HS sports update: basketball, swimming and diving

The Briarwood Christian School football team is still gathering many of the headlines, as the Lions have qualified for the state championship game. But the local high school basketball teams have been in action, along with the state swimming and diving meet last weekend.

SWIMMING

Multiple area swimmers competed at the high school swimming and diving state meet on Dec. 2 and many placed in the top three in the state.

For Class 1A-5A, Campbell Lemons of Westminster-Oak Mountain placed second in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:46.12, and Briarwood Christian School’s Mason Mathias placed third with a time of 1:46.41.

Mathias later went on to become the 1A-5A boys 500-yard freestyle state champion by nearly four seconds, swimming a 4:44.62, and Lemons placed third with a time of 4:50.06.

Briarwood’s 400-yard freestyle relay team of Thomas Dillard, Holden Patterson, Joseph Bell and Mathias placed third as well with a time of 3:42.17.

For 6A-7A, Spain Park’s Ward Lockhart placed second in the boys 200-yard freestyle, swimming a time of 1:43.88, and then became the boys 500-yard freestyle state champion with a time of 4:38.88, a new state record according to the AHSAA. He won the event by more than eight seconds.

The Jags 200-yard freestyle relay team of Lockhart, Evan Trueb, Justin Zhang and Austin Stallworth also out touched Auburn High School by 0.07 seconds to place second with a time of 1:28.83.

Diver Zachary El-Fallah, a Spain Park junior, placed second for boys 1-meter diving with a score of 391.50 in finals.

BASKETBALL

BRIARWOOD

The Briarwood basketball teams split a pair of games last week.

On Tuesday, the Lady Lions beat Westminster-Oak Mountain, 40-34, behind 15 points from Lauren Smith and 12 from Morgan Hutchinson. That same night, the boys team beat Westminster, 72-59.

Neither fared as well Thursday at Pleasant Grove. The girls team lost 53-40, as Smith scored 17 points and Hutchinson scored 13. The Lady Lions now have a 2-3 record.

The boys team fell to Pleasant Grove, 70-27, and now has a 3-2 record.

This week, Briarwood travels to Pell City on Monday and Moody on Friday before hosting Dallas County on Saturday.

CHELSEA

The Chelsea High School basketball teams played a pair of games last week, making a trip to Oak Mountain and hosting Clay-Chalkville.

On Tuesday, the boys team fell to Oak Mountain, 44-37. Matthew Lanzi led the way for the Hornets with 15 points, followed by 10 points from Daniel Washington. They bounced back on Thursday to beat Clay-Chalkville, 51-38, as the Hornets now sit with a 4-3 record.

The Lady Hornets dropped both games to fall to 0-8. Michaella Edwards scored 18 points in their 35-26 loss to Oak Mountain on Tuesday. Chelsea fell to Clay-Chalkville, 58-30, on Thursday.

This week, both teams travel to Homewood on Thursday and Calera on Friday. The boys host Tuscaloosa County on Monday and will play Gadsden City on Saturday in a showcase at Jacksonville State.

OAK MOUNTAIN

Each of the Oak Mountain basketball teams won two out of three last week.

The girls team won 46-33 at Mortimer Jordan on Monday, behind 17 points from Kailey Rory and 12 from Kennedy Smith. Rory added 18 points on Tuesday, as the Lady Eagles knocked off Chelsea, 35-26.

On Friday, Oak Mountain cut the deficit to three in the second half, but fell short to Hewitt-Trussville, 66-51. Rory and Smith registered 15 points, as the Lady Eagles exited the week with a 6-3 record.

The boys team fared the same, beginning with a 43-42 win over Mortimer Jordan on Monday. Nathan Jones hit a free throw with 1.5 seconds remaining to lift the Eagles. Chris Mayweather led the way with 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Drew Dunn added 14 points.

Mayweather scored 14 points on Tuesday, as the Eagles beat Chelsea, 44-37. Oak Mountain fell to Hewitt-Trussville, 64-59, on Friday. Mayweather racked up 20 points, while Dunn and Jones each had 13 points. The Eagles now have a 5-2 mark.

Oak Mountain plays a pair of road games this week, with trips to Helena and Vestavia Hills on the docket.

SPAIN PARK

The Spain Park basketball teams had a relatively light week compared to others. The girls team played just once, dominating Pelham, 83-14, on Friday, to improve to 6-1 on the season.

The boys team picked up a 59-58 overtime win over Grissom on Thursday before falling to Pelham, 66-55, on Friday. The Jags now have a 3-6 record.

Both teams play just once this week, with a trip to Ramsay slated for Tuesday.