SPORTS

Playoff road begins for area teams

Joey Chandler Sports Writer
American Christian's Trayton Taft (17) moves to tag Hillcrest's Kash Ryan (3) as Ryan slides into second base on a steal attempt during the second annual Patriot Classic on Thursday, March 8, 2018. On Friday, Hillcrest opens the Class 6A playoffs against Wetumpka whil ACA hosts B.B. Comer in the Class 3A playoffs. [Staff Photo/Erin Nelson]

Five high school baseball teams from the west Alabama area will host first-round AHSAA playoff games Friday and seven will play on the road.

In Class 6A, No. 9 Hillcrest (20-10) hosts Wetumpka (17-12) and Northridge (21-11) travels to Opelika (19-12).

Demopolis (17-5) hosts Marbury (10-24-1) in Class 5A.

In Class 4A, Bibb County (18-9) hosts Sipsey Valley (11-13) and Hale County (13-10) travels to Oak Grove (18-10). Winfield (17-18) travels to Cordova (14-10).

In Class 3A, No. 4 American Christian Academy (16-14) hosts B.B Comer (12-12) and No. 5 Gordo, the defending state champions, (21-3) travel to Randolph County (18-5).

In Class 2A, Francis Marion (7-8) travels to Luverne (11-12).

In Class 1A, South Lamar (13-7) hosts Lynn (15-3) and Holy Spirit (11-5) travels to Marion County (16-5).

A Game 3 will take place on Saturday if necessary in the best of three series.

All-Star game

Hillcrest junior JaLon Johnson was selected to compete in the North-South Basketball All-Star game on Wednesday, July 18, at Alabama State University’s Dunn-Oliver Acadome.

Sixty juniors, 15 on each team, were chosen by nominations submitted by high school coaches across the state to compete in the boys and girls all-star contest.

The North boys won last year’s game, 75-64, and lead the series 48-27. The North girls also won, 76-67, and lead the overall series 18-3.

AHSAA notes

The AHSAA Central Board approved limiting high school basketball teams to 30 games in the regular season, including tournaments, and lifted the restriction of the number of tournaments a team can compete.

The 2017-18 rule allowed varsity teams to play 20 regular-season games and three regular-season tournaments with two being played with no loss of school time.

The Board also voted to move the site of the South Regional Basketball tournament, which has been at Dothan Civic Center the past six years, to Montgomery’s Garrett Coliseum. The Central Regional tournament will also remain in Montgomery at ASU’s Dunn-Oliver Acadome. The Northeast Regional will remain at Jacksonville State and the Northwest Regional will remain at Wallace-Hanceville.

The AHSAA also approved membership to the University Charter School of Livingston, and according to the AHSAA, will be the first public charter school member in AHSAA history.

AISA track

The Tuscaloosa Academy girls track team finished runner-up out of a field of 15 teams at the AISA state track championships last week. Northside Methodist took first with 134 points, followed by TA with 95 points.

Kalin Burt won the high jump (5-0), long jump (16-01.25) and triple jump (32-11.50).

Laura Brooks won the 200-meter dash (27.23) followed closely behind by teammate Harley McNeal (27.63). The pair joined Meredith Link and Lily Abernathy to win the 4x200 meter relay (1:55.28).

Escambia Academy won the boys meet and TA place 10th.

West Alabama meet

Northridge hosts the West Alabama and Tuscaloosa City/County championships track meet on Thursday.

Teams registered to compete include Aliceville, ACA, Bessemer City, Central, Demopolis, Ellwood Christian Academy, Greene County, Hillcrest, Holt, Holy Spirit, Northridge, Northside, Paul W. Bryant, Sipsey Valley and Tuscaloosa County.

Running events begin at 1 p.m. and field events start at 12:30 p.m.

Reach Joey Chandler at joey.chandler@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0223.