. Jackson Burton walked to load the bases with one out. Teilan Long came to the plate with a chance to give himself his first pitching decision of his varsity career. On a 1-0 pitch the freshman hit a hard ground ball into left field for the win.

Although he did not factor in the decision, Cam Sutton pitched a gutsy six innings with four strikeouts. Teilan Long picked up the win with his relief work in the seventh. Alex Heliman led the hitters with a 2 for 3 night with a walk and two runs driven in. Jackson Burton, Ethan Dabney, Teilan Long, and Levi Summers each had one hit in the game. Dabney and Summers combined to score all four of the team’s runs, each scoring twice.

Alabama Christian Defeats LAMP in Home Opener

ACA (4-5) dispatched a hapless LAMP squad in a five inning, run-rule affair. The Lady Eagles were aided by six Golden Tiger errors and other miscues that led to multiple runs. Izzy Warrick and Campbell Hammett scored the first two runs of the game on passed balls. Maddie Owens singled in two to make it 4-0 as the offense plated five runs in the first. The offense added two in the second to run the score to 7-0.

Alabama Christian scored four more in the third for the important ten-plus run lead. If they could hold LAMP scorelss everyone would go home early. That was no problem for Izzy Warrick. The senior dominated the LAMP batters as she gave up only one hit on the afternoon. Neither team scored in the fourth and when LAMP was kept off the board in the fifth, the game was over, 11-0.

Izzy Warrick was brilliant in the circle as she picked up the win with five strong innings and seven strikeouts. The senior also shined at the plate as she went 2 for 2 with a double and a triple with a walk, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Maddie Owens finished 2 for 3 with two runs driven in. Campbell Hammett stole four bases in the contest and score three runs.

ACA Shuts Out Brew Tech at Paterson Field

It was a beautiful day for baseball and the Eagles (2-3) added to the experience as they defeated Brew Tech 9-0. The Rams are coached by former ACA baseball star, Mario Galloway, class of 2017. Mac Moorer took the hill for ACA and was in control from the first pitch of the game. The righty threw an economic 75 pitches over six innings with two-thirds of them being strikes.

Neither team scored in the first two innings even though the Eagles put runners on in each frame. ACA finally broke the seal in the third as they scored three times. Mac Moorer hit a single to right to score Ethan Dabney for the first run and later scored from second on a wild pitch that the Rams couldn’t corral. Teilan Long drove in the third run with a line drive to left scoring Alex Heilman.

The wheels came off a bit for Brew Tech in the fourth. The Eagles first three batter reached to load the bases thanks to two defensive errors. A wild pitch produced the fourth run and an infield throwing error allowed two more runs to cross. ACA reloaded the bases with a walk and a hit batter with one out. Levi Summers drew a walk to score a run and Teilan Long scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-0. The final run of the game came on a run scoring grounder from Mason Roosendaal. After four, ACA led 9-0 and just needed a run to send the fans home early. In the fifth, Alabama Christian loaded the bases with one out, but could not score. In the sixth, they loaded them again, this time with two outs, but still could not score. Alex Heilman pitched the seventh to close it out for the 9-0 victory.

Mac Moorer picked up the win as he pitched six shutout innings with seven strikeouts and no walks. Ethan Dabney led the offense with a 3 for 4 performance with two runs scored. Alex Heilman reached base four times as he delivered two hits with a walk and a hit batsman. Moorer and Teilan Long each reached base three times on the afternoon.

Alabama Christian Defeats Glenwood in Area Play

ACA hosted Glenwood in its first Area match of the season. The Gators led 1-0 at the break, but the Eagles turned up the offensive pressure in the second half. Seniors Tyson Summers’ and Karson Oakley’s second half goals propelled the Eagles to a 2-1 triumph. Summers scored with 9:33 left in the match on a left cross from almost 30 yards out. Oakley hit the game winner on a penalty kick with 3:03 left to give the home team the big win. Austin Cook recorded seven saves in goal. The girls dropped their Area opener 3-1 to the Lady Gators.

Eagles Overwhelm Marbury in Blowout

After dropping a decision to Catholic on Monday, ACA bounced back with a dominating 14-2 defeat of Marbury. The Lady Eagles scored in every inning but one as Coach Whisenant emptied the bench. The offense scored twice in the first on a bases loaded walk and a run scoring ground out. Maddie Traywick doubled in a run in the third and later scored herself to stretch the lead to 4-0. ACA added three more in the fourth as the lead grew to a comfortable seven runs.

Izzy Warrick doubled home Chloe Childs in the fifth and Anna Gleason drove in Maddie Traywick in the sixth to give the Eagles a 9-0 cushion. Alabama Christian scored five in the final frame to make it 14-0. The Bulldogs scored two in their final at-bat for the final margin of 14-2.

As the Eagles scored runs consistently, Izzy Warrick gave the Marbury offense nothing. The senior held the home team to four hits while striking out 14 Bulldogs. Maddie Traywick led the offense with a perfect 4 for 4 night with a double and four runs driven in. At the top of the lineup, Warrick and Campbell Hammett both had two hits and combined for five runs scored.

ACA Defeats Trinity to Open FCA Tournament

It’s a great experience to be able to play at Riverwalk and Paterson each year in the Jason Armstrong FCA Tournament. It’s even more fun when you can beat one of your rivals in the process. The Eagles (1-3) opened play this week at Riverwalk and defeated Trinity 5-2. As good as the team looked today, it’s hard to believe this was the first win of the year. Hopefully the victory will boost confidence and spur the team to many more wins.

Jackson McGuire set the tone early as he mowed the Wildcats down 1-2-3 in the first while striking out the first two hitters. In the second, Trinity put runners on second and third with no one out, but the senior hurler gave up just one run and struck out two more batters. ACA tied the game in the third thanks to a Jackson Burton sac fly that scored Mason Roosendaal and took the lead as the Wildcat first baseman could not hold on to the throw from short, scoring Ethan Dabney. The Wildcats threatened again in the third as they loaded the bases with one out. Once again, McGuire allowed only a single run to keep the score 2-2.

Neither team scored in the fourth although Alabama Christian did load the bases with two outs, but could not plate a run. The fifth inning started innocently enough as Jackson Burton led off with a single, but the next two hitters were retired. Levi Summers drew a walk and the Wildcat reliever developed a case of the yips on the mound. He balked twice during Alex Heilman’s at-bat scoring Burton and moving Summers to third. Adding insult to injury, Heilman singled to right to drive in the runner from third to give the Eagles a 4-2 advantage.

After Jackson McGuire got the first two outs in the fifth, Coach Guice made the move to the bullpen and brought Mason Roosendaal to the mound. The young reliever struck out the next batter to end the Wildcat threat. Jackson Burton helped tack on an insurance run in the sixth as he doubled over the left fielder’s head to drive in Mac Moorer. The defense flashed the leather in the sixth as Teilan Long made a great running catch in shallow right field for the first out. Levi Summers handled the next two as he caught a third strike foul tip for the second out and threw out the batter at first after strike three bounced up to the plate to end the frame. ACA again loaded the bases in the seventh, but did not score. Sometimes, the hardest three outs in the game are the last three, but Roosendaal handled the situation like a veteran to close the game.

Jackson McGuire earned the victory as he pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing just one earned run with six strikeouts, four looking. Mason Roosendaal picked up the save with 2 1/3 innings of relief work as he allowed just one hit and struck out four. Jackson Burton led the charge at the plate as he went 3 for 3 with a double and two RBIs. Alex Heilman went 2 for 3 with a walk and a run driven in while Ethan Dabney was 2 for 4 with a run scored. Mac Moorer was up to his old tricks as he went 1 for 1 and was hit twice by WIldcat pitchers.

Alabama Christian Participates in Second Tournament of the Season

ACA opened the season last weekend with a tournament in Prattville and continued with another tournament in Alexander City this weekend. Alabama Christian played Benjamin Russell, Sylacauga, and Handley in the Central Alabama Softball Classic. The Eagles maintained the same pattern as the first tourney with a win in the middle game of the three played.

In the two losses, the Eagles were beaten by identical 1-6 scores. Against Benjamin Russell, Izzy Warrick, Adalee Linclon, Maddie Traywick, and Campbell Hammett each had hits while Hammett scored the only run. In Saturday’s game against Handley, Warrick, Lily Sconyers, and Chloe Childs delivered hits with Warrick scoring the lone run.

Against Sylacauga, Izzy Warrick got things going with a leadoff double, a steal of third, and scored on an RBI ground out. ACA scored another run in the second due to a Bentley Lamberth single for a 2-0 lead. The offense tacked on four more runs in the third highlighted by a two-run double by Elizabeth Hall. ACA added single runs in the fourth and fifth to push the final score to 8-1. In the circle, Warrick dominated the Aggies as she struck out 12 over five innings to earn the victory.

Eagles Defeat Houston Academy in the Cold

ACA (3-1) defeated Houston Academy 3-2 Friday night on the campus of Alabama Christian. The Eagles led 2-1 at the half on goals from David Johnson and Isaiah DeBerry. With the game knotted 2-2, Karson Oakley scored on a corner kick with 4:20 left in the match for the game winning goal. Austin Cook recorded seven saves in goal and Tyson Summers had an assist in the win.

The Lady Eagles (1-1) fell to Houston Academy 1-9. The game was still close at the break, but the visitors pulled away in the second half, scoring six times. Katelyn Sutton had the lone goal for ACA assisted by Chloe Jordan.

ACA Comeback Falls Short in Extra Innings

It was another frigid night of baseball as Alabama Christian (0-3) hosted Chilton County in its home opener. Thankfully, the forecast calls for warmer temps next week. ACA had a four-run seventh to force extras, but could not pull off the W. The Eagles actually outhit the visitors 10 to 9, but seven of the Tiger’s nine hits were for extra bases including two home runs.

The Tigers first homer of the night came in the first for a 2-0 lead. Neither team scored over the next three frames as each pitcher settled into a nice groove aided by an umpire who loved the curveball. Any curve close to the plate was going to be a strike. in the fifth, Chilton County tacked on three more runs for a seemingly commanding 5-0 advantage. ACA got on the board in the bottom half as four Eagles, Mac Moorer, Jackson McGuire, Jackson Burton, and Teilan Long, all reached after two were out. Long’s infield single drove in Moorer to cut the score to 1-5.

As the bottom of the seventh approached, ACA had one final chance to get back in the game. Sam Schotteker led off with a bloop single to left and advanced to second one batter later on an infield ground out. Jackson McGuire rifled a ball just inside the third base line for a double to cut the deficit to three runs. Jackson Burton singled to center, but Mcguire was initially held up at third. However, he would eventually score on the play as the catcher uncorked an errant throw trying to nail Burton at second. Teilan Long walked and Bryson Dabney was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Levi Summers hit a grounder to the shortstop, but the Tigers could not turn the double play as the runners on second and third both scored to tie the game, 5-5. Chilton County answered quickly as they hit the second pitch of the eighth out for a 6-5 lead. ACA went quietly in the bottom half.

Jackson McGuire led the offense as he went 3 for 5 with two doubles and an RBI, Teilan Long finished 2 for 3 with a double with a run driven in while Jackson Burton also had two hits in three at-bats. Although Cam Sutton took the loss, he pitched effectively in relief as he gave up just three hits in 3 2/3 innings with four strikeouts. Starter Mac Moorer lasted 4 1/3 innings with seven punch outs.

Alabama Christian Loses Afternoon Tilt at Catholic

ACA (0-2) visited Catholic Tuesday afternoon for a 1:00 start for the high school version of the businessman’s special. Like the opener, the defense was once again generous as the Eagles committed eight more errors against the Knights. Alabama Christian did continue to battle and scored three in the seventh in the 3-8 defeat.

Catholic scored in the first inning with a one-out double for a 1-0 lead. ACA put two on the second with just one out, but could not score as the score remained 1-0 after two innings. The Eagles loaded the bases with two outs in the third, but once again could not push across a run. Teilan Long picked up the team’s first hit in the frame. The Knights scored two in the bottom half aided by two errors for a 3-0 cushion after three.

The home team added three more runs in the fourth to bust the game open. Catholic added an eighth run in the sixth for an 8-0 advantage. In the seventh, Sam Schotteker and Ethan Dabney both walked to start the frame. Mac Moorer and Jackson McGuire both followed with singles as each drove in a run. Bryson Dabney drove in the third run with an RBI groundout for the final margin, 3-8.

Mac Moorer led the offense with two hits in four at-bats with a run scored and an RBI. Jackson McGuire, Teilan Long, and Ethan Dabney each had a hit in the game. Mason Roosendaal made his varsity debut and pitched a solid 2 2/3 innings of relief.

Alabama Christian plays their home opener Thursday, February 20, against Beulah.

Lady Eagles Open Season in Prattville Tournament

The softball program has never been afraid to schedule tough teams and the lineup of opponents at the Lions Classic Softball Tournament was no exception. ACA (1-2) took on Class 7A Prattville, 7A Smiths Station, and the defending 3A state champs, Opp. The Eagles won one of three as they defeated Smiths Station in an eight inning thriller.

In the opener, ACA was over powered by the Prattville pitching as they were held hitless and struck out ten times in four innings. Adalee Lincoln, Emma Redmon, and Peri Lane Holley made their varsity debuts in the game. In the last game of the weekend, Alabama Christian once again faced dominant pitching as thirteen batters struck out over five innings. The highlight of the game was a two-run bomb by Maddie Traywick in the fifth for ACA’s only runs. Traywick finished with two hits as Izzy Warrick and Adalee Lincoln collected the other two hits.

The middle game of the tournament was by far the most entertaining as both teams overcame multi-run deficits during the contest. Smiths Station scored one in the first inning without the benefit of a hit, but the Eagles got the run back in the bottom half. Izzy Warrick led off with a single to right and advanced to second on a Lily Sconyers fielder’s choice. Adalee Lincoln drove her in with a single to center to tie the game. The Panthers added a run in the second to lead 2-1 after two.

In the third, ACA took its first lead of the game. Izzy Warrick and Lily Sconyers both reached to start the frame. Maddie Traywick singled Warrick in and a ground out from Adalee Lincoln scored Sconyers for the 3-2 lead. Traywick had her first three-up, three-down inning in the fourth to get the offense back at the plate. The bats responded as Warrick drove in Bentley Lamberth on a double to center and Sconyers knocked in Ann Marie Lincoln and Warrick on a single to right for a 6-2 lead. The Panthers answered and cut the lead in half with two runs in the fifth to make the score 6-4. Neither team scored in the sixth and Smiths Station needed two in the seventh to keep the game alive. After the first two batters were retired, ACA gave up two runs to force extra innings.

Back to back doubles to start the eighth by the Panthers made the score 8-6 in favor of Smiths Station and a third run scored on a passed ball for a 9-6 lead. ACA needed three to keep playing and four to win. With one out, Laura Matthews delivered a pinch-hit single to cut the lead to two runs. A fielder’s choice from Izzy Warrick followed and the Panthers were feeling good with a two run lead with two outs in the frame. Lily Sconyers worked a walk to put runners on first and second. Maddie Traywick came up clutch as she whistled a double to center which scored both runners and tied the game, 9-9. Ann Marie Lincoln came in to courtesy run for Traywick as she smartly advanced to third on the play. On a 2-0 count, Adalee Lincoln drove her sister in with a single to left for the game winner.

The offense put together 15 hits in the game and were led by Bentley Lamberth who was 3 for 4 with two runs scored and Adalee Lincoln who went 3 for 5 with three RBIs. Four players delivered two hits as Lily Sconyers went 2 for 4 with two runs driven in and two runs scored while Sam Burgess finished 2 for 4. Izzy Warrick was 2 for 5 with a double, four runs scored, and an RBI. Maddie Traywick went 2 for 5 with a double and three runs driven in and pitched all eight innings to earn the win in the circle.

Alabama Christian hosts PCA in its next game on Tuesday, February 18th.

ACA Opens Season with Loss to Wetumpka

It seems to work this way most years. The week before games are scheduled to start you experience the best weather, but when it’s time for the games to start, old man winter makes a comeback. Thursday night, Alabama Christian (0-1) opened the season in Wetumpka as the temperature hovered in the 40’s with a brisk wind from the north. Although the Indians ultimately run-ruled ACA in six innings (14-3), the game was more competitive than the final score allowed. The pitching was not bad as the four hurlers gave up just five earned runs, but the defense committed six errors and the offense mustered just five hits.

Cam Sutton set the Indians down in order in the first on just 13 pitches. Alex Heilman delivered the first hit of the year in the second as he drove Sam Schotteker home with a single to left. Wetumpka scored two in the bottom half, but a line drive double play ended the inning with the home team ahead 2-1. Neither team scored in the third and the Indians brought in a reliever for the fourth inning. It was the right move by the Wetumpka manager. The pitcher would strike out seven over the next three innings as he dominated the back half of the game.

With the Eagles bats stymied, Wetumpka pulled away scoring twelve runs over the final three innings. The only runs ACA was able to push across was on a Levi Summers sac fly in the sixth which ended up scoring two due to an errant throw from the right fielder.

Bryson Dabney led the offense as he went 2 for 3 with a run scored. Jackson Burton, Alex Heilman, and Levi Summers delivered the other three hits on the night. Jeremiah Johnson made his varsity debuts in the opener.

Alabama Christian visits Catholic on Tuesday, February 18th, in its next action.

Alabama Christian Season Ends in Sub-Regionals

As we look back on Trace Hill’s first year leading the ACA program, many good things were accomplished. The program won 15 games for just the second time in the past thirteen years and advanced to the sub-regional round for just the third time in the same time span. Although eight seniors will be hard to replace, the young coach has the fan base believing our best days are ahead of us.

Eight weeks ago ACA visited Lee-Scott and lost by 40 points as the Warriors dominated the second half. Lee-Scott might have been overlooking the Eagles, but ACA made them pay attention all night. The game seemed to be played evenly in the first, but the home team led 20-8 after one. In the second Alabama Christian seemed to win the quarter, but the margin remained the same, 21-33. Christian Snipes led the offense in the first half with eight points.

The excitement really began in the third period as ACA cut the lead to single digits with 1:40 left in the quarter. The Eagles cut the lead to six, but an offensive put back at the buzzer gave the Warriors a 51-43 lead after three. ACA scored two quick baskets to start the fourth which prompted a Lee-Scott timeout. The teams traded baskets over the next four minutes as Alabama Christian cut the margin to two points on three different occasions. The last time was after a Jayden Jones score which made the score 55-57 with 3:30 left in the game. To their credit, Lee-Scott finished the game on a 7-2 run to pull away in win the contest, 64-57.

Christian Snipes led the offense with 23 points along with five rebounds. Jayden Jones finished with 15 points and a team high six rebounds with three assists. Mac Moorer had 10 points in the loss.

Eagles Win Two of Three in Weekend Action

Alabama Christian participated in the Capital of Dreams High School Classic with a game Friday night and two more on Saturday. ACA fell to Catholic 1-3 in the season opener as Tyson Summers scored the team’s first goal of the year.

The Eagles opened play on Saturday against Wetumpka. The two teams were tied at the break, but ACA scored two in the second half for the 3-1 victory. Tyson Summers had a goal and an assist while Karson Oakley and David Johnson each contributed goals with Wes Peake and Cole Jordan recording assists.

The action ended with a match against Andalusia. The Eagle defense rendered the Bulldog offense useless as Alabama Christian won easily, 4-0. David Johnson scored twice while Cole Jordan and Jiwu Kim each scored once. Tyson Summers and Karson Oakley each had assists.

ACA Advances to Area Championship Game

When we signed off at the end of the Dallas County article last week, we said the Eagles had nine days to figure out a way to slow down the Hornet’s best player. Monday night, AC Walters drew the primary defensive assignment with Levi Summers spelling him when needed. ACA didn’t stop him, but did cut his point production in half on their way to a 68-58 first round Area victory. The win guarantees the Eagles a spot in sub-regionals this weekend. It felt like spring today outside, but inside the MA gym it felt as humid and sticky as the middle of summer.

As the game started it didn’t matter who was shooting for the Hornets. Dallas County hit eight of its first ten shots to take a 21-13 lead after one. ACA didn’t shoot badly (6 for 13) in the period, Dallas County was just a little better. The second quarter was played evenly as the Eagles could get no closer than four points. At the end of the half, Connor Mark hit a three to cut the lead to one (29-30), but the Hornets hit one of their own at the buzzer for a 33-29 advantage at the break. Mark’s 15 points in the half led the offense.

The Hornets stretched the lead to seven points early in the third, but consecutive makes by Mac Moorer and a free throw by Jayden Jones cut the score to 37-38. ACA regained the lead for the first time since 2-0 as Jones found AC Walters for a basket and a 41-40 lead with 1:33 left in the third. The Eagles led 46-44 after three. Dallas County took the lead (49-48) only once in the final period as their team looked tired. Connor Mark scored on the next possession to get the lead back and ACA never trailed again. The Hornets did manage to tie the game, 54-54, with 4:05 left. However, ACA finished strong as they outscored their opponent 14-4 to close the game out. Four different players scored down the stretch as the Hornets could not focus on just one man.

Connor Mark led the team with 20 points, 15 in the first half, along with four rebounds. Jayden Jones had 15 points, 13 in the scond half, with four assists and three rebounds. Mac Moorer scored all 15 of his points in the second half as he also contributed three steals. Christian Snipes finished with 10 points and five rebounds. AC Walters was the team’s leading rebounder with six.

Alabama Christian will play MA for the Area Championship Wednesday, February 5th, at MA.

Alabama Christian Handles Dallas County Easily

ACA finished Area play on Saturday with a trip to the middle of nowhere to take on Dallas County. As fans turned on a dirt road (County Road 86) as part of their trek to Valley Grande, “Dueling Banjos” could be heard in the distance. The outcome of either game would not change the opponent for next week’s Area tournament, but both teams wanted to finish with a win.

The girls game was supposed to be relatively easy, but the Lady Hornets showed life a couple of times in the game. ACA scored the first six points of the game and seemed to relax a bit, but Dallas County woke them up quickly with scores on three straight possessions to cut the lead to one point, 8-7. With 5:12 left in the first quarter, Coach Cantrell called a timeout in frustration to help focus her troops. The timeout was successful as the home team did not score again until there was 3:07 left in the first half. The Eagles finished the quarter with an 11-0 run to lead 19-7 after one. The second period was more of the same as Alabama Christian stretched its lead to 44-13 at the half.

With a huge lead it is sometimes easy for a team to lose its intensity and when the Hornet point guard weaved through the whole defense for a layup 30 seconds into the third, Coach Cantrell got the attention of her team. With only four players on the bench, the coach asked the official if she could play with just four players. When he said yes the starters were all pulled and the four subs were sent in. The four players played the next 3:50 of the period and were only outscored by three points during the stretch. With a new determination ACA finished the quarter with a 61-29 cushion. The clock ran in the fourth and the Eagles cruised to the 67-33 victory.

Jaide Newkirk led the offense with 14 points and four rebounds while Campbell Hammett finished with 11 points, four rebounds, and three steals. Katelyn Sutton had nine points, seven assists, and four steals while Adalyn Newkirk finished with eight points, three rebounds, three steals, and three assists.

In the boys game, Dallas County had one player, one offensive play, and one group of officials who made sure the star player was handled with care. The Hornet player shot 21 free throws, on his way to 51 points, on the night as all of the other players in the game shot 23 free throws combined. Three of the four players who spent time guarding the player fouled out for ACA.

Despite the way the game was called, Alabama Christian hung close as neither team led by more than five points until the final minute of the third. ACA trailed by two (16-18) at the end of the first and led by two (34-32) at halftime. ACA trailed by just two points with 1:28 left in the game, but did not score again and sent the Hornets (more accurately #3) to the foul line as Dallas County pulled away in the final minute for the 81-66 win. The Eagles coaching staff has a week to figure out a way to slow down the Dallas County standout as the two teams will meet in next week’s Area tournament.

Connor Mark led the offense with 26 points along with six rebounds and three assists. Jayden Jones had 14 points while Christian Snipes finished with 10 points.

Alabama Christian will have Senior Night on Tuesday, January 28th to close out the regular season.

Eagles Defeat St James by Twenty for Second Time This Season

ACA defeated its host, St James, by the exact score as their first match up ten days ago, 59-39. The Eagles vaulted to an early 12-2 lead in the first as the offense fed the hot hand of Christian Snipes, who had eight points during the stretch. The Trojans cut the lead in half, but a three-point play from Jayden Jones and an offensive put back by Sam Davidson gave ACA a 19-11 lead after one. ACA played uninspired in the second period and only scored two points in the first five-plus minutes of the quarter. Luckily, the St James wasn’t much better as Alabama Christian led 21-16 with 2:31 left in the half. ACA finished the second on a 7-1 run to take a 28-17 at the half.

The Trojans were unable to put a dent in the ACA lead in the third as they still trailed by eleven with 3:41 left in the period. Once again, ACA finished the quarter strong as they outscored the home team 12-4 to take a 46-27 lead into the fourth. Jayden Jones found AC Walters multiple times in the post to help Walters lead the team with nine points in the quarter. In the fourth both teams emptied the bench to allow the backups to gain experience on the floor. Bryson Dabney came out smoking as he hit 3 of 6 three-pointers in the period. ACA final margin of victory would be twenty points once again.

AC Walters led the team with 14 points and seven rebounds. Christian Snipes finished with 12 points followed by Sam Davidson with 10 points and five rebounds, and Jayden Jones with nine points and six assists.

Two years ago, nobody was happier than Trinity when PCA was moved up to 4A by the AHSAA after back to back state titles. Trinity took advantage and went back to back in PCA’s absence. This year, St James is the beneficiary of both PCA and Trinity being in 4A and has potentially opened the path for them to win a championship. On Friday night, St James handled ACA easily as the Eagles played timidly most of the night. The home team led by fifteen after one and built a 47-16 lead by halftime. There might be a few future Trojan coaches amongst the players as they have already learned how to cry about calls even when firmly in control of the game. St James emptied its bench and played its JV squad in the fourth quarter as ACA dropped the game 43-73.

Katelyn Sutton and Jaide Newkirk led the offense as both had nine points. Newkirk also added six rebounds. Evelyn Tankersley had eight points and a team high eight rebounds with three blocked shots.

ACA Defeats Wetumpka with Second Half Surge

Due to the impending weather, schedules for teams in the area have been turned upside down. It was nice to get a game in Monday night despite all of the uncertainty. The Lady Eagles (19-4) hosted Wetumpka and completed the season sweep with a 45-34 defeat of the Indians. ACA played sloppily in the first half as they turned the ball over on 14 of 35 possessions and shot 6 for 25 from the field, but outscored the visitors 30-15 in the second half to pull away.

Jaide Newkirk hit a shot on the team’s second offensive set for the first points of the game. After the initial score both teams offense’s were as cold as the temperature outside. Neither team scored for the next four and a half minutes as the teams combined to miss fifteen shots and commit nine turnovers. With 2:45 left in the period, Wetumpka made a free throw followed by two points the next time down the floor for a 3-2 lead. ACA closed the quarter with back to back threes by Adalyn Newkirk and Sam Burgess for a 10-6 lead at the quarter break. Burgess hit another long one to start the second to give the Eagles a 13-6 lead, but once again the offense went cold for the remainder of the half as they scored only one other time in the quarter. The Indians scored five points in the final minute of the half to retake the lead. Wetumpka outscored ACA 13-5 in the period for a 19-15 lead at intermission.

The Indians connected on a couple of freebies to start the second half, but ACA responded with a 7-0 run to retake the lead. Katelyn Sutton, Evelyn Tankersley, and A’Kirra McElveen each scored a bucket in the run. After a Wetumpka score, Izzy Warrick put the Eagles ahead for good with 4:32 left in the third. Sutton drew a charge on the next play and Alabama Christian scored on its next two possessions for a 28-23 lead. The third ended with a Sam Burgess three ball and an and-one conversion by Warrick for a 34-25 lead after three. It took two and a half minutes to accomplish, but the visitors scored the first four points of the final quarter to cut the lead to five points. The Lady Eagles responded with their second 7-0 run of the half as Sutton, Tankersley, and Adalyn Newkirk all hit big shots to extend the lead to 41-29. ACA’s last four points came from the charity stripe over the final 1:39 for the 45-34 victory.

Izzy Warrick led the offense with 10 points, all in the second half. Sam Burgess had nine points with a 3 for 5 night behind the arc. Evelyn Tankersely finished with eight points, twelve rebounds, and five blocks while Adalyn Newkirk also had eight points. A’Kirra McElveen also corraled twelve rebounds while Katelyn Sutton led the team with six assists.

Alabama Christian Handles BTW-Magnet in Saturday Action

Both varsity squads thought they were playing BTW on Saturday, but the Lady Rams decided to start enjoying the holiday weekend a little early and pulled a no-show. The forty-four point drubbing they took in the previous meeting against ACA probably played in the decision of the team not to play. With the forfeiture, the boys had the stage to themselves. The highlight of the game centered around a fourth quarter three made by Mac Moorer. The make was Moorer’s 199th of his career who now sits atop the career list of made three pointers.

Connor Mark paced the offense in the first period as he scored nine of the team’s ten points as ACA (12-9) trailed by two after the first. Early in the second period, Mac Moorer had a shot attempt blocked, but the defender was popped with a technical as he woofed about the defense play. Running his mouth got him benched and lit a fire under the Eagles as they responded with an 8-0 run to take an 18-12 lead. The two teams played evenly the rest of the half as ACA went to the locker room up 24-18.

BTW scored the first four points of the second half to cut the lead to two. Alabama Christian countered with a 15-2 run as they scored on seven of their next eight possessions. One of the baskets was a pretty bullet pass from AC Walters to Christian Snipes for an easy lay up. ACA led 42-28 after three quarters. The Eagles kept a double digit lead throughout the final period. Over the final eighty seconds of the game, BTW fouled ten times to send ACA to the foul line, but the home team made enough to keep the lead comfortable for the 57-41 win.

Connor Mark was the game’s top scorer with 20 points and nine rebounds. Jayden Jones had 11 points with three rebounds and three assists. Christian Snipes finished with seven points while Sam Davidson and AC Walters both contributed six points.

Lady Eagles Even Season Series with Area Win Over MA

The girls game on Friday against MA played out like any super hero movie you might have watched in the past. At first everything seems to be fine as the good guys (ACA) appear to have everything under control. In the middle of the movie things get really bad as the super villain (MA) starts to gain momentum and seems ready to take over. Then, just in the nick of time, the good guys pull of the impossible against great odds to win the day. That was the roller coaster ride the Eagle nation went on as the two teams of Eagles battled at Alabama Christian.

The contest against MA started slowly as neither team scored in the first two minutes of the game. MA scored first followed by back to back buckets by A’Kirra McElveen and Jaide Newkirk to give ACA an early 5-2 lead. With a minute left to go in the first, Sam Burgess hit a three to give the home team an 8-6 advantage after a quarter. Evelyn Tankersley scored the first points of the second period, but the offense would go cold after the make. MA rolled up twelve points in a row, prompting a timeout by Coach Cantrell, to take an 18-10 lead with 2:30 left in the half. ACA missed seven consecutive shots and turned the ball over four times during the cold snap. Katelyn Sutton hit a three to help close the margin to five points by the half, 15-20.

MA looked ready to put the game away in the third period. ACA’s offense continued to be stagnant against the MA zone. The visitors took advantage and led by as many as sixteen points with a little more than a minute left in the third. Luckily for ACA, the MA offense went into hiding as they did not score again until there was just 2:27 left in the game. The Eagles defense played a key role in the inefficiency of MA’s offense.

Despite MA’s inability to score, ACA still trailed by ten with four minutes left in the game. A Katelyn Sutton three started the comeback as the margin was cut to seven, 29-36. After an MA turnover, Sutton found Evelyn Tankersley in the post for two and a 31-36 score. Next possession Tankersley hit a cutting Izzy Warrick for a layup for a 33-36 score with two and a half minutes left. MA hit two free throws, their only points of the quarter, for a 38-33 lead with 2:27 left. Sutton and Warrick both hit one of two free throws on consecutive possessions to cut the lead to 35-38 with 1:44 left. With just over a minute left, Warrick stole the ball and raced for the basket and drew a foul as the MA defender pushed her in the back as she went up. Although she missed both free throws, Jaide Newkirk got the board and the put back to cut the lead to one with less than a minute to go. Two possessions later, Tankersley scored on an offensive rebound to give ACA its first lead since 10-8 early in the second quarter. MA called timeout with 23.7 seconds left trailing by a point. The visitors would not get a shot off and never touch the ball again as ACA corralled offensive rebounds on two missed free throws to keep possession. The last four points were scored at the free throw line in the 43-38 triumph.

Jaide Newkirk led the offense with 15 points along with nine rebounds and three steals while Katelyn Sutton had eight points with five assists. Izzy Warrick had seven points, four rebounds, and three steals as Evelyn Tankersley finished with seven points, ten rebounds, and three blocks. A’Kirra McElveen also had ten rebounds.

The boys faced one of the best 3A teams in the state and points were hard to come by. The MA defense suffocated ACA as the home team turned the ball over on 14 of its 35 possessions in the first half. MA led 22-3 after a quarter and unfortunately, the outcome was never in doubt. The visitors controlled the game from the outset as they led 42-11 at the half. MA would go on to win 67-22.

Christian Snipes scored more than half of the team’s points with twelve along with three rebounds. Mac Moorer had six points and four rebounds.

Both teams return to action on Saturday as they host BTW-Magnet.