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.

ACA Impressive in Area Sweep of Dallas County

Alabama Christian earned a much needed Area win as they defended their home court with a 70-59 defeat of Dallas County. The contest was tight through the first three quarters, but the Eagles took control in the fourth and wore the Hornets down. Only five players scored on the night, but four were in double figures in a well balanced attack.

Dallas County jumped out to a 6-2 lead, but a Connor Mark basket cut the lead to a deuce. On the next possession, Jayden Jones had a steal and layup to tie the game. The defensive play got Jones going as he scored the team’s next seven points as he hit his first four shots from the field. Dallas County outscored ACA 16-8 over the second half of the quarter to open a 23-18 lead after one. The Eagles stayed close in the second, but could never make a serious run at the lead until late. The momentum started to swing in the final minute of the half as Alabama Christian finished on a 6-0 run as Mark scored once and Sam Davidson hit two shots to make the score 32-34 at the break.

ACA outscored the visitors 13-4 to take a 45-38 lead midway through the third. Four different players scored in the run punctuated by a Sam Davidson long ball to open up the seven point lead. The Hornets responded and brought the game back to even after three as the game was tied 46-46. The Eagles saved their best for last as they outplayed Dallas County over the final eight minutes of the game. ACA scored eight quick points as Mac Moorer hit a three followed by a Christian Snipes two and a Jayden Jones three in the first minute of the period. Dallas County made one last run at the lead as they cut the lead to three points with just over three minutes to play. The Eagles did not panic and outscored the Hornets 10-2 down the stretch for the 70-59 win.

Christian Snipes led the offense with 22 points, 18 in the second half, with five rebounds. Jayden Jones had 18 points, a team high eight rebounds, and four assists. Mac Moorer finished with 15 points and six rebounds while Sam Davidson had 10 points and five rebounds.

The girls game had much less intrigue than the boys did. Dallas County was late arriving and were not allowed any warm up time. The Lady Hornets came straight out of the locker room and right to the tip off. Honestly, it probably didn’t matter as Dallas County was greatly over matched in the contest. ACA led 18-3 after one and the rout was on. Jaide Newkirk’s nine points paced the offense in the first. The other Newkirk sparked the offense in the second quarter as Adalynn scored eleven in the period to help lead the Eagles to a 40-9 lead at the half.

Because of the lopsided nature of the game, it was decided the entire second half would have a running clock. ACA blanked Dallas County in the third, 15-0 as the lead grew to 55-9. The fourth quarter was much of the same as the Lady eagles cruised to a 67-12 victory. Seven different players scored in the second half.

Adalynn Newkirk led the team with 15 points and added four rebounds. Katelyn Sutton stuffed the box score with 12 points, nine steals, six assists, and five rebounds Jaide Newkirk had 12 points and six rebounds while Izzy Warrick finished with 10 points, five rebounds, five steals, and three assists.

ACA will have the weekend off and will resume Area play on Tuesday, January 14, as they host St James.

Lady Eagles Defeat Westminster-Oak Mountain Easily

Alabama Christian played their last games of the Christmas break on Saturday as they hosted Westminster-Oak Mountain. The girls continued their winning ways with a 20-point victory while the boys let one get away from them as they lost a close game against the Knights.

The way the girls contest started it looked like ACA (15-2) was in for a shootout against Westminster. The visitors hit four of their first five shots as the two teams were tied 17-17 after a quarter. The Knights came back to earth for the remainder of the game as they managed just 23 points over the final three quarters. A three at the buzzer by Katelyn Sutton tied the game. The Eagles scored the first thirteen points of the second period which gave them a little breathing room. Sutton’s eight points during the run sparked the team. Izzy Warrick hit a long one at the end of the half for the second buzzer beater of the game to give ACA a 36-21 lead at the break.

Jaide Newkirk and Evelyn Tankersley combined for Alabama Christian’s first eight points of the second half to take the score to 44-22. ACA outscored the Knights 17-1 over a six and a half minute span to begin the quarter. The home team led 57-27 after three. Since the Eagles led by 30 the mandatory running clock was instituted. With the pressure of the outcome gone, Westminster got hot again with a 7-2 run to start the fourth. The Knights finished the game by scoring the last six points of the afternoon to make the final score 61-40.

Katelyn Sutton led all scorers with 21 points and added six assists and five rebounds. Jaide Newkirk finished with 20 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks. Evelyn Tankersley led the team with ten rebounds and three steals.

In the boys game it seemed as if ACA (9-7) had superior individual talent, but in the end Westminster proved to be the better team. Time and time again the Knights broke the Alabama Christian pressure as the defense failed to get back leading to easy buckets. In the half court, Westminster converted in the post as the Eagles struggled to fight through picks and cover the backdoor cutter.

The Eagles started fast as Christian Snipes scored nine of the team’s first ten points as ACA built a 10-5 lead. Neither team scored over the final three minutes of the period, but the Eagles still held a 14-7 advantage. The scoring drought continued for the home team in the second quarter as Westminster went on a 9-0 run to take the lead three minutes into the period. ACA managed just six points in the quarter and went from a seven point lead after the first to a seven point deficit at the half, 20-27.

ACA came out with some fire and hustle in the third and seemed to dominate the quarter. Jayden Jones scored eleven in the period to lead the offense. The Eagles took the lead for seventeen seconds late in the third, but two three-point plays by Westminster gave the visitors a 51-45 lead after three. For all of the hard work and imagined momentum it seemed ACA had, they were only able to shave a single point off the lead in the third. In the fourth, ACA cut the lead to two with just over two minutes to play, but the Knights scored the next six points to put the game out of reach. Alabama Christian would eventually lose by a score of 59-63.

Mac Moorer led the team with 15 points and six rebounds. Jayden Jones finished with 14 points and three rebounds while Christian Snipes had 12 points on the afternoon.

Alabama Christian travels to MA next Tuesday to continue Area play.

Alabama Christian Sweeps Thorsby in Area Play

Both the boys and girls teams started 2025 the right way with Area wins over Thorsby. The girls dominated from the opening tip while the boys avenged an earlier loss to the Rebels.

In the boys game, ACA (9-6) scored the last thirteen points of the first period to lead 17-4 at the end of one. Thorsby was scoreless over the final four and a half minutes of the quarter. Christian Snipes and Levi Summers scored eleven of the thirteen points in the run. The Rebels managed just six shot attempts over the last half of the quarter. The teams played evenly in the second and the Eagles were able to maintain a thirteen point advantage at the half. Connor Mark returned to action in the second quarter much to the delight of the ACA faithful.

In the third period Thorsby never went away, but never got closer than nine points either. ACA led 42-32 after three. Alabama Christian pulled away in the fourth and led by as many as nineteen with less than two minutes to play. Mac Moorer got hot as he scored ten points in the final quarter to help secure the 57-42 win.

Mac Moorer led all scorers with 18 points followed closely by Christian Snipes who had 17 points and three rebounds. Jayden Jones had eight assists to lead the team while Levi Summers finished with a team high eight rebounds.

Sometimes it’s not easy to get up for a game when you know you are clearly the better team. ACA (14-2) had their game face on and dominated from the opening tip. The Eagles scored the first fifteen point of the game as they connected on six of their first ten shots. Four different players scored in the stretch as four of the six field goals were assisted and the other two were offensive rebound put backs. ACA led 20-3 after one and continued impress in the second. The Rebels made their first field goal from the floor with seventeen seconds left in the half. The Eagles led 31-7 at the break.

The third period was played evenly between the two teams as ACA only increased its lead by two points to led 42-16 after three. The lead hit thirty points early in the fourth and the clock moved quickly afterwards. Evelyn Tankersley had ten points in the fourth and helped the Eagles to a 58-23 victory.

Four Eagles reached double figures and a fifth scored eight points as the team shared the ball throughout the game. Jaide Newkirk was the top scorer with 14 points along with seven rebounds. Evelyn Tankersley finished with 12 points as she hit all six of her shots from the floor with four rebounds. Izzy Warrick scored 11 points with three steals and Katelyn Sutton had 10 points and nine assists.

Alabama Christian plays again on Saturday, January 4th as they host Westminster-Oak Mountain.

ACA Wins Two of Three at Christmas Tournament in Tampa

The Lady Eagles finished 2024 in style with two wins at the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational and squeezed in some fun time on their off day. With the two victories, Alabama Christian sports a 13-2 record for the season. One of the highlights of the tournament was Katelyn Sutton breaking the career 3-pointers record. She surpassed Leah Sirmon’s mark of 144 in the third game of the weekend. Sirmon’s record had stood since 2005.

12/20 - Steinbrenner (FL)

ACA opened the tournament with a local school, Steinbrenner High School. The school is named after Tampa native and late owner of the New York Yankees, George Steinbrenner. The Eagles had a strong start, led by Katelyn Sutton and Jaide Newkirk, and led 15-12 after a quarter. However, Steinbrenner regrouped in a big way and outscored ACA 40-7 over the next two quarters to take command of the game. The Warriors would go on to win 64-40.

Jaide Newkirk led the team with 20 points, scoring 11 in the fourth period. Katelyn Sutton had eight points while five other players scored a single basket.

12/21 - Edgar Mevers (NY)

Alabama Christian’s next opponent is located in the Bronx and is the first team ACA has ever played from New York. The Eagles again started strong and maintained a healthy lead through the contest although the gap was closed by Mevers. ACA led 41-30 at the half and went on to a 73-66 victory. This was the team’s best offensive performance of the tournament.

A’Kirra McElveen was the team’s top scorer with 23 points, including 12 of the team’s 15 fourth quarter points. Three other player finished in double figures as Katelyn Sutton and Jaide Newkirk both scored 16 and Izzy Warrick had 11 points.

12/23 - Armwood (FL)

After a day off of relaxation, the Eagles had their best overall performance of the tournament with a 51-44 win over Armwood. It took the team a little while to get started as they trailed by eight at the end of the first. The team did not panic and closed the gap by halftime and led by seven at the end of the third, which was the final margin of victory. With the team’s normal top scorers stifled in the first half, Izzy Warrick and Campbell Hammett each scored seven to keep the game close.

Jaide Newkirk would lead the team in scoring with 18 points, 14 in the second half followed by Izzy Warrick with 11 and Katelyn Sutton with 10.

Eagles Participate in Brantley Christmas Tournament

Alabama Christian (8-6) dropped a pair of games at the Brantley Christmas tournament this weekend with losses to Andalusia and the host school, Brantley.

In game one, Andalusia jumped on the Eagles from the outset and led 18-9 after a quarter. The Bulldogs steadily increased the margin as they outscored ACA in every quarter. The final score was a decisive 63-32 win for Andalusia. Christian Snipes led the offense with 12 points followed by Mac Moorer with nine and Sam Davidson with six.

In the consolation game, ACA produced a better start and led after the first period, 26-22. Unfortunately, the offense proved inconsistent as the Eagles scored just 31 points over the final three quarters. Brantley took the lead by halftime and eventually won the game 70-57. Sam Davidson was the team’s leading scorer with 13 points followed closely by Mac Moorer with 12. Jayden Jones had nine points while Broderick Williams and AC Walters each scored eight.

Alabama Christian Picks Up Win over BTW-Magnet

Both varsity basketball teams were victorious Tuesday night with road wins over BTW-Magnet. The girls cruised to a 57-13 win in a game that was never competitive. The boys looked great early and hung on for dear life in a thrilling 64-57 win.

The boys started the game with ten minutes of dominating play as they blitzed the Yellow Jackets 31-10. However, there are thirty-two minutes in a game and a team can’t rely on the first ten to secure a victory. Mac Moorer and Sam Davidson combined for six three balls in the first period to help build a commanding 25-8 lead after one. Moorer kept it going early in the second connecting two more times as he made his first six three-points attempts which resulted in a twenty-one point lead. BTW answered with eight straight points to trail by thirteen with two minutes left in the half. AC Walters and Davidson scored late in the quarter to give ACA (8-3) a 36-22 lead at the intermission.

The home standing Jackets kept the momentum on their side as they scored the first nine points of the second half to cut the Eagle lead to 36-31. Mac Moorer hit his seventh three of the game to stop the bleeding and help settle the team down. Jayden Jones and Broderick Williams worked well together towards the end of the third as the duo combined for six points for a 48-41 advantage after three. ACA looked ready to finally put BTW away in the fourth as they outscored the home team 7-3 to build a 55-44 lead. The Yellow Jackets turned up the pressure and took advantage of the contact being allowed by the officials to go on a 12-3 run of their own to cut the deficit to just two points with 1:50 left. Jones scored to give the Eagles a four point lead and would later, along with Moorer hit four free throws to clinch the game.

Mac Moorer led the offense with 24 points, hitting seven 3-pointers. Sam Davidson finished with 12 points and four rebounds. Jayden Jones had nine points, eight assists, and five rebounds while Christian Snipes had eight points and five boards.

As exciting as the finish of the boys game turned out to be, the outcome pf the girls contest was never in doubt. Although the Eagles (11-1) started slowly they were too much for the hapless Yellow Jacket team. Katelyn Sutton and Izzy Warrick both hit first period threes to build a 10-3 lead after one. ACA built a 26-7 lead at the half as the offense was a little better in the second. Jaide Newkirk led the team with nine first half points.

The third quarter was the team’s best as they buried BTW in a 24-1 barrage that helped the Eagles build a 50-8 lead after three. The Jackets hit a free throw less than a minute into the quarter and did not score again. Three players, A’Kirra McElveen, Katelyn Sutton, and Jaide Newkirk, each had six points in the third to lead a balanced attack. The fourth quarter went quickly as the clock ran continuously. The highlight of the quarter was Campbell Hammett trying to sneak into the game only be turned back by her coach. The Lady Eagles enjoyed a stress free 57-13 romp.

Jaide Newkirk had a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Katelyn Sutton finished with eleven points, six steals, five rebounds, and five assists. Izzy Warrick and A’Kirra McElveen both had eight points while McElveen had a team best 16 rebounds.