PREP UPDATE: Walters wins at AHSAA state meet; MA boys soccer advances to state tourney

Alabama Christian’s AC Walters won the Class 3A javelin competition during Friday’s meet in Cullman. (Contributed)

COMBINED REPORTS

AHSAA State Track update

Alabama Christian senior A.C. Walters won the javelin competition in Class 3A with an impressive throw of 174 feet, 4 inches, to beat Westbrook Christian junior Brodey Wood. Wood came in to the state meet with the best throw in the section competition – 176-09.50. Walters qualified with a 162-06 throw in the section.

The meet was suspended due to bad weather and several events were not completed.

As of Saturday morning, all AHSAA Class 4A/5A/6A/7A Outdoor Track and Field State Championship events at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex are on regular schedule. A rolling schedule will be implemented for the remainder of the event. 

BOYS SOCCER

MA 4, Auburn 1

AUBURN -- Montgomery Academy got four goals from four different players and turned in a stellar defensive effort to defeat Auburn 4-1 in the quarterfinals of the Class 7A state soccer playoffs on Friday night.

Montgomery Academy (16-5-2) will advance to the 7A state tournament for the first time in school history and will face Fairhope (11-7-1) in Huntsville in the 7A semifinals on Thursday at 11 a.m.

Brewer Welch scored the Eagles’ first goal, followed by goals from Ethan Yi, Jacob Stubblefield and Hampton Welch.

Goalkeeper Grady Ming had 14 saves in the win over the Tigers.  

The Eagles, who were elevated in classification this year through Competitive Balance Factor, will be making their 10th trip to the state tournament, including two in Class 1A-5A, three in 1A-4A, three in 4A-5A and one in Class 6A. Montgomery Academy has never won a state championship but has played in the finals twice.

The Montgomery Academy girls weren’t as fortunate, falling to Auburn 2-0 in the 7A quarterfinals.

It marks just the second time in the last 14 years the MA girls have failed to reach the state tournament in Huntsville, but this is their first year as a 7A squad after being elevated by Competitive Balance Factor. 

GIRLS SOCCER

Catholic 3, ACA 0

Jamie McGuire scored a pair of goals to lead Catholic to a 3-0 win over American Christian Academy in the first round of the Class 4A state soccer playoffs at Catholic on Tuesday night.

Catholic (17-4) will travel to Birmingham for the second round of the playoffs and will play Westminster-Oak Mountain, a 1-0 winner over defending 1A-3A state champion St. James.

The Knights took 51 shots with 34 of those shots being on goal, while American Christian had just eight shots with six of those being on goal.

McGuire scored the game’s first goal with an assist by Aurora Lemuz, then scored the second goal with an assist by Eryn Owens. Owens also assisted on the third goal scored by seventh grader Andrea Diaz.

Goalkeeper Kyleigh Harris made six saves for her 12th shutout of the season.