PREP UPDATE: ACA tops Trinity; Catholic edges Smiths Station; MA volleyball wins
ACA receiver Addi Smith makes a grab in front of two Trinity defenders in Tuesday’s game at Ragsdale-Boykin Field. (Tim Gayle)
COMBINED REPORTS
Addi Smith didn’t have time to think about her volleyball team’s 3-0 loss at Trinity’s Captain Jack Court on Tuesday afternoon.
The Alabama Christian junior changed from her volleyball uniform to one for flag football, walked out onto Ragsdale-Boykin Field and promptly led the Eagles to a 20-0 Region 3 victory over the Wildcats.
“Volleyball didn’t go how we wanted it to,” Smith said, “but I just let it go and know that there’s more -- we have another opportunity to play Trinity next week at home -- and I left it, forgot about it and came out here ready to play.”
Smith caught six passes for 103 yards and a touchdown, including a crucial fourth-down reception to keep the Eagles’ first possession alive, and had two flag pulls and an interception on defense to play a pivotal role on both sides of the ball to help the Eagles improve to 2-1 in region play.
Smith isn’t the only one juggling two sports as four Eagles participated in volleyball and adjusted the kickoff time for the flag football game so the quartet could participate in both sports.
“I think (the coaches in both sports) being able to work together has been a huge part of that,” ACA coach Josh Gaines said. “Like moving around practice time so we can get them before they go to volleyball or after they go to volleyball. We push practice times back, they move them up so everybody is getting the same amount of reps.
“I told Addi and Morgan (Bond) when they came out here, we are where our feet are at. So whatever happened in there … we want to build on it or fix it, but now your feet are here. You’ve got to be a great teammate.”
The Eagles would score all the points they would need in the first five minutes. After Nora Burgess ran for no gain, the ACA offense responded with seven consecutive passes from Peri Laine Holley, one to Smith to convert a fourth-and-eight play into a first down, another to Emma Redmon to cap the drive with a 4-yard touchdown. Holley threw to Burgess for the conversion and a 7-0 lead.
“We start off pretty slow sometimes, so I thought it might be a little rough in the beginning,” Smith said. “But I’m proud of the way we came out and fought. It’s a big game for us because winning this we get to host (the first round of the playoffs) so I think going in everybody was ready to get the win.”
An American Christian Academy victory over Trinity next Tuesday in Tuscaloosa would give the Patriots the region title and leave ACA in second place and Trinity in third, with all three teams advancing to the playoffs.
A Trinity win over American Christian would leave all three teams with a 2-1 region record, forcing coaches to correctly call a coin flip to determine the region winner. Second and third place would be determined by head-to-head competition.
“This was important because, basically, the winner gets to host a playoff game, so that was a big deal coming into it,” Trinity coach Clinton Adams said. “We’re already in the playoffs so that worry is gone but to host a playoff game for the first time ever would be an awesome opportunity for the girls and the school.”
Instead, that opportunity was lost by the Wildcats as Smith ran 31 yards for a touchdown late in the first half and Burgess returned an interception 32 yards for a touchdown on the second play of the fourth quarter.
Holley completed 18 of 27 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns as Burgess had 22 yards on five receptions and Redmon added 24 yards on three catches.
Defensively, Maddie Owens had eight stops on defense, followed by Holley with seven and Addi Newkirk with five flag pulls and a pass breakup.
Gaines said the opening drive by the Eagles helped set the tone for the region matchup.
“Especially with the double rush (by Trinity), it becomes hard to get the ball out quickly and get it to your playmakers but it’s about catching the football,” Gaines said, “catching the football and moving methodically down the field.”
Adams said his team adjusted well, holding the ACA offense to four first downs and one touchdown over the remainder of the game, but the slow start on defense was fatal.
“We didn’t get as much pressure on the quarterback as we have in past games,” Adams said. “There were things we saw on film that they ran and our girls were just not in position to make the play. Later on in the game, they understand what they were supposed to do and (ACA) didn’t get much after that. But if you give up 14 early points, it’s hard to catch up because all you can do is throw the ball.”
Trinity starter Marie Yelverton completed 12 of 23 passes for 63 yards, while Alexis Kamburis completed 8 of 13 for 46 yards. Rebi McLemore had seven receptions for 43 yards, followed by Kamburis with five catches for 14 yards. Defensively, McLemore had seven stops, followed by Yelverton with four flag pulls and an interception.
Both teams were not eligible for the playoffs last year, so this year’s region battle was crucial as the second-seeded team hosts the third seed from another region in the first round of the playoffs. Alabama Christian (5-2) will be the second seed unless Trinity (1-2) upsets American Christian next week.
“We’re super excited about that,” Gaines said. “The girls are super excited they don’t have to travel for the first round. We get to celebrate that, but it’s short-lived. We’ve got a good game next week (against Elmore County on Tuesday), so we have to continue to build.”
Catholic 26, Smiths Station 20
Hayden Fitts rallied the Knights with her feet, rushing for 105 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries to lead Catholic to a 26-20 win over Class 6A Smiths Station on Tuesday at Catholic.
The win was the fourth in a row for the Knights since a season-opening loss at Central-Phenix City, but the highly regarded Panthers were a handful for the Knights, who trailed 6-0 after one quarter, were tied 13-13 at the half and trailed 20-19 entering the final quarter.
Fitts completed 15 of 24 passes for 151 yards and three touchdowns but was intercepted four times and needed her feet to secure the victory.
Haley Ishman had three receptions for 41 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Avery Sadler had five catches for 44 yards. Frances Ann Rogers had four catches for 36 yards, Maggie McNeely had three catches for 13 yards and Aria Martinez added a 20-yard reception from Fitts for a touchdown.
McNeely added conversion catches in the second quarter and the fourth quarter for the Knights.
Fitts led the defense with six flag pulls, followed by Sadler with five, McNeely with four, a 10-yard interception return and six passes defended and Rogers with four stops, a 4-yard interception return and a pair of passes defended.
Ishman added a 41-yard interception return.
Catholic (4-1) will next travel to Phenix City to participate in the Border Wars tournament.
VOLLEYBALL
Montgomery Academy 3, St. James 0
Montgomery Academy swept Tuesday’s area match at St. James, defeating the Trojans 25 - 23, 25- 17 and 25 - 16.
Bennett Britt had 16 kills, a block, an ace and nine digs, Morgan Springer had seven kills, three blocks, three aces and eight digs, Caroline Wood had seven kills and a block, E.G. Hines had seven kills and 12 digs, Addison Kitchens had six kills, Rehmat Sidhu had a kill, two blocks, 15 digs and 40 assists, Emilyn Trott had a kill, Lizzie Campbell had 25 digs and an ace nd Ella Gaines Thomas had 10 digs and an ace.
Montgomery Academy remained unbeaten in Class A Private Area 4 play at 5-0, while St. James dropped to 1-4.
Montgomery Academy (16-4) returns home after winning its eighth match in a row and will play host to Trinity on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. for Senior Night.
St. James (11-17) will travel to Alabama Christian on Thursday.
Pike Road 3, Prattville Christian 1
PRATTVILLE -- Pike Road rallied to win the third and fourth sets to defeat the Panthers in the PCA gym on Monday.
Pike Road won the first set 25-17, lost the second one 25-14, then won the next two 25-15 and 25-17.
For the Panthers, Anniston Robison had an ace, six kills, 15 assists, a block and eight digs, Charlotte Connell had a kill, Copeland Miller had a kill and three digs, Christiana Franklin had two kills and three blocks, Haven Harrell had an ace and four digs, Jordyn Harris had an ace, 11 assists, three kills and three digs, Olivia Rossi had four aces, nine kills, an assist and four digs, Maren Diefenderfer had three aces, 11 kills and three digs and Elle Maddox had a pair of blocks.
PCA (10-15) will travel to Glenwood School on Thursday for a tri-match.