Lady Eagles Win Two Games in Spring Break Tournament

Alabama Christian continued to enjoy tournament life as all six of the team’s wins have come in that format this season. ACA defeated Madison Central (MS) and Brentwood (TN) on day one of the tournament but dropped the next two to split the four games.

Maddie Traywick provided a two-out two-run double to propel the Eagles to a 4-3 win over Madison Central in the first game of the day. The Jaguars opened the scoring in the second inning with back-to-back hits for a 1-0 lead. Alabama Christian tied it up in the third as Lily Sconyers drove in Campbell Hammett with a single to left. Madison Central took the lead back in the fourth on a wild pitch and a dropped third strike for a 3-1 advantage. The Lady Eagles scored a run in the bottom half on a Haley Belcher single that scored pinch-runner, Maddie Owens. ACA still trailed going to the bottom of the fifth and needed to score to keep the game alive. After the first two batters were retired, Izzy Warrick and Anna Williams both drew walks to set the table for Traywick. Williams fouled off three two-strike pitches before earning her base. Traywick fell behind with an 0-2 count and worked the count full before doubling to left to drive in the winning runs. The first baseman finished 2 for 3 with two doubles and two RBIs. Izzy Warrick pitched a complete game and picked up the win for the Eagles.

You know it might be your day when you are held without a hit and still win a game. That’s exactly what happened to ACA in a 5-4 victory over Brentwood. After the Bruins took the lead in the top of the second, ACA scored two in the bottom half for a 2-1 lead. After getting two runners on by a walk and a hit batter, both runners scored after a Brentwood error and a passed ball. Alabama Christian extended the lead to 5-1 as the Bruins walked an Eagle and committed two errors to start the inning. All three base runners came around to score. Brentwood scored three runs in the final inning to make it close, but Izzy Warrick shut the door for the victory.

Alabama Christian was held hitless for the second straight game as Austin blanked the Eagles, 7-0. Three ACA errors contributed to six of the seven runs scored by the Black Bears to be unearned. In the final game of the week, ACA was shut out by Hazel Green, 6-0. Annabelle Pugh finished 2 for 2 while Campbell Hammett picked up the team’s other hit in defeat.

ACA Splits Four Games in Gulf Shores

The ACA baseball team enjoyed a trip to the beach for spring break as they competed in a tournament in Gulf Shores. The Eagles finished 2-2 on the week with wins over McAlester (OK) and Madison County and losses to Gallatin (TN) and Summit (TN). 

Isaac Warrick opened the tournament with an impressive outing in a 5-1 defeat of McAlester (OK). The senior lefty limited the Buffalos to four hits over seven innings with a season high 13 strikeouts. The Eagles opened the scoring in the second frame as Warrick tripled after a Trey Schlemmer single and scored on an infield error for a 2-0 lead. Preston Hicks helped tack on a third run as he hit a 1-0 pitch to center field for a double that scored Thomas Stovall in the next inning. ACA scored its last two runs of the game in the fourth inning as Landon Nelson and JT Moorer hit back-to-back, one-out singles and were driven in as Hayes Hunt tripled to right for a 5-1 advantage. Warrick closed the door from there as only four McAlester batters reached safely over the last four innings of the contest. Thomas Stovall led the offense with two hits while Hayes Hunt led the team with two RBIs.

The Eagles dropped game two of the day as Gallatin (TN) scored two runs in the seventh for a 6-4 win over ACA. The contest was riddled with errors as both teams combined for 12 miscues and only three of the ten runs scored in the game against the pitchers were earned. Alabama Christian struck first with two runs in the first as Thomas Stovall led off the game with a single followed by Hayes Hunt reaching on an infield error. An errant throw from the pitcher trying to pick off Hunt at first scored Stovall and moved him to third where he scored on an RBI ground out from Preston Hicks. Gallatin scored in the second to cut the lead in half, 2-1. The Eagles got it back in the bottom half as JT Moorer singled with two outs and later scored as he moved to second on a passed ball, to third on a wild pitch and finally home on an infield error. Gallatin scored one in the third and two in the fifth to take a 4-3 lead, but ACA tied it on a Trey Schlemmer double that scored Preston Hicks. Hunter Barfoot relieved Hayes Hunt in the seventh as the starter had reached his pitch limit after six innings. The Green Wave scored two runs in the seventh without recording a hit to take a 6-4 lead and the Eagles could not respond in their last at-bat for the two-run loss. The middle of the lineup (Preston Hicks, Trey Schlemmer and Isaac Warrick) led the offense with a combined 6 for 9 effort with two RBIs. Hayes Hunt pitched six innings and allowed no earned runs with six strikeouts. Hunter Barfoot was charged with the loss in relief.

After being rained out on Tuesday, ACA played Wednesday evening against Madison County. The Eagles were victorious 12-0 in the five-inning run-rule contest. Senior JT Moorer looked sharp as he held the Tigers to three hits with nine strikeouts in a complete-game effort. Hayes Hunt and Preston Hicks led the offense with two hits apiece. Four Eagles (Hunt, Hicks, Trey Schlemmer and Carson Horn) drove in at least two runs as Alabama Christian reached double digits for the third time on the year. The Eagles loaded the bases on walks in the first inning, but consecutive strikeouts kept the good guys off the board. In the second, ACA loaded the bases via the base on balls again and took advantage as they scored four runs in the frame. Thomas Stovall drew the fourth walk to drive in the first run while Trey Schlemmer hit a sac fly for the fourth run. In between, Preston Hicks delivered a two-run double that scored Landon Nelson and Moorer. Run producing singles by Moorer and Hayes Hunt extended the lead to 6-0 in the third inning. The Eagles blew the game open in the fifth as they scored six times for a twelve-run cushion. After the first two batters were retired, eight straight batters reached safely with five hits, two walks and a hit batter.

The Eagles finished the week with a Thursday afternoon matchup against Summit (TN). The two teams played an exciting back and forth game with the Spartans coming out on top 5-4 as they scored two runs in the sixth. Landon Nelson got the start and pitched well as Summit scored an unearned run in the first and added two more in the second for an early 3-0 lead. The bats were silent for ACA as the team managed just one hit through the first three innings and scored a run in the fourth without the benefit of a hit. In the bottom of the fifth, Hayes Hunt started a rally with a single followed by a rare walk for Preston Hicks. Trey Schlemmer gave his team the lead with one swing of the bat as he sent a two-strike pitch over the left field wall for a 4-3 lead. Summit regained the lead in their next at-bat as the game-winning run scored on a balk for a 5-4 advantage. ACA went 1-2-3 in the bottom half and the victory belonged to the Spartans. Schlemmer led the offense with his three-run blast and Isaac Warrick reached base in all three plate appearances with a single and two walks. Landon Nelson pitched five innings with nine strikeouts in a nice effort for the team. 

ACA Spring Sports Week in Review - Finch Continues to Impress in Outdoor Season

3/12 - Track and Field

The track team started their spring break on a bitterly cold Saturday morning at the Wetumpka Invitational. The meet was the biggest, in terms of the number of participants, that ACA had competed in this spring. Kate Finch won events in the first two meets this season and continued to run well with second place finishes in the 800 and 1600 meter runs. The sophomore was one of two runners to break the three minute mark in the 800m run with a time of 2:53.75 and produced a time of 6:21.84 in the 1600m race.

3/10 - Golf

The golf team finished in third place at the Capital City Conference golf tournament at Wynlakes, finishing behind Trinity and MA while besting St James and Catholic. Andrew Whang (80) and Julie Waldo (81) were both named to the all-tournament team with Top 5 finishes.

3/10 - Soccer

Both the boys and girls teams had games rained out on Tuesday and suffered tough shutout losses to MA on Thursday. Both ACA goalies were under a constant barrage of shots and finished with season highs in saves. Emmett Sanford had 22 saves and Marcy Gregory saved 26 in the girls game. Gregory even drew the praise of the MA staff after the game with her effort.

ACA Baseball Week in Review - Warrick No-Hits Jeff Davis

Alabama Christian played two games this week heading into spring break. The Eagles defeated Jeff Davis 13-0, thanks to Isaac Warricks’s effort on the mound, and fell to Trinity 6-12 on Friday.

3-10 Jeff Davis

Isaac Warrick dominated Jeff Davis as he held the visitors without a hit and was one fourth-inning walk away from a perfect game. The senior lefty struck out twelve Volunteers over five innings as he overwhelmed his opponent. After scoring two runs in the first, ACA broke the game open with six runs in the second inning for a commanding 8-0 advantage. Trey Schlemmer delivered a two-run double for the big blow for the Eagles. Alabama Christian tacked on five more runs over the next three frames for the 13-0 win. Thomas Stovall tied a school record with four runs scored on the afternoon, a mark that has only been accomplished twice over the past twenty years.

Isaac Warrick enjoys a moment after his no-hitter on Thursday.

3-11 at Trinity

After playing the Wildcats to a 1-0 final two weeks ago, ACA looked to even the score at Trinity. The Wildcats struck first with three runs in the first to take an early lead. The Eagles tied the contest in the top of the fourth. The frame started with two singles and a hit batter to load the bases with no outs. Trinity gave away the three runs with two more hit batters and an error over the next four at-bats to allow ACA to tie the score 3-3. Trinity immediately took the lead back in the bottom half and broke the game open after a pitching change in the bottom of the fifth with five more runs. The Wildcats added three more insurance runs for a 12-3 lead after six innings. The Eagles scored three in the seventh as Landon Nelson drove in the last run of the game in the 6-12 loss. Preston Hicks and Isaac Warrick led the offense with two hits apiece while Hunter Barfoot drove in two runs.

Thomas Stovall gets hit in the first at bat of the game.

ACA Baseball Week in Review - Moorer Helps Eagles Win Two

JT Moorer started the week with a game-winning hit on Monday and finished it with a one-hit complete-game gem on Saturday in the Jason Armstrong FCA Tournament. 

The team celebrates the game-winning hit against Reeltown.

2/28 Reeltown

The Eagles looked to get back in the win column against Reeltown after a tough weekend. With the FCA Tournament looming, some other pitchers on the roster would get a chance to throw against the visiting Rebels. Reeltown struck in the first with two runs and again in the third with two more runs for a 4-0 lead headed to the bottom of the third. ACA took advantage of three walks and a passed ball to cut the lead to 4-1 after three. In the fifth, Isaac Warrick walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch then scored on an outfield error with two outs to cut the Reeltown lead to 4-2. The Rebels got the run back in the sixth to extend the lead back to three runs. As the bottom of the seventh approached, Alabama Christian still trailed 5-2. Landon Nelson led off with a double to left and later scored the first run of the inning on a Warrick sac fly. Hayes Hunt was hit by pitch and advanced to second on a groundout for the second out. Trey Schlemmer singled to center and moved to second on the throw to give the Eagles runners on second and third with two outs. Preston Hicks doubled to center, scoring both Hunt and Schlemmer to tie the game, 5-5. Senior JT Moorer did not let the opportunity pass as he singled an 0-1 pitch to center field for the game-winner in the 6-5 victory.

JT Moorer gets ready to hit in the bottom of the seventh.

Hunter Barfoot picked up the win with five solid innings of relief as he allowed just one run and scattered five hits. Preston Hicks finished 2 for 4 with a double and two RBIs to lead the offense. JT Moorer went 1 for 2 with two walks and the biggest RBI of the night. Isaac Warrick scored two runs out of the nine-spot to help the effort.

Hunter Barfoot pitches in relief on Monday.

3/3 Tallassee (FCA Tournament)

The offense could only muster a JT Moorer single to lead off the seventh inning in a 3-1 loss to Tallassee. The Eagles scored their only run in the first inning as Thomas Stovall walked and later scored on a Trey Schlemmer sac fly to right for a 1-0 lead. Tallassee tied it in the fourth as they strung together three singles and took the lead the next inning with two more runs. Hayes Hunt went the distance for ACA as he gave up two earned runs and struck out six over seven innings.

Thomas Stovall slides safely into third.

3-4 Chilton County (FCA Tournament)

Chilton County scored two runs late to beat ACA 4-2 in Friday night action in the FCA Tournament. The Eagles opened the scoring in the second frame as Isaac Warrick knocked in Trey Schlemmer with two outs. In the top of the third Chilton County scored twice to take a 2-1 lead. Alabama Christian tied it in the bottom half as Schlemmer singled in Preston Hicks. No batter reached base safely over the next two innings as the game remained tied heading to the sixth. The Tigers scored a run in the sixth without the benefit of a hit and scored on a wild pitch in the seventh for the final 4-2 margin. Isaac Warrick took the loss although he allowed only two earned runs and struck out eleven over six innings. Hunter Barfoot and Trey Schlemmer both had two hits to lead the offense.

Trey Schlemmer is fired up after knocking in two runs.

3/5 Wilson (FCA Tournament)

ACA opened the scoring in the third inning as six consecutive batters reached safely after one out to take a 4-0 lead. Hunter Barfoot and Kellen Kendrick both had run scoring hits in the inning. The offense tacked on five more runs in the fourth as Preston Hicks, Isaac Warrick and Barfoot all drove in runs for a commanding nine run lead. Both teams added a run late for the final margin of 10-1. JT Moorer pitched seven sparkling innings as he allowed just one hit with seven strikeouts to earn the win. Thomas Stovall, Preston Hicks and Hunter Barfoot all produced two hits to lead the team. Isaac Warrick drove in four runs as four different players scored two runs in the Saturday morning contest.

Kellen Kendrick makes an out in foul territory.

Week in Review - Spring Sports

Girls Soccer

The Lady Eagles had a great week as they outscored their opponents 20-0 over two games as twelve different players scored goals on the week.

2/28 Park Crossing

Alabama Christian got back in the win column with a 10-0 shutout of Park Crossing. Seven Eagles found the net as Chloe Jordan, Lynleigh Stephens and Marcy Gregory each had two goals. Wynter Prempramot, Olivia Justiss, Rachel Rine and Dannica Yates each had single goals in the victory. 

3/3 BTW-Magnet

The Lady Eagles repeated the performance earlier in the week with their second 10-0 victory as they beat BTW Magnet by ten goals. Katelyn Sutton made her return to the field after sustaining an injury during basketball season. Sutton scored two goals including a header on an assist from Anna Prempramot. Presley Lewis led the team with four goals while Anna Prempramot, Addison Elder, Chloe Jordan and Lynleigh Stpehens each added a goal.

Track and Field

2/28 Monday MAdness 1 at MA

Alabama Christian opened the outdoor track and field season at the Monday MAdness 1 held at MA. In the girl’s division, Kate Finch won the 800m run with a time of 2:51.21, beating her closest competitor by four seconds and Tabby Thompson finished second in the discus with a throw of 77’ 8”. For the boys, Garrett Weathers placed second in the 400m dash with a time of 52.34 seconds and Taylor Williams finished in fifth place in the shot put with a throw of 33’ 2”, missing out on third place by just two inches.

3-4 Charles Henderson Meet at Troy University

On Friday, the track team traveled to Troy for the Charles Henderson Meet. Kate Finch dominated the middle and long distance races with first place finishes in the 800 (2:46.54), 1600 (6:15.32) and 3200 (13:17.51) meter runs. Abby Zenor helped the Eagles finish 1-2 in the 1600m run with a second place performance. Rachel Rine placed fourth in the 400m dash with a time of 1:07.27 while Tabby Thompson finished fourth in the discus (70’ 2”) and Autumn Jackson finished fifth in the triple jump (25’ 8”). In the boys division, Garrett Weathers finished fourth in the 400m (55.6) and the 4x400 relay team finished fourth with a time of 3:52.33.

Boys Soccer

The boys split two this week falling to Trinity 0-5 before bouncing back with an 8-0 win over BTW Magnet.

2/28 Trinity

The Wildcat defense stifled Alabama Christian as both teams struggled to score in the first half. Trinity led 1-0 at the half and added four second half goals to pull away from the Eagles. Emmett Sanford had a season high 18 saves in the net.

3/3 BTW-Magnet

The Eagles hosted BTW Magnet on Thursday and shut the Jackets out, 8-0. ACA led 3-0 at the break and added to the lead in the second half for an 8-0 win. Tommy Sutterfield led the attack with five goals while Hayden Casto, Cole Henry and Marcus Kim each scored one. Phillip Whang and Baillie Johnson both had two assists while Marcus Kim and Sean Moffett both had one assist. Emmett Sanford had just one save on the night as the defense kept BTW away from the net. 

Tennis

3/1 at Charles Henderson

The tennis team lost to Charles Henderson 3-6 in a match on Tuesday. The top two seeded singles players Ava Rose Dean (6-2, 7-6) and Ann Welch Hilyer (6-1, 6-4) both won their match while the doubles team of Dean/Paige Henry (10-1) won their doubles match.

Golf

2/28 thru 3/1 – Wynlakes Invitational

Andrew Whang led the Eagles with a two-day total of 162 at the Wynlakes Invitational in Montgomery. Mitchell Hagan followed with a 198, Josh Kreitz shot 206, Hayes Finch 216 and Brady Smith 229.

3/3 Pike Road

Julie Waldo finished second against Pike Road with a 41 over nine holes at Arrowhead.

Week in Review - Veach Gets First Wins as Head Coach of Softball Program

The Lauren Veach era began this week as the ACA softball season kicked off with a home and home against Elmore County and a weekend tournament in Greenville. The Lady Eagles are very young and inexperienced as only two players, with significant playing time, from last year’s final four team return and nine of the twelve players are freshmen or younger. Despite a rough start the Eagles finished 4-3 for the week with a top four finish in tournament play.

2/22 Elmore County

The bats were held in check as Elmore County blanked the Eagles in the season opener, 11-0. ACA was held to one hit and had only one serious threat to score in the game. Panther pitchers recorded 13 strikeouts on the afternoon. Alabama Christian’s lone hit was by Annabelle Pugh in the fourth inning of the contest.

Annabelle Pugh bats against Elmore County in the season opener.

2/24 at Elmore County

For the second straight game the ACA bats were silenced by Elmore County’s pitching. The home standing Panthers scored in four of the five innings in a 10-0 victory over Alabama Christian. The Eagle attack again mustered just one hit as Maddie Traywick singled in the top of the fourth. ACA never had more than one base runner in any inning.

Izzy Warrick tries to tag the runner out at second.

2/25 Samson

Head Coach Lauren Veach won her first game as leader of the softball program as ACA defeated Samson 4-3 in the opening contest of the weekend tournament in Greenville. The Lady Eagles scored two runs in the top of the first as Izzy Warrick plated Campbell Hammett with an infield ground out and Annabelle Pugh scored on a passed ball. Samson tied it up in the bottom of the fifth and Alabama Christian regained the lead in the top of the sixth as Pugh led off with a double and scored on an Izzy Warrick single to left. The Tigers tied it again in the bottom half to send the game to extra innings. Lily Sconyers knocked in the game winner with a bunt single for the 4-3 triumph.

Annabelle Pugh legs out an infield hit.

Annabelle Pugh led the offense with a 3 for 3 performance with a double, two stolen bases and two runs scored. Lily Sconyers finished 2 for 3 with the key RBI in the game. Izzy Warrick starred in the circle with a complete game win with ten strikeouts and only one walk. The freshman also drove in two of the team’s four runs.

Izzy Warrick picks up the win against Samson.

The offense exploded in game two of the night with fifteen runs in a three-inning 15-1 blowout of Valley. ACA scored seven runs in the first frame as the offense recorded five hits and took advantage of four walks and a hit batter. The batters continued to apply pressure to the Rams as Alabama Christian scored four runs each in the second and third innings.

The Eagles celebrate a scoreless first inning against Valley.

Maddie Traywick pitched two innings to pick up the win while Anna Williams made her pitching debut for the Eagles in the third. Anna Gleason and Izzy Warrick both had two hits to lead the team while six different Lady Eagles scored two runs in the game. Gleason and Traywick both drove in two runs. Annabelle Pugh played in her 100th game for the Alabama Christian program.

Anna Gleason gets a first inning hit.

2/26 Pike County at Greenville Tournament

The Eagles’ momentum carried over from Friday night as they beat Pike County 8-3, aided by seven Bulldog errors. ACA scored in all five innings and applied consistent pressure on the Pike County defense. Anna Williams, who made her pitching debut in the previous game, got the start and her first win as an Eagle. Izzy Warick picked up the save as she dominated in her three innings of work with four strikeouts and retiring all nine batters she faced. Warrick also starred at the plate with two hits in three at bats with three runs scored. Annabelle Pugh scored two runs and Campbell Hammett stole three bases in the victory.

Anna Williams gets her first start in the circle.

2/26 Trinity

ACA finished 3-0 in pool play and gained the top seed as the teams prepared for single elimination bracket play. The Lady Eagles faced in-town rival Trinity in the quarterfinals. The Wildcats opened the game with a solo homer, but Alabama Christian responded with a two-run shot in the bottom half to take a 2-1 lead. Anna Williams continued her breakout weekend with the homer to left to give the Eagles the lead. Trinity tied the game in the third, but once again ACA answered as Williams drove in her third run of the game and Maddie Traywick added another RBI single for a 4-2 advantage. With two outs in the top of the fifth, Alabama Christian committed errors on three straight plays to allow Trinity to take a 5-4 lead. Just like the previous two times the Wildcats scored, ACA answered in the bottom half of the inning as Annabelle Pugh scored on a wild pitch to tie it and Lily Sconyers drove in two with a single to center for the 7-5 win.

Anna Williams enjoys a stroll around the bases after her first homer.

Izzy Warrick pitched a complete game and struck out nine Wildcats to earn the victory and scored three runs to help her cause. Anna Williams was 2 for 2 with a homer and three RBIs while Maddie Traywick finished 2 for 3 with a run driven in. ACA had five different players steal bases as they showed their speed on the bases.

Maddie Traywick waits at first base for the next pitch.

2/26 Red Level

The Eagles advanced to face Red Level in the semifinal round. ACA jumped out to a 1-0 lead after one as Anna Williams singled in Izzy Warrick. The Tigers took the lead in the third with a two-run homer for the one run lead. Annabelle Pugh scored the tying run in the bottom half as Alabama Christian continued to answer after an opponent scored. Red Level hit a solo shot in the fourth and scored two more runs in the fifth to take a 5-2 lead. The Lady Eagles responded with three runs to send the game to extra innings. Campbell Hammett, Pugh and Warrick scored on two infield ground outs and a steal of home to tie it up. Red Level scored on an error in the sixth inning and ACA was unable to answer as the Tigers advanced to the finals with the 6-5 victory.

Izzy Warrick led the team at the plate with a 2 for 2 day with a walk and three stolen bases. Annabelle Pugh scored two runs and stole two bases while Anna Williams drove in two runs. Maddie Traywick started and was relieved by Warrick midway through the contest. The duo combined for 12 strikeouts and only one walk.

Week in Review - Spring Sports

Boys Soccer

The boys team enjoyed their most successful week of the season as they tied Catholic and beat Brew Tech.

2/22 at Catholic

ACA fell behind 2-0 at the half and after another Catholic goal in the second half trailed by three goals before the Eagle offense came to life and scored three second half goals to salvage a 3-3 tie with the Knights. Tommy Sutterfield (2) and Sean Moffett (1) combined for the team’s three goals to even the score. Austin Cook and Emmett Sanford both spent a half in goal against the home team.

Austin Cook clears the ball against Catholic.

2/24 at Brew Tech

The Eagles jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first half and led 2-1 at intermission against Brew Tech. The offense tacked on two more goals in the second half for a 4-1 defeat of the Rams. The four goals scored was a season high for ACA. Tommy Sutterfield scored three goals for the Eagles while Sean Moffett scored the fourth. Tyson Summers had two assists and goalie Emmett Sanford picked up the win with 10 saves.

Girls Soccer

2/22 at Catholic

The Lady Eagles only game of the week was on Tuesday at Catholic. The Knights built a 3-0 first half lead and won the match by a score of 4-1. Presley Lewis scored the only goal for ACA, her fifth of the year. Marcy Gregory recorded 20 saves in goal against a steady barrage of shots from Catholic.

The Eagle defense tries to stop the Catholic attack.

Golf

2/25 LAMP and Pike Road at Arrowhead

The boys golf team beat Pike Road by five strokes and LAMP by thirty-eight strokes in a nine hole tri-match at Arrowhead on Friday. Andrew Whang shot 41 to lead ACA and finished second overall. Hayes Finch (45) and Mitchell Hagan (48) both shot under 50 on the day. Julie Waldo, Alabama Christian’s lone female golfer, tied for low medalist with a 39 in the girls competition. 

Andrew Whang lines up a putt.

ACA Beats Catholic in Season Opener

After having their home opener rained out last week, Alabama Christian defeated Catholic 5-3 in the first game of the season. Hayes Hunt looked strong on the mound with four solid innings and the offense scored in four of the first five innings to build a 5-0 lead. The visiting Knights had the tying runs in scoring position in the top of the seventh, but Isaac Warrick shut the door to pick up the save.

After Catholic went three up and three down in the first, ACA scored the first two runs of the game on consecutive fielder’s choices by Preston Hicks and JT Moorer that plated Isaac Warrick and Trey Schlemmer. The Eagles continued to manufacture runs in the second frame as Hayes Hunt delivered a sac fly that scored Carson Horn for a 3-0 advantage. in the fourth, Schlemmer was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score ACA’s fourth run. The team’s last run came as Landon Nelson doubled down the right field line that scored Moorer.

The Knights answered late in the contest with a two-run blast in the sixth off JT Moorer to cut the score to 5-2. Isaac Warrick came in to pitch the final inning, but Catholic continued to fight and cut the lead to 5-3 on a passed ball with the bases loaded. All runners advanced to give Catholic runners on second and third with two outs and a chance to tie the game with a base hit. Warrick struck out the final batter to preserve the two-run victory to open the season.

Hayes Hunt kept the Catholic hitters off balance as he earned the win, allowing two hits with eight strikeouts over four innings. The eight and nine hitters sparked the offense as both Landon Nelson and Thomas Stovall finished 2 for 3 on the night.

Alabama Christian will play another in-town rival as they host Trinity Friday night in their next contest.

ACA Falls at Bibb County in Sub-Regionals

The Lady Eagles reached the Sub-regionals in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2011 with the runner-up finish in the Class 4A Area 5 tournament. On Monday, ACA traveled to Centreville, AL to take on the Area 6 champs from Bibb County. A win would mean a spot in the Regionals, but a defeat would be the end of the season.

Bibb County overpowered the Eagles as the home standing Choctaws built a 40-6 halftime lead. In the second half, Bibb County subbed freely which allowed Alabama Christian to make the final tally closer. The Lady Choctaws won the game by a final score of 60-34 and were led by Chartavia Conwell who poured in 30 points, 22 in the first half. Junior Rachel Rine led the Eagles with 15 points, all in the second half while Jaide Newkirk finished with eight points.

Although it was a rough ending to the season, there is optimism in the girl's program as Augusta Guthrie heads into her second year at the helm. For much of the year the starting five had one junior (Rine) and three freshmen (Newkirk, Katelyn Sutton and Izzy Warrick) who will bring another year of experience with them next season. In addition, Annabelle Pugh (10th) and Campbell Hammett (8th) provided crucial minutes at the end of the season and gained valuable experience.

ACA Falls to LAMP in Area Finals at the Buzzer

A lot was on the line Thursday night as Alabama Christian and LAMP played for the 4A Area 5 championship. ACA was trying to win the title for the second year in a row, which hadn’t been done since 2010, and LAMP was shooting for its first Area championship in program history. Also, both teams were hoping to avoid the 90 minute road trip, if they lost, for the Sub-regional round.

Both teams were tight early and it took almost two minutes for either team to score a basket. Once the offense settled in, the Lady Eagles connected on four 3-pointers in the first period and took a 14-8 lead after one. Alabama Christian led by as many as thirteen points in the second quarter as Rachel Rine gave the Eagles a 30-17 lead late in the half. LAMP scored the last four points of the period and trailed 30-21 at the half.

ACA looked tired in the third quarter while LAMP had more energy coming out of the locker room. In one stretch, the Eagles did not score for over five minutes and LAMP built a 37-32 lead with 1:38 left in the quarter. The Golden Tigers took a 44-36 lead into the fourth as they outscored ACA 23-6 in the quarter. Alabama Christian’s starting five played the vast majority of the game and the fatigue showed in the second half.

The Lady Eagles still trailed by eight with 1:59 left in the game when they made a furious comeback fueled by determination and adrenaline. Rachel Rine hit one of three free throws to cut the lead to 45-52. After an Izzy Warrick steal, Annabelle Pugh was fouled with 1:38 on the clock as she tried to score after an offensive rebound. Pugh hit one of two free throws, but Jaide Newkirk rebounded the miss and scored to cut the lead to 48-52. LAMP missed the front end of a one and one with 1:13 left. Rine threw the ball the length of the court and found Warrick for a layup to make the score 50-52 with 1:05 left. The Golden Tigers missed another one and one opportunity and fouled Warrick with 38.1 seconds remaining. Warrick hit one of two and the lead was cut to one. After an Eagle foul, LAMP hit one free throw for a two point lead. Newkirk was fouled with 29.3 seconds left and hit both free throws to tie the game, 53-53. With 5.6 seconds left, ACA fouled LAMP, but the visitors missed both free throws, but the ball was knocked out of bounds with 2.2 seconds left. LAMP scored on the inbound play as the buzzer sounded and took home the title with a 55-53 win over the Eagles.

Rachel Rine scored a season high 26 points with 5 rebounds and four assists. Campbell Hammett scored 11 points with five boards while Izzy Warrick had eight points and seven rebounds and Jaide Newkirk had seven points and nine rebounds.

Alabama Christian will travel to Bibb County on Monday, February 14th, for the Sub-regional round of the playoffs.

Lady Eagles Open Season with Win Over Wetumpka

After being rained out last week, soccer season officially began Monday night as ACA visited Wetumpka. Both boys and girls squads looked to improve from last year's results as both teams replace their top offensive weapons from a year ago. Michaelyn Manning graduated as the girls all-time leading scorer and is currently playing for AUM while on the boy's side, Dalton Hutchinson signed to play at Faulkner.

The Lady Eagles celebrate after a goal.

The Lady Eagles fell behind 2-0 to the home standing Indians, but answered in the second half with three goals of their own for the 3-2 victory. Head Coach Kasey Ivey was proud of how hard her girls fought in a very well played game. It took just over ten minutes of the second half for ACA to tie the score at 2-2. Presley Lewis scored the game winner with fifteen minutes left in the game and the Eagle defense kept Wetumpka out of the net the rest of the way. Presley finished the night with two goals scored while senior Lynleigh Stephen scored the other goal for the visitors. Goalkeeper Marcy Gregory recorded 18 saves for the win.

Marcy Gregory stops a Wetumpka shot.

The boys team tried to duplicate the girls comeback as they trailed 3-0 at the half to Wetumpka. Despite a furious effort, ACA came up just short in a 4-3 loss to the Indians. Tommy Sutterfield led the offense with two goals with Tyson Summers adding a third goal on the night. Emmett Sanford had 16 saves in goal.

Tommy Sutterfield winds up for a shot.

ACA Ends Season with Opening Round Loss to LAMP

After winning their last two Area games to cause a three-way tie at the top, Alabama Christian fell to LAMP in the first round of the Area tournament. The Eagles ended up being the number three seed and should have played LAMP (the #2 seed) at the gym of the top seed, BTW-Magnet. Instead, LAMP caught a huge competitive advantage as they were allowed to host the game against ACA. Instead of playing on a neutral court, the game turned into a road contest for the Eagles.

The game was close after a quarter, but the Golden Tigers extended the lead in the second period and took a 22-17 lead into the locker room at the half. The third was the undoing of Alabama Christian as LAMP outscored the visitors 15-3 to take a 37-20 lead into the fourth. The game was played evenly in the final period, but the outcome was already sealed in the 49-30 LAMP triumph. D’Andre Sneed led the team in scoring in his final game with seven points while Devin Mosely finished with six points.

Eagles Win Two Over LAMP to Close Out Area Play

Alabama Christian hosted LAMP to end Area play in the regular season. With a victory, both teams would be tied for first place in the Area. The girls started the night with a 54-44 win over the Golden Tigers and the boys finished the evening with a 47-40 victory over the visitors.

The Lady Eagles gave up a three to start the contest, but ran off eleven straight points to take an 11-3 lead with 4:31 left in the opening period. Two Jaide Newkirk free throws extended the lead to 18-5, the biggest of the half, with 1:30 remaining in the quarter. LAMP clawed back into the game as they outscored ACA 15-7 over the last nine and a half minutes of the half to cut the lead to 25-22. Newkirk and Izzy Warrick led the Eagles with seven points apiece in the half.

LAMP tied the score 27-27 early in the third period, but were never able to take the lead. With the contest tied Rachel Rine, Jaide Newkirk and Izzy Warrick scored consecutive buckets to take the lead back to 33-27. Rine connected on a trey late in the quarter to extend the lead to 42-33 after three. The junior point guard scored the first bucket of the fourth and ACA kept a double digit lead the rest of the game. The Eagles effectively ran the pick and roll in the final period to give the offense a boost. Rachel Rine led the offense with 20 points, six rebounds and four assists. Jaide Newkirk finished with 19 points,13 boards and two blocks.

The boy’s game started the same way the girls game had. LAMP scored the first basket and then ACA ran off twelve consecutive points as they overwhelmed the visitors with full court pressure. The first period ended with the Eagles leading 14-5. Avery Stuart’s three pointer gave Alabama Christian a 23-9 lead midway through the second. The Tigers made a run to end the half as ACA turned the ball over seven times over the final four minutes to cut the lead to five points at intermission.

The visitors from LAMP played close to the Eagles in the third period and took the lead for the first time since 2-0 with 2:52 remaining in the third. LAMP led 36-33 to end the third period. LAMP led 40-36 with 4:40 left in the game, but were held scoreless the rest of the way. ACA finished the game on an 11-0 run for the 47-40 victory. Avery Stuart was one steal short of a triple-double and led the squad with 30 points, 11 rebounds, nine steals and four assists. D’Andre Sneed had six points, six rebounds and two blocks.

Both teams visit Trinity on Tuesday for the final away game of the regular season.

ACA Sweeps BTW in Area Play

Alabama Christian won two Area games Tuesday night as the both varsity teams posted victories over BTW-Magnet. The girls completed the season sweep with a 47-39 final over the Jackets while the boys avenged an earlier loss with a 55-48 triumph over the visitors from BTW.

Izzy Warrick drives to the basket against BTW.

In the girl’s contest, both teams hit a three on their opening possession and then hit a dry spell as neither team scored over the next two minutes of game time. BTW led 9-8 after the opening period. Rachel Rine began the scoring for the Eagles in the second period with a three-point play for an 11-10 lead with 6:03 left in the half. However, the Lady Jackets outscored ACA 11-1 over the next three minutes to take their biggest lead of the game, at 20-12, with 2:46 remaining in the quarter. The Lady Eagles erased the lead in just fifty-nine seconds as Rine’s three gave the home team the lead for good, 21-20. ACA finished the half with an 11-0 run to take a 24-20 lead into the locker room. Alabama Christian extended its lead to double digits in the third period and led 38-29 after three. The lead ballooned to fifteen points with an Izzy Warrick layup with 4:46 remaining for a 47-32 lead. BTW scored the last six points of the game for the final margin of 47-38. Rachel Rine paced the offense with 17 points and four rebounds. Izzy Warrick finished with 14 points, five rebounds and four steals while Jaide Newkirk had 12 points and 14 rebounds. Katelyn Sutton led the squad with seven steals and four assists on the night.

Gerrod Green works down low against the Jackets.

In the nightcap, Avery Stuart and Gerrod Green came off the bench to spark the offense in a much needed Area win. The teams played a close first half until BTW hit threes on back to back possessions before intermission to take a 30-21 lead. The Jackets scored the first basket of the second half to open up an eleven point lead over ACA. The Eagles responded by scoring the game’s next nine points to cut the lead to two midway through the third. BTW again closed the quarter with a three pointer to tie the game 40-40 heading into the fourth period. Stuart scored the first nine points in the quarter for the Eagles as he turned up his game. The junior scored twice on put backs on the offensive glass and once on a steal and score to put his team up 49-42. The contest was played evenly the rest of the way with ACA prevailing 55-48. Avery Stuart led all scorers with 25 points and added nine rebounds and three steals. Gerrod Green scored ten points while D’Andre Sneed finished with eight points, four rebounds and two blocks.

The boys team will host PCA Thursday night while both teams will visit Wetumpka to end the week.

Both Varsity Teams Split Games to End the Week

The ACA varsity teams both split their last two games of the week. The Eagles defeated Thorsby at home on Thursday night, but dropped Area games at LAMP on Friday.

On Thursday, the boys team played its second straight game without second leading scorer, Gerrod Green and, leading scorer, Avery Stuart was out as well. The Eagles were beaten by Thorsby earlier in the season, but the squad played with a fight and determination not seen often enough this season. Alabama Christian outscored the Rebels 39-28 in the second and third periods in the 63-58 triumph. Mason Kimbro led the team with 17 points along with six rebounds and three assists while Isaac Warrick produced a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Four other Eagles scored at least seven points as the offense was evenly distributed.

D’Andre Sneed drives to the hole against the Rebels.

Friday night ACA played its second Area game of the year as they visited LAMP. The team jumped out to a 7-1 lead as Devin Mosely hits two baskets and Mac Moorer nailed a three for the early momentum. LAMP closed the gap and Alabama Christian led 11-9 at the end of one. in the second period, ACA started fast again and built a 17-10 lead with 6:18 left in the half. Both teams went cold and neither team scored for three minutes until Clay Williams hit two free throws to build a 19-10 lead. ACA took a 25-17 lead into the locker room. The game stayed tight through the third quarter and the Eagles took a 36-30 lead into the final quarter. The lead disappeared as LAMP took the lead just 90 seconds into the period. The home team stretched the lead to 46-39 with just over two minutes left in the contest. The Eagles tied the game in a minute and four seconds as D’Andre Sneed scored a bucket, Mac Moorer drained a three and after a steal and foul Sneed hit two freebies to tie the game with 1:02 left. LAMP held the ball and was either going to win it or force overtime. Unfortunately, LAMP hit a shot with 1.5 seconds left in the game to come away with a 48-46 win over ACA. D’Andre Sneed led the team with 17 points, four rebounds and four steals while Mac Moorer added eight points with three rebounds.

Isaac Warrick plays tough defense against LAMP.

The Lady Eagles jumped on Thorsby early and led 18-7 after a quarter. The Lady Rebels closed the gap in the second quarter, but ACA outscored its opponent 32-14 in the second half to blow the game open in the 53-32 victory. ACA forced 27 Thorsby turnovers which led to 16 fast break points. Junior Rachel Rine led the team with an all-around performance of 14 points with eight rebounds, four steals and four assists. Jaide Newkirk added 11 points with nine boards with Katelyn Sutton scoring nine points with five steals.

Katelyn Sutton brings the ball up against Thorsby.

ACA started slowly Friday night and trailed 16-6 after the first quarter. The Eagles settled down in the second and cut the lead to 24-20 led by Izzy Warrick who had six points in the period. Rachel Rine was hot in the third quarter with eleven points, but was the only Eagle to score in the period. LAMP took advantage and stretched the lead to fourteen points with a 45-31 lead after three quarters. The teams played evenly in the fourth, but ACA could not overcome the third quarter deficit as LAMP won 65-52. Rachel Rine led all scorers with 24 points as she connected on 13 of 16 free throws. Rine matched Carlie Ainsworth’s school record, set in 2005, for most made free throws in a game. Izzy Warrick scored 14 points with four rebounds while Jaide Newkirk added six points with seven rebounds.

Rachel Rine hits one of her record setting free throws against LAMP.

Lady Eagles Open Area Play with Win Over BTW-Magnet

Wins have been hard to find this season for the varsity basketball teams, but the good news is only four games really count towards the postseason. Area play started Tuesday night as ACA traveled to Lanier High School to play BTW-Magnet. Both varsity teams have defeated the Yellow Jackets in earlier tournaments this year which hopefully would translate into confidence for both teams.

The girls team took advantage of their opportunity and defeated the Yellow Jackets 62-43 to move to 1-0 in Area play. The Eagles started slowly and led by two points after the first and second quarters. BTW’s leading scorer had 17 of the Jackets 24 points in the half. Alabama Christian turned the pressure up with full court defense and pulled away from the home team, outscoring BTW 36-19 in the second half. ACA had four players in double figures in an even scoring offensive effort. Izzy Warrick led the squad with 21 points while Rachel Rine (12), Katelyn Sutton (12) and Jaide Newkirk (11) each hit double digits.

Unfortunately, the boys team did not take advantage of their opportunity as they wilted under the BTW pressure in 58-36 loss. After a close first period, the Yellow Jackets outplayed, out hustled and plainly wanted the game more that the Eagles. Alabama Christian turned the ball over thirty times and gave up fifteen offensive boards. Avery Stuart led the team with 12 points and seven rebounds. Isaac Warrick finished with eight points and four rebounds while Mac Moorer had five points off the bench.

Both teams host Thorsby Thursday night in their next contest.

Week In Review - Eagles Host Local Rivals During the Week

ACA played two of its oldest rivals this week as St James and Trinity visited the Eagle gymnasium. Alabama Christian has played St James and Trinity 199 times each in varsity basketball over the years. The Eagles have only played Catholic and MA more often in their history.

The week started with St James and the Trojans dominated both games for easy victories. In the boy’s game, St James pounded the post and ACA had no answer underneath. The Trojans dominated the inside game as they outscored the Eagles by twenty-six points in the paint in the 55-25 victory. The twenty-five points scored by Alabama Christian was the lowest total since 2012. ACA trailed (score) at the end of the first period, but were outscored (16-1?) in the second and let the game slip away from them. The lone point of the quarter was scored just twenty seconds before halftime. The Trojans widened the gap in the second half for the easy thirty-point win. Avery Stuart led the team with seven points and four rebounds while Gerrod Green added five points. Isaac Warrick had a team-high six rebounds.

In the girl’s game, St James only had two offensive options, but both players scored at will to help the Lady Trojans to the 62-37 victory. As in past seasons, the Eagles had trouble with the half court pressure used by St James and never got into a rhythm offensively. St James led by ten at the end of the first and stretched the lead as they outscored the Eagles in each quarter. Jaide Newkirk led the team, as she recorded a double-double, with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Katie Chappell had seven points with four rebounds and four steals. Katelyn Sutton and Izzy Warrick each scored five points. 

Friday night, the Eagles hosted Trinity and the girls had trouble handling pressure against the Wildcats. Trinity forced 19 first half turnovers in a game that was never competitive as they built a 39-6 halftime lead. Alabama Christian’s offense was a little better in the second half, but the Wildcats held a comfortable lead throughout. The final score was 64-20 in favor of Trinity. Rachel Rine was the team’s leading scorer netting eight points with three rebounds followed by Izzy Warrick with four points.

Although the boys came up short against Trinity, the team showed fight that had not been seen previously this season. The Wildcats led 17-7 after a quarter and 35-21 at the break and it felt like another game of going through the motions for the Eagles. However, the second half was a different story. Isaac Warrick, Avery Stuart and Gerrod Green combined to score the first ten points of the second half to cut the lead to four points. The Eagles held Trinity to just seven points in the period and trailed 41-42 headed to the final quarter. Clay Williams gave ACA the lead, 44-42, as he completed a three point play to open the fourth. The game was tied 53-53 as Stuart hit two free throws with 1:35 left in the game. Trinity closed the game by scoring the last six points and coming away with a 59-53 road win. Avery Stuart had 25 points with five rebounds, three steals and three blocks. Gerrod Green and Isaac Warrick each finished with nine points.

Next week, both squads will participate in the CCC Christmas Tournament.

Week in Review - Guthrie Notches First Win as ACA Coach

Augusta Guthrie picked up her first win of the season as the leader of the Lady Eagle program in a 41-23 victory at Thorsby on Thursday night. Alabama Christian faithful hope this is the first of many wins in the long tenure of Coach Guthrie as she leads the girl’s basketball program. The girls lost two out of three as they had a busy week coming off Thanksgiving break. The boys lost both games they played this week.

Coach Guthrie talks to her team during a timeout.

The week began with a Tuesday matchup against MA. Only the girls played on Tuesday due to MA still being in the football playoffs, although they managed to field a team for their own Thanksgiving tournament the previous week. MA is a perennial power in girls basketball and they dominated the game from the opening tip. The visiting Eagles scored the first eleven points of the game and led 17-1 after a quarter. Katie Chappell closed the first half with back-to-back buckets but ACA still trailed 27-8 at the break. The deficit grew in the second half and the Lady Eagles were beaten 52-17. Izzy Warrick led the Eagles with seven points, four rebounds and four steals. Katie Chappell and Rachel Rine each scored four points while Chappell pulled down a team high eight rebounds.

Izzy Warrick drives for two.

The Lady Eagles hit the road for the first time this season on Thursday night with a visit to Thorsby. The Rebel’s gym was barely bigger than the court as about twelve inches separated the baseline and the wall. The Rebel offense was Arctic Circle cold in the first half as they scored just one bucket from the field. ACA did not take advantage of the anemic offense and led just 14-4 at the break. Rachel Rine came off the bench to spark the squad and scored eight of the team’s fourteen first half points, including a four-point play on her very first shot. The Eagles led 12-1 after one period, but managed only two points in the second quarter for the ten-point halftime lead. The two teams played evenly in the third period as ACA increased its lead by just one point, to 22-11, headed into the final quarter. Katie Chappell scored four of the team’s eight points in the quarter to help keep the lead in double digits. The two teams combined to score just 33 points over the first three quarters, but exploded in the fourth period to combine for 31 points. The Rebels cut the lead to 27-22 halfway through the period, but ACA responded with a 14-1 run to finish the game for the 41-23 triumph. The Lady Eagles moved the ball and found the post to pull away late as four of the last six baskets were assisted. Rachel Rine led the team with 14 points followed by Izzy Warrick with 11 points, four rebounds and four steals. Katie Chappell finished with six points and a team high eleven rebounds while Katelyn Sutton led the squad with six assists.

Rachel Rine takes a shot against Thorsby.

After nine days off, the boys team played Thorsby on Thursday night and the rust showed. The team could not put together an extended stretch of winning basketball and it cost them in the 66-48 loss to the Rebels. The game was close through the first two quarters as the 28-21 advantage Thorsby had at the half was the biggest lead for either team. Avery Stuart put the team ahead, 10-9, for the last time with a little more than two minutes left in the first period. With the game tied 14-14, Thorsby closed the first half on a 14-7 run to take the lead into the locker room. The Eagles showed a spark of life to start the second half as Devin Mosely scored and Gerrod Green added a free throw after a steal in the first forty seconds of the period to cut the lead to four points. The home team scored the next nine points over the next two minutes as ACA committed two turnovers and gave up three offensive rebounds during the stretch. Isaac Warrick and Stuart combined for six consecutive points to cut the score to 30-37 for the last serious run the Eagles had on the night. Thorsby led 47-34 after three quarters and led by double figures throughout the final period. Avery Stuart finished with 28 points and three rebounds. Isaac Warrick had eight points, eight rebounds and three steals while Gerrod Green had eight points, seven rebounds and five steals.  

Avery Stuart hammers one at Thorsby.

The week ended with both varsity teams hosting Highland Home. In the girls game, points were hard to come by as the teams combined to miss 35 free throws on the night. Jaide Newkirk carried the offensive load as she scored eight of the team’s eleven first half points. Highland Home outscored the Eagles 11-2 to start the second half to build a 26-13 lead with three minutes left in the third period. ACA cut the lead to five late in the game, but missed several key free throws to prevent them from getting any closer. The Squadron did just enough to record the 37-30 road win. Jaide Newkirk led all scorers with 19 points with eight rebounds. Rachel Rine finished with five points, four rebounds and three steals while Katie Chappell had four points, thirteen rebounds and three assists.

Jaide Newkirk lays in two of her team high nineteen points.

The boys game pitted a very big, confident team in Highland Home against the Eagles who are still trying to find an identity this season. ACA kept it close in the first quarter as Avery Stuart hit two threes early to keep it tight. The Squadron led 20-15 at the end of the quarter. The game got away from Alabama Christian in the second quarter as Highland Home blanked the home team 18-0 over the first six minutes of the period. The lead had ballooned to 42-19 by halftime in favor of the visitors. The second half was much of the same and Highland Home cruised to a 73-43 win over Alabama Christian. Avery Stuart was the top scorer with 15 points while Gerrod Green had eleven and D’andre Sneed had eight points.

D’andre Sneed goes coast to coast for two against Highland Home.

Both squads will host St James and Trinity next week.

ACA Opens Varsity Basketball Schedule

Alabama Christian opened the Varsity basketball season Friday night as the boys and girls hosted Marbury. The Bulldogs were a late replacement on the schedule due to Highland Home still being in the football playoffs. Both Eagle teams will look much different in 2021/2022. Second year coach Steven Thomas has only two players returning from last year's squad on the boys team as six players graduated and three decided not to participate this season. The girls have a new coaching staff as Augusta Guthrie takes the reins, assisted by Spenser Cantrell. Both coaches played college ball at Faulkner. The Lady Eagles will be very young this season as seven of the eleven players are freshmen.

Jaide Newkirk brings in a rebound in the middle of the Marbury team.

The Lady Bulldogs reached the 5A Final Four last year and ACA would have their hands full against a quality opponent. The game was close in the opening quarter as Katie Chappell put the Eagles up 9-8 on a feed from Rachel Rine with just over two minutes left in the period. Chappell scored seven of the nine points in the first as Marbury led 13-9 headed to the second quarter. Marbury subbed a new five in the second period, which might have been their starters, and they cruised to a 40-15 lead at the half as they outscored the Eagles 27-6 in the quarter. Alabama Christian continued to fight in the second half and outscored the Lady Dawgs 17-11 in the third period. The Eagles got as close as sixteen down at 45-29 after Katelyn Sutton, Izzy Warrick and Jaide Newkirk scored on three consecutive possessions. Marbury led by nineteen at the end of the third and went on to beat ACA 67-40.

Izzy Warrick gets ready on defense.

Katie Chappell opened her senior season with a double-double as she led the squad with 19 points and 16 rebounds with four steals. Newcomer Rachel Rine scored seven points with a team high four assists while Jaide Newkirk and Izzy Warrick each scored five points.

The boys game was tight throughout as neither team led by more than seven points. After allowing Marbury to score the first five points of the game, ACA chipped away at the lead and tied the game 9-9 after Gerrod Green had a steal and a bucket. Mason Kimbro hit a basket at the end of the quarter to give Alabama Christian a 14-13 advantage after a quarter. The Bulldogs outscored ACA 9-1 to start the second period, but the Eagles quickly tied it after back-to-back threes by Avery Stuart. Three more buckets gave ACA its biggest lead at 30-23 late in the half. Marbury hit three free throws in the final ninety seconds to close the gap to 30-26 at the half.

Avery Stuart tips off the season against Marbury.

Marbury retook the lead midway through the third period and the lead changed hands four times over the final four minutes of the quarter as Marbury led 43-38 after three. The Eagles had to fight the whole fourth quarter to climb their way back in it after falling behind 47-40 with 6:33 left in the game. The home team got as close as one point down, but could never take the lead back. Twice, the Eagles had chances to take the lead with the ball, but failed to score both times. Marbury outscored Alabama Christian 5-0 over the final 26 seconds to pull out the 62-55 victory.

Gerrod Green scores two from close range.

Avery Stuart led the team with 18 points with seven rebounds and three steals. Gerrod Green scored 14 points with seven steals and five boards. Mason Kimbro and Clay Williams both scored eight on the night as Williams also collected five rebounds.

Both teams will play in a Thanksgiving tournament hosted by Alabama Christian next week.