Calhoun County, AL – Close games dominate the slate of Thursday night high school games in and around Calhoun County; Weaver’s Brown passes 1,000 career points, and more
BOYS GAMES
Clay Central 54, Shelby County 36
Donoho 66, Faith Christian 63
Fort Payne at Anniston, ppd.
Lincoln at Talladega Co. Central, ppd.
Piedmont 61, Cherokee County 58
Pleasant Valley 64, Wellborn 42
Talladega at Etowah, ppd.
Weaver 49, Ohatchee 47
By Al Muskewitz
Tristan Brown tried not to think about the milestone that he was inching so close to achieving, but it was pretty hard to do with the student section counting down every point.
The Weaver senior became the latest member of the 1,000-point club Thursday when he completed a three-point play in the second quarter of the Bearcats’ in-school game with Ohatchee. Later, he disrupted the potential game-tying shot and the Bearcats got out with a 49-47 victory.
Brown needed six points to reach the milestone. He scored 15 and now has 1,009 as the Bearcats head into the Calhoun County Tournament.
“I didn’t really know I was getting close until maybe a month ago,” he said. “I saw one of your articles and it said I was getting pretty close, then I started getting excited about it. I didn’t really think I was going to be too excited about it, but I can’t lie, I’m pretty happy.”
When the milestone point went through the hoop, officials stopped the game and recognized the feat.
Brown scored all his points in the first half as the Bearcats opened a 31-17 halftime lead. But the Indians came after them in the second half. They hit four of their five 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and never allowed Weaver to feel comfortable.
“They took it to us,” Bearcats coach Beau Winn said. “Ohatchee did a great job. It was great to get the win, but my hat’s off to Bryant (Ginn) and his boys. They really played hard. To get that win and the way did it was big for us.”
Jesse Baswell hit a corner 3-pointer to get the Indians within one, but Armane Burton made a free throw at the other end with four seconds left to make it 48-47. Burton finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
In the final exchange, Ohatchee’s Jake Roberson missed a 3 with two seconds left that would’ve put the Indians ahead. They get the rebound for another try, but this time Brown moved over to defend and disrupted the off-balanced final shot.
Roberson scored 10 of his 15 points in the second half. Teammate Kelbe Crook scored all eight of his points after halftime.
OHATCHEE – Jake Roberts 2 0-0 4, Jesse Baswell 1 1-2 4, Alston Carroll 3 0-0 7, Colby Hester 1 0-0 3, Jake Roberson 6 1-2 15, Luke Vinson 3 0-0 6, Kelbe Crook 3 2-4 8. Totals 19 4-8 47.
WEAVER – Tristan Brown 6 1-1 15, Elijah Smith 0 0-0 0, Jeffrey Miles 5 3-4 13, Dawson Brooks 1 0-0 2, Dalton Homesley 1 0-2 2, Jackson Williams 2 0-2 4, Zach Garner 1 0-0 2, Armane Burton 5 1-3 11. Totals 21 5-12 49.
Ohatchee 9 8 11 19 – 47
Weave 13 18 9 9 – 49
3-point goals: Ohatchee 5 (Baswell, Carroll, Hester, Roberson 2); Weaver 2 (Brown 2). Technical fouls: Miles. Total fouls: Ohatchee 13, Weaver 10. Officials: Railey, Batey, Hollingsworth.
PIEDMONT 61, CHEROKEE COUNTY 58: Alex Odam broke a 58-58 tie with a bucket with 1:35 to play, Ish Bethel hit a free throw with 2.9 seconds left to make it a three-point game and the Bulldogs held their breath as Malachi Horton’s potential game-tying shot from beyond midcourt missed the mark to claim a come-from-behind victory.
Playing their third game in three days, the Bulldogs didn’t lead until Rollie Pinto hit three free throws midway through the fourth quarter, and then it went back and forth to the end. There were two lead changes and two ties over the next two minutes before Odam put the Bulldogs up for good.
Pinto scored 11 of his game-high 21 points in the fourth quarter. Odam had 19 points and Bethel had 16. The Bulldogs scored 41 points in the second half after trailing 27-20 at halftime.
The Warriors looked to have finally seized control with 2:24 left in the third after consecutive 3s by Jack Amos, Horton and Eli Martin, but the Bulldogs steadily brought it back. Landon Caldwell led Cherokee County with 16 points. Amos had 12.
PIEDMONT – Alex Odam 9 1-2 18, Rollie Pinto 7 3-3 21, Ish Bethel 6 1-2 16, Colten Proctor 0 0-2 0, Luke Rhinehart 0 0-0 0, Trevor Pike 0 0-0 0, Chance Murphy 0 1-2 1, Rhett Alford 0 0-0 0, Cole Wilson 2 0-0 4. Totals 24 6-11 61.
CHEROKEE COUNTY – Jack Amos 3 4-7 12, Malachi Horton 1 0-0 3, Cade Hopper 3 0-3 8, jaden Wilson 4 1-2 9, Landon Caldwell 7 2-2 16, Eli Martin 4 0-0 9, Jack Neyman 0 1-2 1. Totals 22 8-16 58.
Piedmont 7 13 20 21 – 61
Cherokee County 10 17 19 12 – 58
3-point goals: Piedmont 7 (Pinto 4, Bethel 3); Cherokee County 6 (Amos 2, Horton, Hopper 2, Martin). Total fouls: Piedmont 12, Cherokee County 10. Officials: Childs, Childs, Dupree.
DONOHO 66, FAITH CHRISTIAN 63: The Falcons, coach Korielle Beavers said, “made it harder than it had to be,” but Sam Johnson hit a free throw with four seconds left to make it a three-point game and the Falcons held their breath as Conner Richerzhagen’s potential game-tying 3 at the buzzer hit off the rim.
The win by the Falcons threw their area race into complete chaos.
“We absolutely needed it,” Beavers said. “Us, Winterboro and Faith have two losses and it’s a battle for that top spot. We all kind of control our own destiny. It’s been a wild year.”
Donoho’s Drew Williamson led all scorers with 30 points. Thomas Curlee led Faith with 23. Richerzhagen finished with 17.
FAITH CHRISTIAN – Thomas Curlee 8-18 6-9 23, Conner Richerzhagen 5-12 3-3 17, Yoshua Arevalo 3-13 3-7 11, Carson Harris 2-4 0-0 4, Tyler Bell 1-2 2-3 4, Eli Robinson 1-3 2-3 4, Parker Robertson 0-2 0-0 0, Will Smith 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-54 16-25 63.
DONOHO – Jordan Cameron 3 3-4 9, Jack Wallace 0 0-0 0, Isiah Smith 1 0-0 3, Rich Goad 3 4-5 10, Drew Williamson 10 10-11 30, Sean Keel 1 0-2 2, Cash Worley 0 0-2 0, Sam Johnson 4 3-4 11. Totals 22-44 20-28 66.
Faith Christian 15 14 18 16 – 63
Donoho 10 24 21 11 – 66
3-point goals: Faith Christian 7-27 (Curlee 1-4, Richerzhagen 4-11, Arevalo 2-9, Harris 0-1, Robinson 0-1, Robertson 0-1); Donoho 2-7 (Williamson, Smith). Rebounds: Faith Christian 25 (Curlee 8, Arevalo 7); Donoho 28. Fouled out: Bell. Total fouls: Faith Christian 23, Donoho 18.
PLEASANT VALLEY 64, WELLBORN 42: Jesse Gannaway and Jayden Veazey each scored seven points in a 30-point third quarter that helped the Raiders pull away.
PV led 26-14 at halftime of the in-school game, then had eight players ring the scoring bell in the third quarter as the Raiders took a 30-point lead into the fourth quarter.
Jaden Sparks led PV with 14 points. Kolby Battles had 12 and Gannaway had 11. Veazey finished with nine thanks to his big quarter.
Jackson Long hit three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and led Wellborn with 15 points. The Panthers were playing without big man Ethan Tidwell (ankle).
Pleasant Valley’s boys won the Small School bracket of the County Junior High Tournament, beating Saks in the final 60-39. Brody Barnwell was the MVP.
PLEASANT VALLEY – Jaden Sparks 7 0-1 14, Jesse Gannaway 5 0-2 11, Hunter Sparks 4 0-0 8, Jayden Veazey 4 1-2 9, Bryce Freeman 1 0-0 2, Kolby Battles 5 2-4 12, Braxton Williams 2 0-0 4, Tristan Green 1 0-0 2, Kyle Smith 1 0-0 2. Totals 30 3-9 64.
WELLBORN – Conner Woodard 1 0-0 2, Xavier Parker 0 0-2 0, Avery Odom 4 2-4 10, C.J. Hubbard 2 1-1 5, Liam Avery 2 0-0 4, Immanual Singleton 0 0-0 0, K Williams 0 2-2 2, Jackson Long 6 0-0 15, Trey Downs 2 0-0 4, Wilson 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 5-9 42.
Pleasant Valley 12 14 30 8 – 64
Wellborn 8 6 11 17 – 42
3-point goals: Pleasant Valley 1 (Gannaway); Wellborn 3 (Long 3). Total fouls: Pleasant Valley 9, Wellborn 11.
Girls games
Clay Central 29, Shelby County 25
Fort Payne at Anniston, ppd.
Lincoln at Talladega Co. Central, ppd.
Ohatchee 63, Weaver 25
Cherokee County 54, Piedmont 28
Pleasant Valley 47, Wellborn 28
Talladega at Etowah, ppd.
OHATCHEE 63, WEAVER 25: Jorda Crook scored 39 points, 17 in the first quarter and 25 in the first half, to lead the Lady Indians.
OHATCHEE – Tabi Davidson 1 0-0 2, Whitney McFry 0 0-0 0, Mia Waters 1 0-0 2, Greenlee Orman 0 0-0 0, Carly Hall 0 0-0 0, Priesly Davis 1 0-0 2, Kiana Garber 2 0-2 4, Jorda Crook 18 3-5 39, Lindsey Zurchin 3 0-0 9, Alyssa Davis 2 1-2 5. Totals 28 4-9 63.
WEAVER – Annalynna Conchucaja 0 0-0 0, Erionna Richmond 1 2-4 4, D.J. Gibbs 3 1-1 7, Ellamae Kines 1 0-0 3, Alayia D’Ambrosia 0 0-0 0, Aaliyah Marks 2 0-0 5, Madison Atchley 0 0-0 0, Kimora Miles 3 0-2 6, Sanariah Moore 0 0-2 0. Totals 10 3-9 25.
Ohatchee 25 20 15 3 – 63
Weaver 4 6 10 5 – 25
3-point goals: Ohatchee 3 (Zurchin 3); Weaver 2 (Kines, Marks). Total fouls: Ohatchee 10, Weaver 10.
PLEASANT VALLEY 47, WELLBORN 28: Macey Roper and Rebekah Gannaway combined for all 19 of the Lady Raiders’ points in the third quarter to help them pull away. Roper finished with a game-high 24 and Gannaway had nine. Anna Odom led Wellborn with 16.
PLEASANT VALLEY – Macey Roper 8 7-11 24, Rebekah Gannaway 3 3-6 9, Kianna Hester 1 2-2 4, Laney Robinson 1 0-2 3, Lilly Robinson 1 0-0 3, Haylie Lee 1 0-5 2, Ella Kate Parris 0 0-0 0, Ashlynn Salster 0 1-2 1, Alexa Cranmer 0 1-4 1. Totals 15 14-32 47.
WELLBORN – Braelyn Bean 0 0-0 0, Mikayla Williams 0 0-0 0, Taniya Traylor 0 0-0 0, Bentley Bean 0 0-0 0, Destiny Benefield 2 0-4 4, Calla Hayes 0 0-0 0, Libby Smith 1 0-0 2, Brooke Singleton 3 0-2 6, Hannah Grubbs 0 0-0 0, Anna Odom 5 6-12 16. Totals 11 6-18 28.
Pleasant Valley 8 10 19 10 – 47
Wellborn 6 7 9 6 – 28
3-point goals: Pleasant Valley 3 (Roper, La. Robinson, Li. Robinson). Fouled out: Hester, Be. Bean, B. Singleton. Total fouls: Pleasant Valley 17, Wellborn 19.
CHEROKEE COUNTY 54, PIEDMONT 28: Raechel Russell hit three 3-pointers and Mary Hayes Johnson had eight points in a 19-2 second-quarter run that led the Lady Warriors to their victory.
Russel hit four 3-pointers in the game and led all scorers with 14 points. Johnson scored all 12 of her points in the first half and Audrey Haygood had 11 of her 13 in the third quarter. Ava Pope hit three 3s and led Piedmont with 11 points.
PIEDMONT – Armoni Perry 0 0-0 0, Ava Pope 4 0-0 11, Josie Young 0 0-0 0, Rylie Anne Holbrooks 0 0-0 0, Jaycee Glover 1 0-0 3, Lele Ridley 4 2-8 10, Cayla Brothers 0 0-0 0, Melanie Studdard 1 0-2 2, Jenna Duke 0 0-0 0, Carson Young 0 0-0 0, Gracie Naugher 1 0-0 2, Morgan Studdard 0 0-0 0, Hannah Kate Barber 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 2-10 28.
CHEROKEE COUNTY – Raechel Russell 5 0-0 14, Mary Hayes Johnson 5 1-6 12, Audrey Haygood 6 1-1 13, Vivian Connell 1 1-2 3, Raegan Garmany 1 1-2 3, Ava Haygood 0 1-2 1, Deannia Starr 0 3-4 3, Ellisan Givens 1 1-2 3, Nevaeh Gaidurgis 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 9-19 54
Piedmont 7 2 13 6 – 28
Cherokee County 10 19 16 9 – 54
3-point goals: Piedmont 4 (Pope 3, Glover); Cherokee County 5 (Russell 4, Johnson). Total fouls: Piedmont 13, Cherokee County 10. Officials: Childs, Childs, Dupree.
