PREP UPDATE: Ingram to retire from AHSAA; Montgomery Academy, PCA volleyball close out regular season in Gulf Shores tourney

Ron Ingram spent 54 years as part of the media covering high school athletics in Alabama. He announced he would retire at the end of the year. (Contributed)

COMBINED REPORTS

After 54 years, Ron Ingram is stepping down as the Alabama high School Athletic Association Director of Communications is calling it quits.

The association made the announcement on Monday.

Ingram’s relentless and tireless efforts on behalf of the AHSAA ends at the end of the year. He has informed the AHSAA Central Board of Control the retirement would be effective Dec. 31.

“Of all the people who have retired from the Alabama High School Athletic Association, he will be the most missed,” said retired AHSAA Executive Director Alvin Briggs, who led the association from 2021-24 and also led the coaches’ association. “Ron does things in that office that nobody else knows how to do, where to start to do them, and how to begin doing them.”
“It’s a mixed feeling,” Ingram said of his decision. “It’s something I’ve been doing for 54 years, one way or another. Things are going to be different. I’m going to be using my time in a different way. It’s going to be a challenge for me. I’m ready to start spending more time with my family, with my wife and children and grandchildren and doing some of the things I needed to do more of during my career.
    “I’m going to miss the AHSAA. It has always had great people working at and leading the AHSAA. Through the AHSAA’s leadership and commitment to the students’ health and safety and fair play mission, our state and its schools have been very blessed. This association is recognized as one of the tops in the nation. I’m going to miss this great family. It’s been a great family away from home.”
AHSAA Executive Director Heath Harmon praised Ingram for his work at the AHSAA and his influence on Alabama high school sports.
     “Ron Ingram’s impact on the AHSAA and high school athletics in Alabama is immeasurable,” Harmon said. “His dedication, integrity, and passion for telling the stories of our student-athletes, coaches and administrators have shaped the way high school sports are covered and celebrated in this state. Ron is more than a colleague — he’s a part of our association’s legacy, and while we’ll miss him dearly in the office, his influence will continue to guide us for years to come.”
When Ingram opted to leave The Birmingham News for the AHSAA in 2007, he stayed at the newspaper through the end of the football playoff semifinals. He logged off at 2:30 a.m., after coordinating the paper’s semifinal coverage. former director Steve Savarese introduced him as an AHSAA employee at the championship football coaches meeting a few hours later.
    “I was out of a job for about four hours,” Ingram said. 

MA, PCA reach quarterfinals of ShrimpFest Tournament

GULF SHORES -- Montgomery Academy and Prattville Christian were among the 40 teams competing in the annual ShrimpFest Tournament on Friday and Saturday.

Prattville Christian reached the quarterfinals of the Gold Bracket before losing to defending 6A state champion Spanish Fort 19-25 and 23-25.

Montgomery Academy went 2-1 on Saturday, losing to Daphne in the quarterfinals.

For the Eagles, Kaci Armistead had 45 digs and five aces, Bennett Britt had 23 kills, four aces and 18 digs, Morgan Springer had 18 kills, three blocks and four aces, Caroline Wood had 13 kills and three blocks, E.G. Hines had 12 kills, a block and 28 digs and Rehmat Sidhu had 68 assists, 11 digs, two blocks and two aces.

On Friday, Montgomery Academy opened play in the tournament with wins over Trinity and Pelham. In those two games, Britt had 16 kills, seven digs and two blocks, Springer had 13 kills and three blocks, Armistead had 31 digs and four assists, Sidhu had 39 assists, two aces and 17 digs, Hines had six kills and 16 digs and Addison Kitchens had 11 kills.

Prattville Christian defeated St. Paul's 12-25, 25-15 and 15-5 to open pool play, then beat Orange Beach 25-20 and 25-23 and Demopolis 25-18 and 25-16. In bracket play, the Panthers defeated Gulf Shores 21-25, 26-24 and 15-13 before falling to the Toros 25-19 and 25-23)

For PCA, Baylee Rogers had 95 assists, 29 digs, six aces, seven kills and a block, Maren Diefenderfer had 40 kills, five aces, seven blocks, an assist and three digs, Leah Cate Wilson had 24 kills, an assist and four digs, Olivia Rossi had 25 kills, an assist and six digs and Anniston Robison had seven aces, 18 kills and 31 digs.

Morgan Fowler had 49 digs, nine assists, three aces and a kill, Aiden Williams had two aces and 33 digs, Haven Harrell had 14 digs and three aces, Christiana Franklin had two kills, a block and three digs, Marion Lewis had an assist and five digs and Kandice Crosby had two digs.

Both teams return home to participate in their respective area tournaments on Wednesday.

Montgomery Academy (38-6) will play Julian in the opening round of the 6A Area 4 tournament at 4 p.m. on Joe Mooty Court. Should the Eagles win, they would face the winner of the Stanhope Elmore-Wetumpka match in the finals at 7 p.m.

Prattville Christian (30-11) will play Booker T. Washington in the opening round of the 4A Area 5 tournament at 2 p.m. in the PCA gym. Should the Panthers win, they would face the winner of the LAMP-Tallassee match in the finals at 5 p.m.

FLAG FOOTBALL

Catholic 46, Wilcox Central 0

CAMDEN -- Haley Ishman and Ellis O’Connor each caught two touchdown passes to lead Catholic to an easy 46-0 win over Wilcox Central on Tuesday.

The win gave Catholic the top seed in 1A-5A Region 4 with a 6-0 record against region opponents. The Knights will play host to the fourth-seeded team from Region 3, likely Valley or Loachapoka, in the first round of the state playoffs on Nov. 4.

Hayden Fitts completed 12 of 16 passes for 148 yards and four touchdowns but her backups, eighth grader Charley Frank and seventh grader Molly Dwyer, threw touchdown passes as well.

Fitts also rushed for 28 yards and a touchdown on three carries.

Ishman caught four passes for 63 yards and a pair of touchdowns and O’Connor caught three passes for 29 yards and a pair of touchdowns as Catholic built a 34-0 halftime lead.

Frances Rogers had four receptions for 37 yards and a touchdown, Avery Sadler had two catches for 29 yards and Kallie Hampton had two receptions for 15 yards and a touchdown.

Dwyer led the team defensively with seven stops.

Catholic (14-4) will travel to Birmingham on Wednesday for a tri-match involving Hoover and John Carroll.