Christian Peterson of St. Bernard being introduced prior to game time at the AHSAA All-Star basketball game. / Johnny Thornton
MONTGOMERY – Seven local high school athletes are participating in the 21st annual Alabama High School All-Star Sports Week this week.
The Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) all-star games and coaching conference are being held throughout the city of Montgomery all week.
Cullman's Tizapa named MVP in North soccer victory
Cullman's Miguel Tizapa enjoyed his appearance at the Alabama High School all-star soccer match, taking home MVP honors in a 5-2 victory against the South at the Emory Folmar Complex.
Tizapa scored three times in four shot attempts, following a similar pattern he performed in the spring producing hat tricks (3 goals in a game).
Tizapa tied the game at 1-1 with under 17:00 left in the first half with his first goal. Back-to-back goals in the second half from Tizapa enabled the North to extend the margin to 4-1.
Tizapa was an instrumental part of the success for the Bearcats during the spring in reaching the 6A championship for the second consecutive year.
Holcombe gets a win and loss in All-Star softball
Holly Pond catcher Kolby Holcombe and the North softball squad rolled past the South 12-6 in the opener of a twinbill Tuesday at Lagoon Park.
The South salvaged a split in the series, winning the nightcap by the score of 11-1.
Holcombe divided playing time behind the plate with Katelyn Williams of Hatton and Charley Clark of Calera. Holcombe enjoyed a fine 2017 season for the Lady Broncos in earning an opportunity to participate in the mid-summer classic.
The North leads the all-time series by a margin of 25-10-3.
St. Bernard's Sweeney fourth overall in inaugural cross country run
St. Bernard runner Andrew Sweeney was part of a dominant North team in the inaugural cross country run Wednesday morning on the campus of Auburn University-Montgomery.
Sweeney was fourth with a time of 17 minutes, 34 seconds, finishing fourth behind the winner, John McCrackin of Hoover, with a time of 17 minutes, 27 seconds. Matthew Estopinal of Randolph and Zach Howard of Briarwood Christian finished second and third to complete the North producing the top four runners.
Sweeney was invited to the first-time event during AHSAA All-Star Sports Week after being a valuable contributor to St. Bernard winning the 1A/2A state title last fall, edging its local rival Cold Springs.
Sweeney will now focus on his senior season at St. Bernard, with workouts to begin in early August.
Wallace State coach speaks on the game of softball
Wallace State softball coach A.J. Daugherty was a guest speaker Tuesday during the AHSAA softball clinic at the Montgomery Convention Center.
Daugherty focused on recruiting, the short game and base running to a crowd of state high school coaches attending the seminar.
Daugherty finished his first season at Wallace with the ACCC championship and a trip to the NJCAA tournament in St. George, Utah. Daugherty is a former coach in the AHSAA, coaching at James Clemens High School before being hired by Wallace in the spring of 2016.
North sweeps South on the hardwood
St. Bernard guard Christian Peterson is known for his skills on the offensive side of the hardwood. Peterson had an impact play from the defensive side that will be a lasting moment in his career, participating in the AHSAA all-star basketball game Wednesday night at the AUM Arena.
Peterson blocked a shot that would lead to a North basket in transition in the third quarter. That kept the North on top. The North pulled away late and won the classic 74-64.
Peterson had a series of followers from St. Bernard, including his coach Greg Boatright, athletic director William Calvert, father Joel Martin and others.
"It was a nice feeling," Peterson said afterwards. "I was honored to be the first basketball player from St. Bernard to play in the all-star game."
Peterson and his North teammates clamped down on the South in the third quarter, holding them to four field goals and only eight points, breaking a 32-32 halftime tie to lead 48-40 entering the final period.
But the lead did not last. The South stormed back to tie the game at 53-53 with 5:40 left on a 3-point field goal. A free throw from Xavier Williams of Parker lifted the North to the lead for the rest of the game.
Point guard Travarus Carroll from Huffman took over, scoring 11 of the team's final 18 points, creating breathing room. Carroll moved the margin above double digits when he drove down the lane for a layup with 43 seconds left to make it 72-61.
A slam dunk by Trey Jemison of Homewood closed out the scoring as the North produced 26 points in the final eight minutes, their best effort in one stanza.
Carroll ripped the cords for 27 points on 8-of-11 shooting and 8-of-10 at the line, earning the North MVP award. Jemison had 13 points and was the top rebounder with 11. Williams contributed nine to the winning tally.
"I'm proud of him," Boatright commented after the game.
It was a successful day for St. Bernard athletics, that began on the AUM campus Wednesday morning when Andrew Sweeney performed well in the inaugural cross country run, finishing fourth with a time of 17:34.
Peterson then contributed that evening at the same campus.
"We made a statement," Peterson added. "We showed our presence here as a 2A school. I hope we get more to come here next year."
North girls prevail 76-67
Led by an astounding performance from MVP Ajah Wayne of Homewood, getting a fourth quarter lift by Brooke Hampel of Hazel Green, the North began the evening of hoops, defeating the South 76-67.
The game was a tight one after three quarters with the North up 51-50 and the South having momentum.
But a 6-0 run by the North less than 2:00 into the period extended the lead as Hampel scored twice in this spurt with Wayne getting a field goal as well.
A 3-point play from Lauderdale County's Allie Craig Cruce pushed the margin to 62-55 with 5:24 remaining. Cruce and Athens' Alexis Woods worked together in scoring and passing. Cruce knocked in a short jumper off a pass from Woods with 1:21 left to keep the lead safe at 72-65.
Fifteen seconds later, it was Woods scoring with Cruce getting an assist and the lead was still at seven at 74-67. Both netted a point from the line in the final 44 seconds to create the largest advantage of the game, nine points.
Wayne was hot with 22 points, 16 in the first half, when she was 4-of-4 from the field and 8-of-9 at the line. Hampel tossed in 12 with Cruce scoring 11 and Woods finishing with eight.
The 25 points in the fourth was the best on the offensive side for the North, after they managed just 13 points in the third period. The North took advantage of a foul-prone South squad by connecting on 26-of-39 free throws, led by Wayne who was 8-of-11, Karleigh Sledge of Deshler 4-of-5 and Eboni Williams of Hoover 3-of-4.
The South managed 16 points at the line in 24 attempts for 66 percent.
Local athletes to compete on Thursday
Competition for the 21st AHSAA All-Star Sports Week ends Thursday with volleyball and football.
Addison's Abbie Chambless will play in the volleyball series that will be held at Auburn University-Montgomery at 4 p.m.
Cullman placekicker Tristin Skinner is on the roster for the North in football. The mid-summer classic will be at 7 p.m. at the Cramton Bowl.
Click here to read about North's sweep of the South in the all-star baseball series Tuesday.
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