ACA Boys Week in Review - Eagles Win Two of Three

ACA took two of three on the week to win their first games of the year. Veteran coach Jim Sanderson led the squad to its first triumphs of the year. After losing to Notasulga the Eagles rebounded with wins over Thorsby and Thomasville.

11-29-22 Notasulga

Alabama Christian began the week on Tuesday and fell to Notasulga in a hotly contested affair, 47-48. Neither team led by more than seven points on the night. Darius Gardner and AC Walters were both available to play and added depth to the ACA rotation. Tyree Saadiq scored the games first points two minutes into the first period. The Blue Devils scored at the buzzer on a reverse layup to lead 12-9 after one. Notasulga outscored ACA 8-4 over the first four minutes of the second quarter to gain their biggest lead of the night, 20-13. The Eagles closed the half on a 10-3 run to tie the game at intermission, 23-23. Four different players scored the last ten points as Christian Snipes and Devin Mosely both had buckets and Darius Gardner and Mac Moorer both hit triples, the last of which tied the game with 36.3 seconds remaining.

Mac Moorer fires from deep.

Gardner scored the first four points of the second half for Alabama Christian. Devin Moseley closed the quarter with two free throws for a 33-32 lead with 1:38 left. The score remained the same for the rest of the period. The offense featured Christian Snipes in the final quarter as he scored ten of the team’s fourteen points. Trailing by two points, Snipes was fouled with 32.8 seconds left in the game. The freshman made the first but missed the second attempt. AC Walters grabbed the rebound and scored his only two points of the game to give the Eagles a 47-46 lead. The defense held and retained possession with 14.9 seconds left in the game. However, the inbound man did not hold his spot as he attempted to pass the ball in and was called for traveling and a crucial turnover. Notasulga scored quickly on the inbounds play and regained the lead, 48-47. After an Eagle timeout and two delays trying to figure out how much time should be on the clock, the home team inbounded with nine seconds remaining. Alabama Christian drew a foul and had a chance for the win with 1.7 seconds left, but missed both free throws. The Blue Devils collected the rebound and the game was over. Free throws were the key to the outcome as Notasulga hit all five of theirs in the fourth and ACA connected on just two of eight attempts.

Tyree Saadiq drives to the basket.

Christian Snipes led the team with 18 points and added eight rebounds and two blocks. Mac Moorer finished with eight points and two assists while Darius Gardner had seven points and three rebounds. Tyree Saadiq led the team with eleven rebounds and five assists.

12-1-22 Thorsby

ACA secured their first win of the season and gave Jim Sanderson his first as coach of the Eagles. Alabama Christian defeated Thorsby 61-52 in a contest filled with strange goings on. The Rebels raced to a 7-2 lead, but ACA answered and never trailed again as Darius Gardner hit two freebies for a 9-7 lead with 2:29 left in the first. The margin stretched to seven points by the end of the quarter as Mac Moorer and Sam Davidson hit treys on consecutive possessions for a 16-9 advantage. Thorsby scored the first five points of the second and the score stayed close through the rest of the half. Christian Snipes closed the half with a putback bucket to give the Eagles a 26-21 lead the break.

Coach Jim Sanderson gives instructions to his team.

Darius Gardner scored nine of the team’s first eleven points in the second half to give Alabama Christian their biggest lead of the night at 37-27. At this point in the period, the strange happenings began. As Thorsby hit three 3-pointers and ACA scored one bucket, the score should have been 39-38 in favor of the home team, but the scoreboard read 39-39. As the scorer’s table was trying to figure that out, the Eagles went to the foul line and made the first of two free throws. The only problem was the refs didn’t see it because of the discussion about the score and the made shot was disallowed. The referee running the clock struggled all night as he seemed to be confused by the technological wizardry of the scoreboard control. The period ended with ACA holding a slim one-point lead, 40-39. The Rebels tied the score one last time at 43-43 before the Eagles ran off nine straight points and forced a timeout from the visitors with 3:20 left. Four different players scored in the run, highlighted by a Cole Barsukoff three. Unlike the game against Notasulga, the Eagles hit their free throws down the stretch, connecting on seven of ten over the final seventy-two seconds. The second unusual item was the ejection of a Thorsby player with just 16.5 seconds left as he said something the lead official didn’t like. No technicals or free throws were assessed, just sent the player off the floor. When the final horn sounded, the home team enjoyed its first victory of the year.

Darius Gardner scores two of his team-high 25 points.

Darius Gardner led the offense with 25 points, scoring 21 in the second half and adding eight rebounds. Christian Snipes had 18 points and seven boards while Mac Moorer finished with 10 points and two assists. Tyree Saadiq led the team with four assists.  

12-3-22 at Thomasville

Like the Lady Eagles, the boy’s team handled the opening quarter on the road very well as they led 14-4 after eight minutes. Conner Mark and Darius Gardner both connected twice from long distance to spark the offense. Christian Snipes picked up his third foul with 3:28 left in the half with a 20-11 lead. The rest of the team held their own to close the period as Sam Davidson and Gardner both scored in the final minute for a 24-16 cushion at the break. 

Sam Davidson handles the defensive pressure.

Alabama Christian had a strong third quarter as they outscored the Tigers 13-8. Christian Snipes scored seven in the period to lead the team as Darius Gardner, Mac Moorer and Conner Mark each scored for the Eagles. Snipes scored the first points of the final quarter for a 39-24 lead, the biggest of the night. With 6:58 left in the game, Snipes fouled out with the lead still at fifteen points. Without the freshman center on the floor, the Thomasville offense caught fire. The Tigers outscored ACA 23-5 over the next five minutes to take a 47-44 lead. At one stretch, the opponent connected on 3-pointers on four consecutive possessions. Down three, AC Walters hit one of two freebies to cut the lead to 45-47. After a defensive stop, Tyree Saadiq found Conner Mark behind the arc and the sophomore drained it for a 48-47 lead with 48 seconds left. The defense allowed only one shot and stole the ball twice from the home team to hold on for a dramatic one-point victory.

Conner Mark eyes his man on defense.

Christian Snipes led the way with 15 points and nine rebounds. Darius Gardner had 14 and eight boards while Conner Mark finished with 11 points and three rebounds. Although Tyree Saadiq did not score he contributed mightily with eight assists and six rebounds.

ACA will visit Tallassee and LAMP next week and look to continue their win streak.

ACA Girls Week in Review - Two Milestone Victories for Eagles

The Lady Eagles experienced two milestone victories during the week as Spenser Cantrell coached her first win on Tuesday against Notasulga and the girl’s program notched its 500th win with a convincing performance over Thorsby. ACA won two of three during the week as they dropped a game at Thomasville on Saturday.

11-29-22 Notasulga

To see the final score of the contest against Notasulga, one would never guess ACA got off to a slow start. However, with 4:42 left in the first, the teams were tied, 4-4. Coach Cantrell called a timeout and whatever she said worked. The Eagles finished the quarter on a 15-0 run to stretch the lead to 19-4. The defense forced nine turnovers and allowed only four shots for the Lady Devils over the second half of the period. Izzy Warrick scored seven points followed by Rachel Rine and Jaide Newkirk with four points apiece as they pulled away from the visitors. Alabama Christian hit their first five free throws in the second period to help extend the lead. Warrick and Campbell Hammett each scored four points in the quarter to lead the team. ACA had a 30-7 cushion heading into the locker room.

Jaide Newkirk goes up for a rebound.

In the third quarter, the defensive pressure continued and the offense caught fire as they scored the first fifteen points of the period and outscored Notasulga 25-2 overall. Katelyn Sutton terrorized the Blue Devil offense with five of her team-high nine steals in the third. Notasulga managed just two made free throws for their only points in the period. Even in the half court, the Devils’ offense had trouble functioning as the Eagles called off any kind of pressure. ACA outscored the visitors 13-2 in the quarter for a final tally of 68-11.

Izzy Warrick heads up the floor.

Jaide Newkirk’s 20 points led the offense with nine rebounds followed by Rachel Rine with 18 points, five rebounds and three steals. Izzy Warrick produced a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds with five steals. Campbell Hammett tallied ten points, four assists, four steals and three rebounds. Katelyn Sutton tied Hammett with a team-high four assists and had nine steals.

12-1-22 Thorsby

A slow start was not a problem Thursday against Thorsby. The Lady Eagles scored the first nine points of the game as four different players made baskets. The Rebels’ only points came after two Eagle defenders collided with each other, trying for a steal. The mishap led to an easy layup for the visitors. Alabama Christian scored the last fifteen points of the period for a 24-2 cushion after the opening quarter. The stifling Eagle defense forced ten turnovers and allowed only eight shots for Thorsby. ACA scored three quick buckets to open the second for a 30-2 advantage and led 34-7 at the break.

Coach Cantrell gives directions to her players.

The defense did not allow a field goal in the third quarter as ACA outscored Thorsby 14-1 in the period for a 48-8 margin after three. Due to the thirty-plus point lead, the clock ran continuously in the final period. At one point, the ACA defense deflected four inbounds passes in a row that took more than a minute off the clock. The Rebels were finally able to score from the floor with less than five minutes left in the game, but the outcome had long been decided. Alabama Christian overpowered the visitors, 50-17.

Katelyn Sutton passes to an open teammate.

Jaide Newkirk scored 15 points to lead all scorers with eight rebounds and three blocks. Rachel Rine had 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals while Katelyn Sutton finished with 12 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals.

12-3-22 at Thomasville

ACA did not let their first road game rattle their nerves as they visited Thomasville. After giving up the game’s first points, the Eagles controlled the remainder of the quarter. Jaide Newkirk and Katelyn Sutton combined to score nine points for a 9-3 lead midway through the first. Campbell Hammett stretched the advantage to 15-5 as she scored after an offensive rebound with 1:50 left. Neither team scored the rest of the way as the lead stayed at ten points headed to the second. Alabama Christian was whistled for six fouls in the quarter and would continue to be plagued by eager stripes the rest of the half. The saying “There is a foul on every play if you’re looking for it” was brought to life by the officials as they called ten fouls in a three-minute span on both teams which brought any flow to the game to a halt. Jaide Newkirk picked up her third with 6:20 left in the half with the team leading 16-9. With Newkirk on the bench, the lead disappeared and the Lady Eagles trailed by two, 21-23 at the half.

The game remained close in the third and ACA took the lead on a Katelyn Sutton three. After the score, Thomasville ended the quarter on a 10-1 lead for their biggest lead of the game, 37-29. The Eagles were still down by eight with six minutes left when they started to chip away at the deficit. Izzy Warrick nailed a three followed by a Rachel Rine bucket to cut the lead to three points. Sutton sank two free throws with 4:17 remaining to make the score 39-40. Warrick gave Alabama Christian the lead with an and-one opportunity at 3:36 in the fourth. Jaide Newkirk rebounded the missed free throw and drew a foul herself to extend the lead to three points, 45-42. The Tigers turned up the pressure as the contest neared its conclusion. With less than a minute left, Thomasville scored on an offensive rebound to cut the lead to two. After an ill-advised shot by ACA, the Tigers were fouled and tied the score. The Eagles turned the ball over and the home team took the lead with seven seconds left. After another turnover, ACA got the ball back one last time with 0.3 seconds left but was unable to score in the 49-51 defeat.

Jaide Newkirk led the team with 15 points and six rebounds. Katelyn Sutton had 10 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals while Rachel Rine scored ten with six assists and three boards.  

Eagles Lose Both Games in Thanksgiving Tournament

The Eagles opened the season Monday night as they hosted Abbeville in the ACA Thanksgiving Tournament. The year’s first game was the latest start of a season since 2005. Coach Jim Sanderson coached his first game as the head man at Alabama Christian.

Mac Moorer gave ACA its only lead of the game with a first-quarter trey, but Abbeville responded quickly. Although the game was close most of the night, the visiting Panthers never trailed after they regained the lead midway through the opening period. The Eagles trailed 7-14 after one quarter. Devin Moseley sparked the offense with back-to-back threes to cut the lead to 17-22 in the second, but Abbeville scored the last two buckets of the quarter to take a 26-17 lead into the locker room. 

Christian Snipes tips the season off against Abbeville.

ACA leaned heavily on Christian Snipes in the second half as he scored 14 of the team’s 28 points over the final two quarters. Abbeville had an answer for everything ACA threw at them and extended the lead to thirteen points at the end of the third. The Panthers scored six points in the final 30 seconds to make the score look worse than it really was. Abbeville defeated the Eagles 62-45.

Tyree Saadiq drives to the bucket for two.

Christian Snipes led the team with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Mac Moorer had 11 points and two steals while Devin Moseley had 10 points, three rebounds and two steals. Tyree Saadiq had a team-high six assists and he and Sam Davidson both had three steals.

Tuesday, ACA faced Sipsey Valley in the second game of the tournament. Both teams struggled offensively throughout the contest. The Eagles scored the first five points of the game as Devin Moseley and Conner Mark both connected from the field. Neither team scored over the next two and a half minutes, but Sipsey Valley scored nine points over the final 3:45 of the period to take a 9-5 lead into the second quarter. The Bears held a 17-9 lead late in the half, but Moseley and Christian Snipes both scored to cut the lead to four at intermission.

Devin Moseley battles for the ball with a Sipsey Valley player.

The second half began with another two-and-a-half-minute scoring drought for both teams before Tyree Saadiq scored to cut the Bear’s lead to two points. Christian Snipes gave the lead back to ACA late in the third with an offensive rebound and a free throw after the bucket for a 23-21 lead. Both teams traded scores to finish the period as Alabama Christian led by two after three. In the fourth, the offense went cold and Sipsey Valley took advantage with a 15-2 run for their biggest lead of the night with 1:19 left. Sam Davidson and Snipes added late scores, but the visiting Bears won the game 40-31.

Sam Davidson watches the Sipsey Valley ball handler.

Christian Snipes led the team with 13 points and added six rebounds followed by Devin Moseley with eight points and a team-high ten boards. Conner Mark and Mac Moorer both scored three while Tyree Saadiq and Sam Davidson both scored two points. Saadiq led the squad with five assists and two steals.

ACA Drops Two in Thanksgiving Tournament

Alabama Christian began their season as tournament host over the Thanksgiving break for the second year in a row. Spenser Cantrell, who was an assistant last year, coached her first games as the leader of the girl’s program. The Lady Eagles dropped both games as they lost to Sipsey Valley, 38-52, and Smiths Station, 50-56.

The Lady Eagles opened with Sipsey Valley and the tone was set for the game as the first foul was called eight seconds into the contest. Campbell Hammett scored the first points of the season as she drained a three to tie the game early in the period. Rachel Rine closed the first quarter by hitting two of three free throws as she was fouled at the buzzer. ACA trailed 10-13 after the opening period. After Sipsey Valley scored to begin the second, the Eagles ran off nine straight points to take a 19-15 lead. Rine and Jaide Newkirk combined for eight of the nine points to spark the offense. With 4:37 left in the half, Rine joined Katelyn Sutton on the bench with her third foul and had to watch the rest of the half. The squad hung tough as they were minus their two ball handlers for the rest of the half. Newkirk managed three points to finish the quarter as ACA trailed 22-23 at the half. 

Jaide Newkirk moves to the basket for the shot.

Jaide Newkirk gave the home team the lead as she scored the first two points of the half. ACA kept the lead for the first three minutes of the quarter. As the Bears overcame the deficit and took the lead, the lack of depth showed against the Eagles towards the end of the period. Sipsey Valley led 37-30 at the end of three. Every time the Lady Eagles scored in the final quarter, the Bears immediately answered and stretched the lead to as much as sixteen points. Campbell Hammett scored the last bucket of the game for the final margin of 38-52.

Rachel Rine brings the ball up the court.

Jaide Newkirk led the offense with 17 points while totaling 12 rebounds and four steals. Senior Rachel Rine had 12 points and four assists while Campbell Hammett finished with seven points, six rebounds and four steals.

In the second game against Smiths Station, ACA fell behind in the third quarter before making a furious comeback only to come up just short in the six-point defeat. Rachel Rine and Jaide Newkirk combined for ten of the team’s twelve first-quarter points for a 12-11 lead after one. In the second, the Eagles outscored Smiths Station 7-2 over the first two minutes and stretched the lead to eight points as Campbell Hammett knocked down a three with 3:54 left in the half for a 25-17 advantage. Alabama Christian led 26-21 at the half.

In the third period, the Lady Panthers turned up the pressure picking up full court and negatively affecting the Eagle attack. Smiths Station outscored the home team 18-5 in the quarter and held ACA scoreless from the field for a 39-31 lead. Jaide Newkirk’s field goal two minutes into the fourth period broke a 14:13 drought from the field that spanned parts of three quarters. The visitors held a 48-38 edge with 2:34 left in the game when the Lady Eagles staged a serious comeback in just under two minutes. Rachel Rine hit three free throws after being fouled and then stole the inbounds pass and scored again to cut the lead to 43-48 with 2:06 remaining. Rine was fouled again while shooting a three and drained all her freebies to cut the lead to five points with 1:13 on the clock. Campbell Hammett scored back-to-back baskets in a fifteen-second span to cut the lead to 50-51 with just 43.6 seconds left in the contest. ACA would not score again as the Panthers scored five points to close it out for the 56-50 victory.

Rachel Rine led the offense with 22 points, including a remarkable 12 for 13 from the line, and added five steals and three rebounds. The twelve made free throws ties for the second most made in a game in program history. Jaide Newkirk finished with 12 points, five rebounds and three steals followed by Campbell Hammett with nine points and twelve rebounds and Katelyn Sutton with seven points, six rebounds and four assists.

ACA resumes play next week as they host Notasulga on Tuesday, November 29th. 

ACA Football - 2022 Season Recap

Although the season ended earlier than wanted, this team, this senior class, and, in particular, this offense left its collective marks on the ACA record books. The 2022 team became the eighth squad in program history to win at least eight games in a season and the four-year total of 31 victories for this senior class is the best ever. The Eagles reached the playoffs for a record seventh consecutive year and Coach Michael Summers’ 15 wins in his first two years is the second-best total in school history. The offense posted five of the ten top point totals this year, including a best-ever 64 against Lynn, and finished with an all-time high average of 41.4 points per game. The scoring average bested the next-best season by more than six points per game.

Here is a look at the records and milestones that were reached this season:

Game

Hayes Hunt tied his own record with five touchdown passes in a game which he did four times this year.

Avery Stuart tied the record for most catches in a game with his 10 catches against Randolph County.

Preston Hicks tied the record with three touchdown receptions in a game which he did twice.

Tyson Summers set the record for most extra points in a game with nine against Randolph County.

Season

Hayes Hunt’s 35 touchdown passes beat his own record from last year by twelve.

Otasowie Dion set the record averaging 10.6 yards per carry for the season.

Preston HIcks (14) and Avery Stuart (12) produced the best two touchdown receptions seasons ever.

Tyson Summers’ 60 extra points set a new school record.

Career

Hayes Hunt

• Third in completions with 247

• Fifth in attempts with 383

• First in completion percentage with 64.5%

• Third in passing yards with 3,501

• First in touchdown passes with 63. The next closest total is 38 in Eagle history.

• Ninth in receptions with 49.

• Fourth in total offense with 4,374 yards.

Corey Landers

• First in rushing attempts with 574.

• First in rushing yards with 3,573.

• Fourth in rushing touchdowns with 34.

• Fifth in receptions with 57.

• Second in all-purpose yards with 4,700.

• Fifth in total offense with 4,291 yards.

• Second in total touchdowns with 45.

Otasowie Dion

• Seventh in rushing yards with 2,048.

• Third in average yards per rush with 10.2 per

• Eighth in rushing touchdowns with 22.

• Seventh in all-purpose yards with 2,882.

• Tenth in total offense with 2,299 yards.

• Sixth in total touchdowns with 30.

• Fourth in solo tackles with 115.

• Tenth in total tackles with 178.

• Third in sacks with 12.

Preston Hicks

• First in receptions with 119.

• First in receiving yards with 1,698.

• First in touchdown receptions with 23.

• Ninth in total touchdowns with 24.

Avery Stuart

• Seventh in receptions with 53.

• Fourth in receiving yards with 1,037.

• Seventh in yards per catch with 19.6 per

• Second in touchdown receptions with 17.

Tyson Summers

• First in extra points with 85.

This season will be long remembered for the success on the field and the special group of seniors who all played their entire careers at Alabama Christian.

ACA Loses Heartbreaker to End Season

Alabama Christan’s season came to an abrupt halt Friday night as Pike County stunned the Eagles with a 41-39 comeback victory to advance to the next round of the playoffs. The Eagles owned a 25-0 lead at the end of the first period, but the visitors fought all the way back to take their first lead of the game late in the fourth quarter. ACA finished the year with an 8-4 record.

The game could not have started any better for the Eagles as they scored early and often against the lifeless Bulldogs. ACA drove 64 yards in six plays highlighted by a 31-yard Corey Landers run. Hayes Hunt hit Otasowie Dion on an eight-yard score for the first points of the night. Pike County could muster just one first down on their initial drive and were forced to punt the ball back to ACA. The Bulldog punter fumbled as he tried to punt and William Milner recovered for the Eagles at the Pike County 39-yard line. Two plays later, Landers took a direct snap and ran 39 yards for the touchdown to give the home team a 13-0 lead. The defense forced a second straight punt to give the ball back to a hot offense.

Otasowie Dion rumbled 61 yards on the first play of the possession to set up a 1st and goal at the Bulldog nine-yard line. After a Landers’ reception moved the ball to the one, Dion punched it in for a 20-0 advantage for the home team. Tyson Summers boomed the ensuing kickoff in the corner at the one-yard line and the returner was tackled inside the five to back up the Bulldogs. After three unsuccessful offensive plays, the ball was snapped over the punter’s head for a safety which extended the lead to 22-0. After the free kick, the offense drove 42 yards in seven plays and set up a 35-yard field goal by Summers to give the Eagles a 25-0 lead at the end of the first period.

The Pike County offense finally awoke in the second period and scored on their first drive in the quarter. The Bulldogs drove 60 yards in eight plays for the score and were aided by two face mask calls against the defense. As good as the first quarter was for ACA, they cooled off in the second. After a dropped pass an attempted throwaway was picked off by Pike County and returned 46 yards for a score and the lead was cut to 25-14 just like that. Both teams had the ball two more times in the half, but could not score. The Eagles were plagued by another dropped pass on the first of those two possessions.

The Bulldogs took the second-half kickoff and cut the margin to 25-21 on a seven-play 59-yard drive. ACA answered immediately as Otasowie Dion ran 63 yards on the first play of the next drive for a 1st and goal at the one-yard line. However, the scoring opportunity was not put to use as three straight running plays netted negative five yards, and a missed 23-yard field goal produced no points. A Brady Smith sack helped stop the next Pike County drive and the offense responded with points. On a 4th and 5 from the Bulldog 14-yard line, Avery Stuart hit Hayes Hunt on a quarterback throwback for a 32-21 late in the third period.

As the fourth quarter started the standout receiver from Pike County took over the game as he scored all three touchdowns for his team in the period. The first score was a 25-yard reception in the end zone on a 4th and 8 yards to cut the lead to 32-27. On the next ACA drive, the offense converted a third down and later faced a 4th and 2 at the opponent’s 49-yard line. Otasowie Dion took the direct snap and squeezed through a hole in the middle and beat the defense to the end zone to extend the lead to 39-27. The Bulldogs responded as they scored on a short pass that turned into a 40-yard score as the defense was unable to bring down the Pike County receiver. With a five-point lead, the offense had a chance to work the clock but was unable to pick up a first down as they lost four yards in three plays and were forced to punt the ball to the visitors. The Bulldogs converted two third downs, the second a spectacular 31-yard diving catch in the back corner of the end zone to give Pike County its first lead of the game, 41-39. To ACA’s credit, the offense drove the ball to the 11-yard line after a 31-yard pass to Preston Hicks and a six-yard Dion run. The unit disastrously lost twelve yards on second down from the eleven and turned a possible 28-yard winning field goal attempt into a 40-yard try. After an incomplete pass on third down, the Eagle’s final field goal attempt was blocked and Pike County held on for the win.

Otasowie Dion led the offense with 196 yards on just nine rushes with two touchdowns and caught two passes for 13 yards and a third touchdown in the game. Corey Landers finished with 80 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown. Hayes Hunt finished 10 for 18 for 79 yards with a touchdown. Preston Hicks and Landers led the receivers with three receptions each. On defense, William Milner led the way with 12 tackles and a fumble recovery. Josh Kreitz and Blake Shaw each had ten tackles while AC Walters had eight. Landers and Dion had five tackles each and Brady Smith had a sack.

ACA Dominates in First Round Playoff Victory

Alabama Christian looked like a team hitting its stride last week against Bayside Academy and Friday night the Eagles continued to impress as the high-flying offense overwhelmed Randolph County in a 63-30 shellacking. The unit amassed 534 yards of offense while the point total was the second most in program history and set a new mark for most points in a postseason game.

The Eagles produced over 500 yards of offense on the night.

Randolph County received the opening kickoff and gave the impression they did not want the Eagle offense on the field. The Tigers held the ball for over seven minutes as they marched 55 yards in 13 plays for the game’s first points. After having a flag thrown against them on a 4th and goal from the six yard-line, which negated a touchdown, the home team scored on the next play from the 11 yard-line for the 6-0 lead. ACA’s offense responded quickly with a three-play 62-yard lightning strike of a drive to take the lead for good, 7-6. After having a big gain called back from a holding call, Hayes Hunt connected with Preston Hicks two plays later on a 59-yard bomb for the team’s first touchdown. The long pass play pushed Hicks to the top of the list in career receiving yards in school history. The defense rose up and forced a Randolph County punt with the help of back-to-back sacks by Otasowie Dion and Hicks. The first period ended with ACA leading by one point over the Tigers.

Otasowie Dion sacks the Tiger quarterback.

The second quarter began with another quick ACA touchdown. Corey Landers raced to the end zone on a 39-yard score to extend the lead to 14-6. The run capped a four-play fifty-yard drive. The defense forced a second straight three and out to give the ball back to the offense. The possession started deep in Eagle territory on their own six-yard line. The unit covered 82 yards in five plays, highlighted by a 47-yard pass to Avery Stuart, and looked poised to score again. However, three incompletions in a row forced a field goal attempt, which was no good. It would be the only drive of the night that did not produce points for the Eagles, except for the victory formation to end the game. Randolph County responded to the missed opportunity and narrowed the lead to 14-12 with another extended drive. The Tigers marched 80 yards in 11 plays but failed on the two-point conversion to preserve the lead for ACA with 2:40 left in the half.

Hayes Hunt readies for the snap.

The home team must have been feeling good about their chances as halftime loomed, but little did they know ACA was on the verge of delivering the knockout punch before the half. After the kickoff, the Eagles started on the 50-yard line and completed three passes to Avery Stuart to move the ball to the Tiger 12-yard line. The Randolph County strategy of playing way off on Stuart left him open all night in the short-pass game. On 2nd and 10 from the twelve, Hayes Hunt found Preston Hicks for a touchdown with 1:17 left in the half for a 21-12 lead. It looked as if the home team was going to let the clock run out and head to the locker room down by nine points, but after picking up a first down, the Tigers dropped back to pass again and fumbled as the quarterback tried to avoid the rush. Hicks came up with the loose ball for the Eagles with just 5.3 seconds left on the Tiger 23-yard line. As Alabama Christian prepared for one shot at the end zone they were assessed a delay of game penalty which moved them back to the 28-yard line. Apparently, the extra five yards of real estate was just what the Hunt to Hicks combination needed as the two connected with no time on the clock for a 28-12 halftime lead. 

Preston Hicks and company go for the fumbled ball late in the first half.

ACA knew they could put the game away with a touchdown to start the second half and that is exactly what the offense did. They did it the hard way as the drive started on their own three-yard line. Two direct snap runs by Otasowie Dion moved the ball out to the 28-yard line. From there, Hayes Hunt and Avery Stuart connected on three pass plays that covered 62 yards. The last catch was a 25-yard touchdown toss to extend the lead to 35-12. In just five minutes and nineteen seconds of game time, Alabama Christian stretched the lead from 14-12 to 35-12 to take full control of the contest. Dion starred on defense on the first possession of the half for Randolph County as he batted down a pass and later dropped the Tigers back for a three-yard loss on a 3rd and 1 attempt. On fourth down, Josh Kreitz tackled the receiver just short of the first down to give ACA the ball on their own 35-yard line. Stuart caught three more balls on the next drive including a seven-yarder for a 42-12 advantage with 2:10 left in the third period. The touchdown catch was Stuart’s tenth reception of the night which tied the single-game record. The quarter ended with Randolph County driving and Alabama Christian working younger players into the game to gain playoff experience.

Avery Stuart on the move after one of his ten catches.

The home team finished the drive with a score, but once again failed on the two-point conversion. Corey Landers helped the offense respond with consecutive carries on a two-play 55-yard drive to run the score to 49-18. The scoring rush was 48 yards long for Landers. On the ensuing kickoff, the special teams forced a fumble that was scooped up by AC Walters and returned 28 yards for a score, and just like that, the score was 56-18. The Tigers scored on a long pass play to cut the lead to 56-24 with 9:22 left in the game. For the first time all night, ACA took the offense down a gear and worked the clock as they featured backup Jordan Frazier. Frazier carried the ball six times on a seven-play drive and gained 59 yards including a 13-yard touchdown with 5:15 left in the game for a 63-24 lead. Tyson Summers’ ninth PAT of the night was a new record for most extra points in a game. The last score of the night came with 1:45 remaining as Randolph County cut the margin to 63-30. The Eagles ran out the clock in every head coach’s favorite way, the victory formation to extend their season for at least one more week.

Jordan Frazier alludes the Randolph County defender.

The offense leaned more heavily on the passing game Friday night and senior quarterback Hayes Hunt delivered with a career-high 312 yards passing while completing 16 of 21 passes and five touchdowns. Hunt also added 20 yards on the ground on six attempts. Avery Stuart’s ten catches for 188 yards and two touchdowns led the receiving corps. The 188 receiving yards are the second most in a game in school history. Preston Hicks tied his own school record with three touchdown receptions and finished the night with five catches for 125 yards. Corey Landers led the backs with six carries for 98 yards and two scores while Jordan Frazier had six attempts for 59 yards and a touchdown followed by Otasowie Dion with seven rushes for 48 yards.

Josh Kreitz tackles the Tiger receiver for a fourth down stop.

Defensively, Taylor Thompson and Corey Landers led the unit with seven tackles each. William Milner added six tackles while Avery Stuart finished with five tackles. Otasowie Dion had five tackles, two pass deflections and a sack on the night. Five Eagles, Blake Shaw, Preston Hicks, Josh Kreitz, Brady Smith and AC Walters, all had four tackles. Hicks added a sack and the momentum-changing fumble recovery at the end of the first half.

Next week, Alabama Christian will host Pike County in the second round of the playoffs.

Eagles Demote Admirals in Playoff Tune-Up

Alabama Christian took advantage of a road trip to Bayside Academy to end the regular season and turned it into a dress rehearsal for the postseason which starts next Friday. The two-and-a-half-hour road trip, a new opponent, and a hostile atmosphere were used as a preview of the Eagle’s trip to Randolph County next week. With the solid performance turned in by the team, ACA should be confident moving forward. The Eagles trailed 10-7 early in the second quarter but outscored the home team the rest of the way 36-8 for the surprisingly easy 43-18 triumph.

Preston Hicks looks for room downfield after a catch.

ACA received the opening kickoff and set the tone for the contest with a 12-play, 79-yard march that ate up four minutes and forty-three seconds of the first quarter clock. Quarterback Hayes Hunt showed off his running ability as he ran three times for 30 yards on the drive including a 14-yard scramble around left end for the game’s first points. History was made on the drive as Corey Landers ran for 16 yards on his third carry of the night to become the leading rusher in program history. The senior back finished with 140 yards on the night and has gained 3,395 for his career. Bayside answered with a long drive of their own to tie the contest. The Admiral’s possession covered 69 yards, capped by a three-yard run with 2:35 remaining in the first. ACA punted on their last possession of the opening period as a holding penalty killed the drive. The quarter ended with Bayside looking at a 1st and 10 on the Eagle 25-yard line and the score tied, 7-7.

Corey Landers breaks the school career rushing record on this first quarter carry.

Over the next three plays, Bayside gained just two yards thanks to tackles by Blake Shaw, Josh Kreitz and William Milner. The Admirals did manage to get three points on the drive after making a 39-yard field goal. The home team led 10-7 with 10:27 left in the half. The Eagles did not trail for long as they covered 80 yards in four plays to retake the lead. Otasowie Dion covered over half of those yards with a 42-yard run down the right sideline and Avery Stuart finished the drive with a 24-yard touchdown reception from Hayes Hunt to take the lead for good, 14-10. The Admirals tried to respond to points posted by the visitors and picked up two first downs, but the drive stalled at the ACA 45-yard line. The rugby-style punter held on to the ball long enough for Dion to block the punt which went out of bounds at the Bayside 31-yard line. 

Coach Howard celebrates with Otasowie Dion after a second quarter blocked punt.

Before the punt, points before the half were uncertain, but with the short field, 3:56 was plenty of time. David Ortiz-Ramirez began the journey to the end zone with a 10-yard run and Hayes Hunt finished it with consecutive completions, the second a 13-yard pass to Preston Hicks with 2:26 left in the half for a 21-10 advantage. As Tyson Summers connected on his third extra point of the game, he set a new mark for most extra points in a season. The Admirals had to decide whether to try and score before the half or run the clock out and try to regroup at intermission. The home team decided to try and get points and three incomplete passes later, the decision backfired as they punted back to ACA with 1:45 left on the clock. Corey Landers’ 15-yard punt return set up Alabama Christian at the Bayside 42-yard line. Hunt started the drive with a 16-yard scramble and three plays later found Preston Hicks for a 21-yard touchdown pass with just 32.2 seconds left before halftime. 

Tyson Summers sets the season record for most extra ploints made.

The home team received the second-half kickoff and after picking up one first down punted back to the Eagles. AC Walters broke up passes on consecutive plays to help thwart the drive. ACA began the second half much like the first with a methodical, time-consuming drive. The offense kept the ball for five minutes over nine plays and covered 77 yards. Corey Landers (30 yards) and Otasowie Dion (16 yards) both had big runs to keep the offense moving. Facing a 3rd and goal from the 14-yard line, Hayes Hunt and Preston Hicks connected for the third time on the night to extend the lead to 36-10. Hicks tied the single-game record with his third touchdown catch of the contest. The Admirals held the ball for virtually the rest of the quarter as they scored their only points of the half with 43.1 seconds left to cut the score to 36-18. Although his team was still down by three scores, the Bayside quarterback felt the need to chirp at the Eagle defenders which earned him an unsportsmanlike penalty. 

AC Walters breaks up a pass in the third quarter.

As they have through the latter stages of the year, the offense leaned heavily on Corey Landers in the fourth period. The powerful runner toted the ball on six of seven plays to move the ball to the Bayside 10-yard line. Just when the defense was expecting another dose of Landers, Hayes Hunt passed the ball to Avery Stuart for the score and stretched the lead to 43-18 with 5:45 left in the contest. The touchdown throw was Hunt’s fifth for the game which tied the school record. The passer has thrown five touchdowns in a game four times in his career. The home team had one last shot for something positive to happen as they took the field trailing by 25 points. The offense drove down the field and looked poised to post the final points of the night with a 1st and goal at the ACA one-yard line with 1:42 on the clock. However, the Eagle defenders remembered the actions of the Admirals after their last score and wanted to make sure their hosts weren’t tempted to be unsportsmanlike again. On first down, Blake Shaw stopped the runner short of the goal line. On second down, the Bayside back lost his footing on his cut into the hole and fell forward to the line of scrimmage. On third down, a convocation of Eagles stopped the running back to set up a fourth down. Desperate for points, Bayside called a timeout to have time for their last offensive play. On fourth down, the Admiral back ran left and tried to jump over Shaw, who was in the hole, and William Milner finished him off in the air for a dramatic goal-line stand to punctuate the victory.

The defense celebrates the game-ending goal line stand.

William Milner led the defense with 17 tackles while AC Walters and Otasowie Dion both had six tackles followed by Blake Shaw with five. Three runners had at least fifty yards as Corey Landers led the team with 140 yards on 16 carries. Dion finished with six rushes for 74 yards and Hayes Hunt had 53 yards on five attempts and a touchdown. The senior QB had a hand in all six touchdowns against Bayside. Hunt finished with 123 passing yards on ten completions and five touchdowns. Preston Hicks led the receivers with five catches for 72 yards and a record-tying three touchdowns. Corey Landers had three catches for 17 yards and Avery Stuart caught two for touchdowns totaling 34 yards.

Hayes Hunt looks for an open receiver.

The playoffs start next week as Alabama Christian travels to Randolph County to hopefully begin a long run in the postseason.        

Eagles Clinch Third Seed in Region with Road Win

“What a game!! What a great game!!” Those words echo through the minds of the ACA faithful who were present for the game at Southside-Selma on Friday night. The PA announcer drilled it into the heads of the crowd constantly throughout the first half. As the Eagles pulled away in the third period, the phrase was heard less frequently and by the fourth, the phrase had been retired for the evening.

ACA took care of business and secured the number three seed in the Region with a 56-38 defeat of the home-standing Panthers. The team’s sixth win of the season ensures a winning record for the fourth consecutive year.

New daddy, Coach Dockins prepares for the game.

The Eagles got the ball first and scored the game’s first points, but the drive was far from smooth. Corey Landers converted a 4th and 5 with a six-yard run and bolted 40 yards on a 3rd and 15 to keep the drive going. On 3rd and goal from the six, Hayes Hunt directed Otasowie Dion to an open spot in the end zone and completed the pass for a 7-0 lead. The defense looked good on the first two plays of the Southside possession as the home team faced a 3rd and 15 from their own 41-yard line. The Panthers proved they were capable of the big play as a middle receiver screen went all the way for a score and an 8-7 lead. ACA had the ball for two more possessions in the first quarter but lost ten yards combined on the two drives. Sandwiched between those two drives, the defense forced a turnover as Preston Hicks recovered a fumble at the Eagle 46-yard line.

Hayes Hunt points Otasowie Dion open in the end zone.

Blake Shaw ended the Panther’s first drive of the second period with a third down sack to give the ball back to the offense. Alabama Christian found some rhythm and drove 74 yards in 11 plays in a little over four minutes to recapture the lead, 14-8. Otasowie Dion converted two third downs with his legs and the drive ended with a 29-yard pass from Hayes Hunt to Avery Stuart to grab the lead for good. The defense stiffened as AC Walters broke up a pass and Shaw and Brady Smith combined for a sack to force a punt with 3:29 left in the half. That was more than enough time for the offense as Hunt hit a wide-open Preston Hicks in the middle of the field for a 43-yard touchdown on the first play of the drive. ACA went into the half with a 21-8 advantage.

Brady Smith and Blake Shaw pressure the Southside quarterback.

Although the Eagles kicked off to start the second half, the defense put points on the board to extend the lead to 28-8. On the third play of the quarter, Preston Hicks worked the tip drill to perfection as he intercepted the carom and raced 46 yards down the right sideline for the touchdown. The defense kept up the pressure as Corey Landers and Otasowie Dion both broke up passes on Southside’s next drive. On fourth down, ACA got a piece of the punt and David Ortiz-Ramirez recovered the ball on the Panther 37-yard line. Hunt and Stuart hooked up again two plays later for a 25-yard score and a 35-8 cushion. The home team tried to stay in the game with a 50-yard run around the right end by the quarterback to cut the lead to 35-14 with 7:54 left in the third.

Preston Hicks races down the sideline for a touchdown after an interception.

Alabama Christian minimized any momentum from the home team as Hayes Hunt went 4 for 4 on the next drive including a 42-yard bomb to Preston Hicks to move the score to 42-14. The touchdown toss was Hunt’s fifth of the night, which tied his own record for most TD passes in a game and was his 28th of the season which broke his record from last year for most TD passes in a season. Southside found its offense in the second half and matched ACA score for score over the final twenty minutes of the game. The Panthers closed out the scoring in the third quarter with a two-yard run and made the score 42-22.

Hunt and Hicks celebrate a third quarter touchdown connection.

As the final period started, the offense made a concerted effort to feed Corey Landers the ball and the senior back ate up time and yards against Southside. On the first drive of the quarter, Landers carried six straight plays that covered 64 yards and culminated with a five-yard scoring run to stretch the lead to 49-22. The Panthers answered with a nine-play 51-yard drive scoring march that cut the score to 49-30. Once again the offense hitched its wagon to Landers who ran the ball on three consecutive plays for 54 yards to run the score to 56-30 after his 15-yard score with 1:47 left in the game. Southside answered one last time as their talented receiver took a swing pass and weaved his way through the entire defense on a 72-yard trek with 37 seconds left in the contest. The touchdown finished the scoring for the night and the Eagles prevailed 56-38.

Corey Landers runs around left end in the fourth quarter.

Hayes Hunt finished the night with 15 completions on 23 attempts for 206 yards and five touchdowns. Avery Stuart was Hunt’s favorite target with a team-high five receptions for 69 yards and two scores. Preston Hicks finished with three catches for 101 yards and two touchdowns while Otasowie Dion had three grabs for 22 yards and a score. Corey Landers dominated on the ground with 164 yards on 17 carries and two touchdowns. 

Blake Shaw and friends stop the Panther runner.

Defensively, William Milner and Blake Shaw led the team with ten tackles each. Otasowie Dion and Josh Kreitz each had four tackles. Shaw and Brady Smith each had a sack while Preston Hicks had a fumble recovery and an interception for a touchdown on the night.

The Eagles close out the regular season next week as they travel south to Bayside Academy.

Thornton Era Ends for ACA Volleyball

For the past seven years, if you came to an ACA volleyball match, Emily or Alyson Thornton was on the floor competing for the Eagles. Today, in a loss to St. Luke’s in the Super Regional, Alyson Thornton’s career came to a close at Alabama Christian. Other families like Ainsworth, Baker, Entrekin, Faulkner, Hatcher, and Traff have represented Alabama Christian in volleyball, but the Thornton’s will leave as the most decorated sibling duo in program history. Both Emily and Alyson rank in the Top 20 in school history in kills, aces, and assists. They join Carlie Ainsworth and Sarah Ford as the only players to be ranked on the career list in all three categories. This season, Alyson became just the second Lady Eagle to lead the team in kills and assists in the same season. The senior finished her career ranked second in aces, fifth in assists, and twelfth in kills all-time.

ACA Falls in Super Regionals

Alabama Christian had a tough draw in the 3A South Sub-Regionals as they faced the top ranked team in their classification, St. Luke’s. The Lady Eagles fell in three straight games, 11-25, 10-25, 19-25, to end the year. The season was highlighted by Amber Hogan’s first win as head coach against Tallassee, Alyson Thornton’s 1000th career assist against Providence Christian at the Mayor’s Cup, and qualifying for sub-regionals for the first time in four years with a win over Beulah in the Area tournament. As the team looks ahead to next year, there is much optimism with just two players leaving to graduation. 

This season’s statistical leaders were:

Kills – Alyson Thornton (166), Teagan Scott (146), Paige Henry (145)

Aces – Alyson Thornton (57), Savannah Dorman (41), Ava Oates (40)

Blocks – Teagan Scott (50), Jaide Newkirk (28), Erin Simmons (20)

Digs – Annabelle Pugh (160), Paige Henry (106), Ava Oates (103)

Assists – Alyson Thornton (387), Anna Prempramot (111), Savannah Dorman (31)

Alabama Christian Crushes Greensboro on Homecoming Night

The Eagles clinched a playoff berth for a record seventh year in a row with a blowout win over Greensboro, 56-6, on Friday night in a pink-out game recognizing breast cancer awareness month. With a win over Southside-Selma next week, ACA will secure the number three seed in the Region and will play the number two seed from Region 4 in the first round of the playoffs.

The weather was perfect for Homecoming night.

The Eagle defense made an impact on the game in the very first series as they drove Greensboro back 13 yards on their first three plays thanks to two Raider penalties and a sack by Brady Smith. The punt was kicked in a crowd and barely cleared the line of scrimmage which allowed Gerrod Green to alertly scoop the ball up and run 22 yards for a score to put ACA up 7-0. Like PCA the week before, Greensboro had trouble with the squib kick as William Milner pounced on the ball at the Raider 36-yard line. Corey Landers carried the ball for three consecutive plays and scored from seven yards out to increase the lead to 14-0 with 7:18 left in the first period.

Gerrod Green scooped up a first quarter punt and scored the first points of the game.

After another Raider punt, ACA marched forty yards in three plays for its third straight scoring drive and a 21-0 advantage. Otasowie Dion carried twice for 27 yards and Hayes Hunt found Gerrod Green in the back of the end zone for the score. The teams swapped turnovers late in the first quarter as Preston Hicks forced the ball out of the running back’s grip and Dion recovered for the defense. However, Alabama Christian fumbled the ball back on the next play to give Greensboro another opportunity. Once again the Raiders were unable to produce a first down and gave the ball back to ACA. After two incomplete passes, the only two in the whole game, Corey Landers ran for 13 yards to pick up the first down and caught two passes from Hunt that covered 47 yards and a score. WIth 32.2 seconds left in the first, Alabama Christian led 28-0. Landers’ touchdown was the 40th of his career as he became only the third player in program history to score at least that many touchdowns.

Corey Landers headed for the end zone after a first period catch.

Greensboro picked up its first first down of the game on the last play of the opening period, but punted the ball three plays later to the home team. ACA scored in six plays, four Otasowie Dion runs and two Preston Hicks receptions, with a drive that covered 48 yards and lasted just under three minutes. Dion capped the drive with a three-yard plunge which gave ACA a 35-0 cushion. Hicks’ two catches on the drive moved him into first place on the career receptions list in school history. AC Walters ended the next Greensboro drive with an interception and was rewarded by carrying the ball the next four plays for 35 yards and a touchdown. The Eagles headed to the half with a whopping 42-0 lead.

Preston Hicks runs after his record breaking catch in the second quarter.

After last week’s five-minute, running clock quarters, no one knew exactly how the clock would be handled in the second half. The clock was set to 12 minutes, but it was a running clock. Sophomore Kaiden Green got the call in the second half at quarterback and made the most of his playing time. Green threw a quick screen to Mac Moorer on the left sideline on the second play of the opening drive of the half and Moorer weaved his way across the field and through the defense for a 48-yard touchdown to stretch the lead to 49-0. As the defense began to sub freely, the Raiders finally mounted a drive that produced points on the last play of the third quarter.

Mac Moorer works his way towards the end zone.

The Eagles final possession of the night put points on the board even though it had a rough start. After a false start penalty and a bad snap that led to an eleven-yard loss, the offense faced a 3rd and 23 from its own 39-yard line. Kaiden Green bootlegged to the right and found Bryant Swindle by himself behind the defense. The duo hooked up for a 61-yard scoring play to make the score 56-6 with 6:20 left in the contest. Remarkably, because of the running clock, Greensboro managed just three more offensive plays before time expired.

Bryant Swindle outruns the defense for a score.

The QB combination of Hayes Hunt and Kaiden Green completed seven passes in nine attempts for 204 yards and four touchdowns. Hunt finished 5 for 7 for 95 yards and two scores while both of Green’s passes were completed for touchdowns that covered 109 yards. Corey Landers and Preston Hicks led the team with two catches each while Landers, Gerrod Green, Mac Moorer and Bryant Swindle each had touchdown receptions. 

Brady Smith tracks down the Raider quarterback for a first quarter sack.

AC Walters led the backs with 56 yards on seven attempts followed by Corey Landers with  52 yards on five carries and Otasowie Dion with 45 yards on six rushes. All three backs had a rushing touchdown. On defense, Dion and William Milner both recovered fumbles while Walters and David Ortiz-Ramirez both had interceptions. Milner led the team with four tackles while Brady Smith, Preston Hicks and Wes Peake each had three tackles.

Next week, the number three seed in the Region is on the line as ACA travels to Southside-Selma in the first-ever matchup between the schools. 

Alabama Christian Advances to Super Regionals with Runner-up Finish at Area Tournament

For the first time since 2018, the Lady Eagles will advance to the Super Regionals in postseason action. ACA defeated Beulah in three straight, 25-20, 25-11, 25-16, in the opener to clinch their spot in the next round. Senior Alyson Thornton sparked the team with twelve assists, eight kills and three aces. Taegan Scott matched Thornton with a team-high eight kills. Paige Henry led the team with six aces while Ava Oates added three aces. Annabelle Pugh led the team with twelve digs while Anna Prempramot had nine assists.

in the championship match, ACA faced host PCA and fell in three straight games. Alyson Thornton and Taegan Scott once led the attack with six and five kills, respectively. Anna Prempramot led the team with six assists while Jaide Newkirk had a team-high three blocks while Ava Oates finished with five digs. Alyson Thornton and Annabelle Pugh were named to the all-tournament team.

Alabama Christian next plays in the Super Regionals on Thursday, October 20, against the #1 ranked team in 3A, St. Luke’s.

Alabama Christian Overpowers PCA in Region Contest

Friday night began a very important three-game stretch of the season for Alabama Christian. If ACA could win all three games, against Region opponents, they would secure the number three seed and earn a playoff spot for the seventh consecutive year, a school record. The Eagles started the trio of games against PCA on Senior Night. The seventeen seniors honored have never played anywhere else besides ACA, which is rare in this age of rampant transferring.

All of the bounces went ACA’s way early and the game was never really in doubt. The Eagles kicked off to start the game and while no Panther seem to want to jump on the ball, Otasowie Dion darted past the opponents and recovered the kickoff for ACA at the PCA 21-yard line. The offense scored in two plays as Corey Landers carried both times, scoring on a 19-yard run to put the first points on the board with just over a minute gone in the game. The second kickoff was a line drive that caromed off a PCA up-man and returned to kicker Tyson Summers, who recovered the ball on the ACA 48-yard line. The drive started with the Panthers jumping offsides on two straight plays to give Alabama Christian a first down. From there, Dion ran the ball on three of the next four plays and scored from one yard out to increase the lead to 14-0 with 8:38 left in the opening period.

Coach Summers congratulates Preston Hicks on his record breaking catch.

A bronx cheer went up from the Panther faithful as PCA was able to cover the next Eagle kickoff. The visitors were running their first play from scrimmage in the game, already down by two scores. AC Walters broke up a third down pass to force a quick punt back to ACA. The Eagles moved 64 yards in seven plays to extend the lead to 20-0. Hayes Hunt, coming back from injury last week, hit David Ortiz-Ramirez on a five-yard completion for the touchdown. As the first quarter neared its conclusion, PCA showed a little life on offense, but turned the ball over on downs at the Eagle 43-yard line. To squash any hope of the Panthers keeping the momentum, Avery Stuart caught a slip screen from Hunt and raced 57 yards past the defense for a score and a 27-0 lead on the last play of the quarter.

Avery Stuart runs past the PCA defender on the way to the end zone.

PCA finally got on the board to start the second period, aided by four Eagle penalties on the drive. The Panthers drove 76 yards in 13 plays and ate up almost half of the quarter to cut the ACA lead to 27-7. Once again, to make sure PCA did not capitalize on the positive scoring drive, Corey Landers took the ensuing kickoff 77 yards down the left sideline to stretch the lead back to 33-7. Alabama Christian closed out the half with one final score as Hayes Hunt found Preston Hicks on a 33-yard score to extend the lead to 40-7. The touchdown reception was Hicks’ 15th of his career and moves him to the top of the list in career touchdown receptions.

Corey Landers returns the kick for a score in the second quarter.

The second half went by in a blink as it was decided to have five-minute quarters, with a running clock, to finish the game. ACA kept the ball for the entire second half as they ran eleven straight times and had three penalties called against them. The game ended in victory formation at the Panther 20-yard line.

A convincing win over PCA.

Hayes Hunt had a perfect night in the pocket as he completed all six passes he threw for 134 yards and three touchdowns. Avery Stuart caught two for 67 yards while Preston Hicks had two for 50 yards as both receivers had a touchdown catch. Corey Lander rushed for 62 yards on six attempts and a touchdown. An eleven yard run by Landers in the first quarter pushed him past the 3,000 yard mark for his career. The senior is only the third Eagle ever to run for that many yards. Since PCA’s offense only ran 29 plays in the entire game, defensive opportunities were scarce on the night. Blake Shaw led the team with six tackles followed by Preston Hicks with five. William Milner, Taylor Thompson and Brady Smith each added four tackles. Smith and Otasowie Dion both had sacks while Dion and Tyson Summers both recovered fumbles on kickoffs.

Next week, Alabama Christian hosts Greensboro for Homecoming in another crucial Region contest.

Eagles Fall to St James in Hard Fought Contest

For the past two seasons the winner of the ACA/St James game won the 4A Region 3 title. This year the combatants are 3A schools and, along with Trinity, are the favorites in the Region. A loss for the Eagles would all but assure a road game in the first round of the playoffs, but a win over the Trojans would keep Alabama Christian in the mix to host a first round game. Starting quarterback, Hayes Hunt was unable to play due to injury and the Eagles came up short, 20-35. Despite the loss, ACA showed its toughness and moxie as they kept the game close throughout the second half.

The Trojans won the toss and took the ball down the field on the opening drive to take an early 7-0 lead. ACA’s first possession was a three and out, as it would take the Eagles some time to find its rhythm on offense. St James marched down the field again on its second drive and with 3:08 remaining in the first period scored to take a 14-0 lead. ACA picked up a first down on its second possession as Otasowie Dion ran 12 yards on a 3rd and 1 from ACA’s 35-yard line. The Eagles would eventually punt it back to St James and the opening quarter ended with the home team ahead by two touchdowns.

William Milner brings down the running back.

The ACA defense forced a punt from the Trojans as Otasowie Dion pressured the quarterback on third down to force an incompletion. Alabama Christian picked up a couple of first downs on the next drive as the offense slowly began to gel. As the Eagles punted back to St James one last time in the half, the home team made the most of the opportunity and scored for the third time in four possessions to take a 21-0 lead to the locker room.

The defense gangs up to stop the ball carrier.

The second half began with a bang as Otasowie Dion bolted 65 yards for a score on the third play of the quarter to put the the Eagles on the board. The Trojans were able to answer back on the very next drive with a six-play 55-yard march to stretch the lead back to three touchdowns, 28-7. On the ensuing kickoff it became apparent the official on the ACA sideline was new to the game of football as he missed the kick returner being run into by the opponent before he could catch the ball. The man in stripes had several flags picked up the rest of the half by the head official and seemed to bungle multiple calls. After both teams traded punts, the Eagles scored as Corey Landers found Avery Stuart on a fly pattern for a 23-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 14-28. As the third period came to a close, ACA trailed by just two scores.

Otasowie Dion looks for an open field against the Trojans.

The Trojans scored to open the final stanza and stretched the advantage back to three scores, 35-14. Alabama Christian responded with its best drive of the night as the offense marched 69 yards in eight plays. The touchdown came on a 4th and 3 at the Trojan 25-yard line as Corey Landers hooked up with Preston Hicks for the score and cut the lead to 20-35. Two plays later, Landers intercepted the Trojan QB to give the ball right back to the Eagles with 5:21 left to play. The offense drove it to the St James 45-yard line, but could go no further and turned the ball over on downs with 2:34 left in the game. St James was able to run out the clock and take home the Region win.

Preston Hicks celebrates with teammates after a score.

Corey Landers played a heroic game as he finished with 114 yards passing with two touchdowns, 72 yards on the ground on 12 carries and added four tackles and an interception on defense. Landers became the first player in school history to reach 500 career rushes on the night. Otasowie Dion led the team in rushing with 118 yards on 10 attempts and a touchdown. Avery Stuart led the receivers with four catches for 56 yards and a score while Preston Hicks had three catches for 52 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, William Milner led the charge with ten tackles followed by Otasowie Dion with seven. Blake Shaw had six tackles and a sack while AC Walters and Avery Stuart both had five tackles.

Next week, Alabama Christian hosts PCA on Senior Night in an important Region tilt.

Lady Eagles Sweep Dadeville in Area Play

Alabama Christian began and ended their week with Area victories over Dadeville and in between split a tri-match at home by defeating Brew Tech and falling to Catholic. ACA moved to 3-1 in the Area with a showdown looming with PCA next week for the top spot in the standings.

On Monday, the Eagles dominated Dadeville in three straight, 25-15, 25-3, 25-6. Alyson Thornton, Paige Henry and Taegan Scott each had four kills to lead the team. Eight different players recorded kills in the contest. Thornton also contributed seven aces and sixteen assists to lead the squad in both categories while Annabelle Pugh had a team-high eight digs.

ACA hosted a tri-match on Tuesday as they fell in two to Catholic, but bounced back to defeat Brew Tech, 25-18, 23-25, 15-11, in three to earn the split. Paige Henry led the team with eight kills followed by Elizabeth Belcher with seven while Alyson Thornton and Taegan Scott finished with six apiece. Once again, Thornton led the team in aces and assists with four and nineteen, respectively. Annabelle Pugh had eleven digs.

The week ended with the second defeat over Dadeville to sweep the season series. ACA prevailed 25-15, 25-7, 25-12. Elizabeth Belcher and Alyson Thornton sparked the attack with seven kills each. Four players, Anna Prempromat, Paige Henry, Sydney Jones and Erin Simmons, each produced three kills. Thornton’s seven aces led the squad while Henry and Tori Keller each had three. Prempromat led the team with 15 assists with Annabelle Pugh recording a team-high eight digs.

Alabama Christian Beats MA in Last Minute Thriller

Alabama Christian and MA were coming off very different weeks as they renewed their rivalry Friday night. ACA blew out Sumter Central, 62-14, in a Region tilt while MA was manhandled by, perennial power, Andalusia, 49-7. The old foes squared off for the fortieth time in the series and ACA was hoping to win its second in a row over the visiting Eagles for just the second time in program history. Those hopes turned to reality as Hayes Hunt led his team to a riveting 33-27 victory, with a heroic performance despite being injured.

Hayes Hunt looks for Preston Hicks on ACA’s first score of the night.

MA received the opening kick and marched 70 yards in six plays, all runs, to take a 7-0 lead with 9:18 left in the first. ACA responded and looked very impressive on its opening drive and tied the game, 7-7. The home-standing Eagles moved 80 yards in five plays, highlighted by a 16-yard run by Otasowie Dion and a 21-yard reception by Avery Stuart (remember 21 yards and Avery Stuart for later). Hayes Hunt bought time as he moved up in the pocket to find Preston Hicks for 33 yards and a touchdown to cap the drive. Hunt’s 39th career touchdown pass moved him into the top spot in program history. 

Preston Hicks races to the end zone in the first quarter.

William Milner stopped the next MA drive as he ripped the ball away from the back and Hayes Hunt fell on it to give ACA the ball at MA’s 25-yard line. Three quick plays, an eleven yard run by Corey Landers, an eleven yard pass to Preston Hicks and a three yard run by Otasowie Dion, produced a touchdown in just over a minute to give the Eagles a 13-7 lead. MA responded with three plays of their own that covered 62 yards and took the lead back, 14-13, with still 3:12 left in the first period. As the first quarter was coming to a close, Hunt ripped off three runs that covered 32 yards, mixed with a pass interference call against MA and ACA ended the period at the MA 27-yard line. One of Hunt’s runs was a fake punt around the end for 24 yards as the return team lost any resemblance of containment on the left side of the field. The last run of the quarter brought great concern to the ACA faithful as the senior quaretrback was visibly struggling to put weight on his foot.

Defense helps the stripes know who has the ball.

Hunt started the second on the bench as the offense ran a direct-snap play to Corey Landers, but labored to get back to the huddle on the second play. Amazingly, he connected with Hicks for a 15-yard gain to the opponent’s 10-yard line on his first play back. However, two plays later a bad exchange on the handoff ended up on the ground and MA ended the threat with the recovery. The defense did not allow MA to gain momentum after the turnover although a terrible roughing the passer call did allow them to continue the drive. Josh Kreitz ended the possession as he recovered a fumble at the MA 42-yard line with 6:02 left in the half. Neither team scored for the rest of the half, but there was plenty of drama as we just knew that Hunt would not be on the field for the next drive, but he kept coming back every time for his team. MA led 14-13 as the team’s headed to the locker room.

Josh Kreitz celebrates ending another MA possession.

As the bell rang to start the third period, the Eagles were ready to fight with and for their leader as Hunt led the offense on to the field. Otasowie Dion had two big runs of 35 and 12 yards in the opening drive to help spur the offense. On 4th and 5 from the MA 15-yard line, Hunt found a wide-open David Ortiz-Ramirez in the end zone for the score. Corey Landers pass to a diving Preston Hicks netted ACA two points and the lead was 21-14 with 8:58 left in the third. Once again, MA answered with a five-play, 54-yard drive to tie the score, 21-21. After an ACA turnover on downs, MA took the ball and drove to the Alabama Chrsitian three-yard line as the third quarter ended.

Otasowie Dion helped set the tone for the second half with a 35-yard run on the first play of the third quarter.

MA scored on the first play of the fourth period to retake the lead, but a missed extra point kept the score 27-21. The next ACA drive ended with an interception with 9:05 left in the game and it felt as if the momentum had tilted in the visitors favor. After one first down for MA, a trio of Eagles, Preston Hicks, AC Walters and William Milner, stopped the running back on 3rd and 6 and forced a punt, that was downed on ACA’s own 10-yard line. With 4:49 on the clock and 90 yards away from the end zone, one wondered if ACA had enough time to tie the game, much less win it. Fifty seconds was all that was needed as Hunt connected with Hicks on an 85-yard bomb up the right sideline on the second play of the drive to tie the score, 27-27. As Hicks caught the ball his defender fell down and the senior receiver was off to the races on the longest play of the year.

Special teams enjoy the game-preserving fumble recovery by Jaylan McCovery.

The defense again was asked to stop the potent ground attack of MA and give the offense one last shot at the victory. The unit rose to the occasion as AC Walters ran the quarterback out of bounds two yards short on third down, despite the emphatic first down signal given by the runner, and forced another punt. ACA took the field with 2:32 remaining, 70 yards from the end zone. Dion and Landers combined for three rushes for 43 yards to take the ball to the MA 27-yard line. After no gain on first down, ACA called time with 1:16 left to go. After an incomplete pass, Corey Landers ran for 6 yards to set up a 4th and 4 at the 21-yard line with less than a minute left to play. On the crucial play, Hunt hit Avery Stuart on a slant, but the senior receiver pivoted immediately, after the catch, to the outside and outran three defenders to the end zone for the winning 21-yard reception with just 40.1 seconds remaining. Any fears of a last gasp effort from MA evaporated as the visitors could not secure the squib kick and Jaylan McCovery jumped on the loose ball to secure the win. Hunt and the offense trotted out one last time for the victory formation, the best play in football.

Hayes Hunt getting some love from his coach.

Hayes Hunt finished the night with a career-high 264 yards with four touchdowns and ran for 32 more to lead the offense. Five different Eagles had receptions in the contest led by Preston Hicks and Corey Landers with four catches apiece. Hicks’ catches covered 144 yards and two scores. David Ortiz-Ramirez had two catches for 55 yards and a score while Avery Stuart had two for 42 yards and a touchdown. Otasowie Dion led the backs with 118 yards on 13 carries and a score followed by Landers with 53 yards on 13 attempts.

The team runs onto the field as the clock runs out.

Defensively, William Millner led the attack with nine tackles. Corey Landers and AC Walters both had five tackles followed by Josh Kreitz and Jalen Flowers with four each. Kreitz, Hayes Hunt and McCovery all had fumble recoveries in the contest.

A night to remember for players and fans alike.

Alabama Chrsitian resumes Region play next week as they travel to St James. 

ACA Dominates in First Region Win of the Season

Alabama Christian looked to even its Region record to 1-1 on Friday as they played Sumter Central for the first time in program history. The visiting Jaguars had lost 26 games in a row and ACA hoped to continue the streak. Columbia, a 6A school from Huntsville, holds the current longest losing streak in the state at 66 games in a row. The Eagles scored early and often in the 62-14 win.

William Milner recovers the opening kickoff for the Eagles.

The Eagles won the coin toss and deferred until the second half, but wound up with the ball anyway as Sumter Central could not handle the squib kick. This was the first of three times ACA recovered a mishandled kickoff in the game. In a break from the norm, the offense threw five plays in a row, all completions, to start the game and opened the scoring with a 20-yard pass from Hayes Hunt to Otasowie Dion for a 7-0 lead. Hunt would connect on his first ten passes of the evening. After a three and out from the Jaguars, the offense drove sixty-nine yards in four plays capped by an eight-yard scramble from Hunt to stretch the lead to 14-0. Preston Hicks forced a fumble which was recovered by AC Walters to end Sumter’s second drive. Four plays later, Hunt rolled out to the left and hit a wide-open Dion who coasted to the end zone on a 23-yard pass play for a 21-0 lead. The first quarter ended with the visitors preparing to punt to the Eagles, trailing by twenty-one points.

Hunt and Dion have the left side of the field to themselves as they connect for a score.

David Ortiz-Ramirez opened the scoring in the second with a 40-yard dash to paydirt and a 28-0 cushion. Blake Shaw tackled the punter after he couldn’t catch the snap to give Alabama Christian the ball on the Jaguar 35-yard line with 8:50 remaining in the half. Corey Landers moved the ball to the five-yard line with one carry and Otasowie Dion scored on the next play for his third touchdown of the night and a 35-0 lead. Sumter Central put together a scoring drive aided by two big plays to get on the scoreboard. On 2nd and 16, the Jags completed a 40-yard pass to the ACA 39-yard line and ran 35 more yards on the next play to the four-yard line. Sumter finally scored on fourth and goal to make the score 35-6. The Eagles responded with a two-play drive that covered sixty yards to move the score to 42-6. The scoring play was a 37-yard bomb from Hayes Hunt to Avery Stuart. After recovering a botched kick return, ACA scored again as Hayes found Preston Hicks in traffic in the end zone on an eight-yard play for a 49-6 advantage. Neither team scored on its final possession of the half and Alabama Christian left the field with a commanding lead.

David Ortiz-Ramirez outraces the defense to the end zone.

A running clock was called for in the second half and after the starters scored on the first drive, the backups were able to play the rest of the way. Hayes Hunt tied the school record with his fifth scoring pass of the night as he hit David Ortiz-Ramirez for a three-yard touchdown and a 56-6 lead. After recovering yet another kickoff, the second team was able to drive for a score. Although the drive was dominated by Jordan Frazier’s running, Kaiden Grenn completed his first varsity pass to Mac Moorer, with his first varsity reception, on the drive. Frazier carried three times for 20 yards and his touchdown run extended the lead to 62-6. Sumter Central closed out the scoring with an 18-yard pass to cut the score to 62-14 in the fourth period.

Corey Landers moves the ball close to the goal line for the Eagles.

Hayes Hunt completed 11 of 14 passes on the night for 133 yards and five touchdowns and also ran two times for 35 yards and a score. Otasowie Dion led all receivers with five catches for 55 yards and two touchdowns. Avery Stuart caught two for 44 yards and a score while Preston Hicks had two for 21 yards and a touchdown. Corey Landers led all rushers with 137 yards on eight carries while Jordan Frazier finished with 72 yards on 10 attempts and a touchdown. Both Otasowie Dion and David Ortiz-Ramirez rushed for over 60 yards and scored a TD in the game. With Sumter Central only running 29 offensive plays on the night, the defensive chances were not as numerous as past games. Blake Shaw, Gerrod Green and AC Walters led the team with four tackles apiece. Preston Hicks, Brady Smith and Avery Stuart each had three tackles.

Brady Smith and Avery Stuart combine for the stop.

Alabama Christian hosts MA next Friday, September 23rd, in its next contest.  

Alabama Christian Splits Area Games on the Week

ACA opened Area play on Tuesday as they hosted area-favorite, PCA. The Eagles fell 17-25, 13-25, 14-25 to the Lady Panthers. Taegan Scott led the team with five kills while Alyson Thornton and Elizabeth Belcher both had three kills. Savannah Dorman had two aces while Ava Oates finished with eight digs to lead the team. Thornton recorded ten assists.

The Lady Eagles bounced back to even their Area record to 1-1 on Thursday with a three-game sweep of Beulah, 25-10, 25-20, 25-17. Alyson Thornton led the squad with fourteen assists, twelve kills and three aces. Taegan Scott finished with seven kills while Paige Henry added six kills. Annabelle Pugh led the team with eight digs and Savannah Dorman added nine assists in the victory.

Alabama Christian will next compete in a tournament at Elmore County on Saturday.

Eagles Lose Region Opener at Trinity

Although it was just the first Region game of the year, ACA had a chance to gain the inside track of hosting in the first round of the playoffs with an upset victory at Trinity. The contest was tight and the outcome was decided in the final seconds, but in the end, the Wildcats walked away with the victory as they have so many times before. Trinity moves to 2-0 in the Region with the 20-14 defeat of Alabama Christian. The Eagles fall to 0-1 and leave themselves no margin for error in future Region games.

The Wildcats opened the game with three straight passes, resulting in two incompletions and an Otasowie Dion sack, on their initial possession and punted on fourth down. The Eagle offense fared no better on its first drive and punted back to Trinity. Corey Landers forced a fumble recovered by Dion to end the Wildcat’s second drive and set up the offense on their opponent’s 33-yard line. ACA could not capitalize as they gained just two yards on four plays and turned it over on downs. Trinity drove the field and was on the Eagle 26-yard line as the first quarter ended tied 0-0. ACA had gained ten yards on seven offensive plays in the period.

The home team continued its drive in the second quarter and took the lead with 9:20 left in the half. The drive took 13 plays, covered 69 yards and lasted almost eight minutes. Alabama Christian picked up a first down on the next drive and was ready to go for it on a 4th and 3 from the Wildcat 46-yard line, but a false start penalty cost them five yards and ended the possession. Trinity’s next drive did not produce points, but it did eat up 4 and a half more minutes of clock and it looked like they would take a 7-0 lead to the locker room. However, with 1:49 left in the half, the passing game made an appearance and the Eagles tied the game with 2.3 seconds left in the half as Hayes Hunt rolled left and threw across the field to Corey Landers near the goal line for a 30-yard scoring play to tie the contest, 7-7.

Neither team scored on its first drive of the second half, but the Eagles found a rhythm in their second drive. The squad marched 76 yards in eight plays to take a 14-7 lead. The drive was highlighted by an eighteen-yard run by Corey Landers and an eight-yard touchdown scamper by Otasowie Dion. Trinity answered as they scored on a 38-yard pass play on 3rd and 7 to knot the score, 14-14, early in the fourth period.

After a three and out from ACA, the Wildcats struck again and scored the go-ahead touchdown with 5:37 left in the contest. Trinity drove 89 yards in nine plays to take the lead. The Trinity kicker hit one of his linemen with the extra point to keep the lead at six points, 20-14. The next Eagle possession had the feel of the last chance for the visitors to pull off the win. Facing a 3rd and 12 from their own 18, David Ortiz-Ramirez picked up 15 yards on a reverse to give the Eagles hope. On the next play, Otasowie Dion raced 36 yards to the Wildcat 33 and the offense was in business with just over three minutes to play. The first touchdown of the drive was called back on a 2nd and 1 from the 12-yard line as quarterback Hayes Hunt tried to run up the middle and bounced it around the left end for an apparent score, but the referee had thrown a flag for holding on the offense. This was the first holding call of the night against either team. Eventually, the Eagles wound up with a 2nd and goal from the 2-yard line and looked poised to score. Corey Landers gained one yard on second down. Otasowie Dion looked to be trapped in the backfield on third down but lateraled to his quarterback who again ran around left end for an apparent score, but the referee had blown the play dead before the lateral ruling forward progress had been stopped. On the Eagles’ last play, Hunt was pressured and threw an interception in traffic to seal the win for the Wildcats.

Hunt finished the night with ten completions in seventeen attempts for 100 yards and a touchdown. The senior also ran for 29 yards on five carries and made four tackles on defense. Otasowie Dion led the backs with 85 yards on 11 carries and a score while Corey Landers had 45 yards on 14 rushes. Landers was the team’s leading receiver with four catches for 43 yards and a touchdown while Avery Stuart and Dion both had three receptions. William Milner led the defense with eight tackles while Dion, Landers and Stuart each had five tackles.