HS sports update: Outdoor track and field season concludes; soccer, softball teams move on
GOLF
The Briarwood Christian School boys golf team won the Class 5A, Section 2 tournament last Monday, April 30. Slade McCraw shot a 74 and teammate Drew Schroeder shot 76 to lead the Lions. Briarwood qualified seven golfers for the sub-state tournament, which is set for Monday, May 7, in Dothan.
SOCCER
Briarwood
The Briarwood boys soccer team advanced to the Class 4A-5A Final Four with a pair of wins during the last week. The Lions defeated Trinity Presbyterian, 4-0, on Tuesday in the second round of the playoffs and they knocked off LAMP, 4-1, on Friday. LAMP notched the first goal of the game, but Briarwood quickly rallied and took control. Bryant Wood, Griffin Felton and Logan Frost all scored for the Lions.
Briarwood advances to the Final Four at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, where the Lions will take on St. Paul’s on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
The Lady Lions attempt to repeat as state champs fell short. After defeating Alabama Christian, 4-3, on Tuesday in comeback fashion, Briarwood was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Trinity Presbyterian, 1-0.
Chelsea
The Chelsea girls soccer team was also denied in its quest to repeat as Class 6A champions. The Lady Hornets beat Opelika, 6-0, on Tuesday in the second round of the playoffs, but were shut out, 4-0, by John Carroll in the quarterfinals on Friday.
Oak Mountain
The Oak Mountain soccer teams were eliminated in the first round of the Class 7A playoffs on Monday. The Lady Eagles fell to Vestavia Hills, 7-3, after a five-goal second half from the Lady Rebels allowed them to pull away. The three-time defending state champion boys team dropped a tight, 3-2, battle to Vestavia Hills as well.
SOFTBALL
Briarwood
The Briarwood softball team saw its season come to an end, as the Lions were eliminated from the Class 5A, Area 8 tournament on Wednesday.
The Lions began the tournament with a bang, as they upset top seed Moody, 15-9, on Tuesday. But Briarwood was unable to capitalize on the momentum and fell to Shelby County, 3-1, in the winner’s bracket game. In an elimination game on Wednesday, Moody exacted revenge, winning 12-2.
Chelsea
The Chelsea softball team clinched a spot in regionals by finishing second in the Class 6A, Area 8 tournament.
The Hornets began the tournament with a 5-0 win over Pelham on Tuesday. Brooke Burback picked up a pair of hits and homered in the contest, and Karson Rich was 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Chloe Eidson and Abigail Bryars each had two hits and an RBI. To go along with her solid day at the plate, Bryars hurled the shutout, allowing just four hits in seven innings.
Chelsea’s comeback fell just short in a 5-4 loss to Helena in the following game. Burback homered again and went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Eidson racked up three hits and Rich registered two. Olivia Bergert drove in a run.
On Thursday, the Hornets staved off elimination by defeating Pelham, 5-3. Burback’s three-run homer in the sixth gave Chelsea the lead for good. Bryars drove in a run at the plate and recorded the final three outs in the circle after a solid six innings from Sarah Cespedes. Camryn Smith notched two hits in the game.
Helena beat Chelsea, 9-6, in the area tournament championship game, rallying after the Hornets jumped out to a 5-0 lead. Burback, Skylar Baker and Lexi Serio each racked up three hits in the game, while Smith went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
With the result, Chelsea advanced to the Class 6A South Central Regional in Troy, set for Thursday and Friday.
Oak Mountain
The Oak Mountain softball team finished as the runner-up in the Class 7A, Area 6 tournament last week.
The Eagles began the tournament on Tuesday with a 20-0 win over Huffman. Maddie Katona hit a grand slam and Cassady Greenwood also homered. Katona, Greenwood and Abi Brown each drove in four runs. Torie Denkers was 2-for-3 with two doubles and three RBIs. Clara Fuller retired all six batters she faced, striking out five.
Later in the day, the Eagles beat Spain Park, 4-3. Greenwood and M’Kiyah Mitchell each homered for Oak Mountain in the game, and Jenna Galloway drove in a run as well. Lacy Marty allowed just three runs in a complete game effort.
The following day, Oak Mountain dropped a pair of games to Spain Park, allowing the Jags to take the title. In the first game, Spain Park withstood a late rally to win, 7-6. Denkers homered and drove in three runs in the game, with Katona, Greenwood and Brown also notching RBIs.
In the second game of the evening, Oak Mountain nearly erased a nine-run deficit but lost, 11-9. Brown notched three hits, including a homer, and drove in three runs in the game. Denkers homered again and had two more RBIs.
With the result, Oak Mountain qualified for the Class 7A North Central Regional, set for Friday at Bowers Park in Tuscaloosa. The Eagles are set to play Tuscaloosa County at 9 a.m.
TRACK AND FIELD
Each of the local schools sent athletes to the state outdoor track and field meet Thursday through Saturday in Gulf Shores.
In the Class 7A boys high jump, Trey Allen of Oak Mountain cleared 6 feet, 10 inches, tied with Baker’s Dontavious Hill. Hill was awarded first place for fewest misses.
Oak Mountain’s Nicole Payne broke the Class 7A outdoor 400-meter dash record (55.54) held by Myra Mack of Smiths Station with a 54.04 time.
In Class 5A, the Briarwood girls finished sixth overall. The Lady Lions placed third in the 4x400-meter relay and second in the 4x800-meter relay. The Briarwood boys finished fourth overall in Class 5A. Jake Nunn finished third in the 400-meter dash, and Ashton Domingue and Andrew Sherrod finished second and third in the javelin throw. Jaxen McPhail won the pole vault event by clearing 13 feet, 9 inches.
Chelsea’s Teanna Cason participated in the 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs. Along with Payne and Allen, Halla Stallworth, Grace Campbell, Jatoria Abrams, Asia Turner, Evie Bell, Olivia Hood, Phoebe Cooper, Aaron Brooks, Bryce Keefover, Indy Chery, Noah Brown, Harrison Dimick and Cade Marty participated in individual events from Oak Mountain.
Other Briarwood athletes included Sophie Muir-Taylor, Morgan Hutchinson, Lauren Musachia, Anna Beth Hild, Madeline Simmerman, Cady McPhail, Morgan Harris, Adrienne Goolsby, Emma Crawford, Katie Kelley, Gracie Wong, Kate Saunders, Sage O’Brien, Jay Kynerd, Zach Howard, Trent Malloy, Nicholas Robson, Riley Margene, Garrett Bell, Dalton Brooks and Luke Hess.