AISA SOFTBALL: Hooper moves into winner's bracket with two victories
Hooper’s Peyton Middleton was a key in the Colts’ win over Patrician on Thursday. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
There’s been ups and downs this season with a mix of returning and new starters on Hooper Academy’s softball team, but head coach Elyse Grier expected her team to be exactly where it is after an 8-3 win over Patrician left the Colts as one of only two remaining undefeated teams in the Alabama Independent School Association double-elimination state softball tournament at Lagoon Park.
“I expected to win two games today,” Grier said. “A lot of the girls have that mindset. They know what needs to be done. A lot of these girls play basketball and volleyball, so they’ve had a lot of success this year and know what it takes.”
Hooper (16-13) will play Crenshaw Christian on Friday at noon, with the winner advancing to the Class A finals on Saturday at 10 a.m.
The pair are among four remaining unbeaten teams in the tournament. In Class AA, Bessemer Academy and Clarke Prep School will play at noon as well, with the winner advancing to Saturday’s finals.
The Colts won their first two games on Thursday, with puts them among the top six teams in school history. Hooper made its 18th appearance in the state tournament on Thursday, with 12 of those teams winning one game or less in the double-elimination fast pitch tournament that started in 1999.
One of those teams was the 2025 squad, which followed up state championships in 2023 and 2024 with a two-and-out performance last season.
“The ones that were here last year, they’ve brought it up already,” Grier said. “They have not forgotten that. They didn’t like the way it ended last year, on so many levels. I think it’s driven them a little bit this year.”
The Colts scored two runs in the first inning and five more in the second to take care of Patrician. Jenna Conway reached base four times and scored in both the first and second innings, while Jade Taylor added an RBI double in the five-run second inning and scored on a double by Henlee Garvin. Betsy Brady and Mallory Sexton also scored in the second inning.
That was more than enough for Hooper pitcher Peyton Middleton. The St. James transfer struck out seven, including back-to-back strikeouts in the sixth to pitch out of a bases-loaded jam.
“That’s where everything starts, in the circle,” Grier said. “Without her, I don’t think we’d be here. Every good team is going to have a good pitcher and you rely on that. She’s been working hard this year.”
Even with a Hooper loss to Crenshaw, the Colts are guaranteed a top-four finish, but after winning titles in 2023 and 2024, the Hooper seniors have their sights set higher.
“If we play like we did today, I think we have a really good shot,” Grier said. “There are a couple of really good teams in this tournament we still have to fight through -- Crenshaw is one of them -- to get to Saturday.”
ALABAMA INDEPENDENT SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
STATE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
Lagoon Park Softball Complex
CLASS AA
Thursday results
Game 1 -- Chambers Academy 12, Southern Academy 4
Game 2 -- Bessemer Academy 11, Fort Dale Academy 1
Game 3 -- Clarke Prep School 15, Springwood School 0
Game 4 -- Lowndes Academy 9, Monroe Academy 1
Game 5 -- Southern Academy 7, Fort Dale Academy 6
Game 6 -- Monroe Academy 14, Springwood School 4
Game 7 -- Bessemer Academy 6, Chambers Academy 2
Game 8 -- Clarke Prep School 12, Lowndes Academy 4
Friday schedule
Game 9 -- Lowndes Academy vs. Southern Academy, 10 a.m.
Game 10 -- Chambers Academy vs. Monroe Academy, 10 a.m.
Game 11 -- Bessemer Academy vs. Clarke Prep School, noon
Game 12 -- Lowndes-Southern winner vs. Chambers-Monroe winner, noon
Game 13 -- Bessemer-Clarke Prep loser vs. Game 12 winner, 2 p.m.
Saturday
Game 14 -- Finals, 1 p.m. (A second game, if necessary, will follow)
CLASS A
Thursday results
Game 1 -- Crenshaw Christian 9, Heritage Christian 0
Game 2 -- South Choctaw Academy 5, Abbeville Christian 3
Game 3 -- Patrician Academy 12, Edgewood Academy 7
Game 4 -- Hooper Academy 11, Coosa Valley Academy 0
Game 5 -- Abbeville Christian 12, Heritage Christian 1
Game 6 -- Edgewood Academy 13, Coosa Valley Academy 7
Game 7 -- Crenshaw Christian 13, South Choctaw 5
Game 8 -- Hooper Acadeny 8, Patrician Academy 3
Friday schedule
Game 9 -- Patrician Academy vs. Abbeville Christian, 10 a.m.
Game 10 -- South Choctaw Academy vs. Edgewood Academy, 10 a.m.
Game 11 -- Crenshaw Christian vs. Hooper Academy, noon
Game 12 -- Paatrician-Abbeville winner vs. South Choctaw-Edgewood winner, noon
Game 13 -- Crenshaw-Hooper loser vs. Game 12 winner, 2 p.m.
Saturday
Game 14 -- Finals, 10 a.m. (A second game, if necessary, will follow)