Elite Athletes Chosen For AHSAA All-Star Week Competitions
MADISON- Fifteen student-athletes representing the four local high schools in the immediate Madison area have been chosen to partake in the 2018 All-Star Sports Week scheduled for July 16-20 in Montgomery. The 22nd annual events is in conjunction with the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Summer Conference and includes competitions in six different sports featuring rising seniors in a North versus South format.
In basketball, five local athletes are on the rosters of the boys and girls North squad with the battles against the schools representing the South portion of Alabama scheduled for July 18 at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome on the Alabama State University campus.
Antonio (A.J.) McGinnis of James Clemens (G/F, 6-foot-4, 160 pounds) and Malik Tyson of Sparkman (F, 6-2, 190) earned a spot on the boys’ North roster. “I’m very excited about playing as this is something I’ve always wanted to do as it was my goal once I hit high school,” said McGinnis, who averaged 16 points and 4.2 rebounds an outing last season for the Jets. “I’ve been working out in the gym putting up multiple shots and working constantly for this competition. Plus, I’ve played a lot of AAU basketball this summer.”
“I feel special as there are only a special few chosen for All-Star Week,” said Tyson. “That week is very busy for me as I’ll be driving straight to the All-Star Week event from Augusta, Ga. as I’ll be playing in an AAU Tournament there. As soon as the All-Star game is complete, I’ll be flying out to California for another special AAU Tournament.”
Tyson has had interest from colleges such as Ole Miss, UNA, Providence and Troy as he carries a 3.8 GPA and wants to study sports medicine. “I’m ready to play. It’s an honor to be a part of the festivities,” added Tyson.
The North girls roster features two players from Sparkman as Deyana Dodd (G, 5-5), who averaged 11.5 points a game, and Sierra McCullough (C, 6-2), who added 10 points and 8 rebounds an outing last year for the Lady Senators. Also on the list of 15 making the squad is Madison Academy’s Jasmine Gracie (F, 6-1) of the 2018 Class 4A state champion Lady Mustangs.
“I’m excited about being among the best players in the state at All-Star Week and I’ve been conditioning myself throughout the summer in preparation for this game,” said Gracie, who averaged 8 points a game for the Lady Mustangs and committed to UAB, but has had offers from Jacksonville State, SMU, Little Rock, Ark., Belmont and Alabama A&M. “I tore my left ACL about this time last year and missed half of my junior season at Madison Academy. I returned to the starting lineup just in time for the run at the state championship and I feel we can repeat as state champs next season.”
Both the North boys and girls teams won last year’s outing with the North holding a 48-27 all-time series record while the girls have a dominant 18-3 mark over the South.
The volleyball competition will take place July 19 on the Auburn-Montgomery campus. The North squad includes 2017 Bob Jones All-State performer Emma Jarrett (OH, 5-11) and teammate Kiara Hill (MH, 5-9) and Catherine Klop (OH, 5-6) of James Clemens. The three local players are expected to lead the North, which holds a 15-6 series advantage.
“Being selected to this event is nice to know all of my hard work has paid off,” said Jarrett, a UAH commit, who carries a 4.0 GPA and who has 729 kills, 160 blocks and 370 digs in her three years with the Lady Patriots. “I have two younger sisters who also play volleyball and we work out together and help one another be better players. My mother is also a coach and I’ve been around the sport all of my life. I’m looking forward to playing alongside other girls who I have played with in club volleyball.”
Hill had 212 kills, 102 blocks and 12 digs last season for Bob Jones. For the Lady Jets, Klop posted 181 kills, 16 blocks and 290 digs last season as James Clemens finished the season at 35-16.
The annual softball matchup, which the North holds a 25-10-3 edge all time, again will have Kent Chambers of Bob Jones in the Administrative role, along with players Heather Philips (SS/OF, 5-4) of Bob Jones and crosstown rival James Clemens’ Lila Young (SS/C/OF, 5-7).
Phillips, a UAH commit, batted .326 and had a .957 fielding percentage for Bob Jones in her junior season. At James Clemens, Young batted .413 with six homers and was 22 of 22 in stolen bases.
“I’ve continued to work on my game by practicing on my own and playing on the Alabama Sparks Elite 01 travel team,” said Phillips, who practices at home with her own batting cage. “The All-Star Week is a great opportunity to play with some of the top players in Alabama and play the game I love.”
The softball competition will take place July 17 at Lagoon Park.
In soccer, which will take place July 17 at the Emory Folmar Soccer Complex in the state’s capitol, the boy’s squad representing the North will be led by Sparkman’s Jake Siefert as head coach. He said, “I’m very excited and humbled to be selected as All-Star coach. This is great for our Sparkman program and our school in general as I want to continue to expand exposure for our soccer program.”
Siefert will have one of the rising senior players on the squad as Maurice Kenon (F, 5-11, 175), who was particularly invaluable for the Senators last season at his defender position and posted 1,100 minutes of playing time.
Also on the North will be goal keeper Jude Vachon of Madison Academy (6-4, 195). He will try and assist the entire squad to play a successful match as the North has a 10-4-1 advantage in the series history.
In girls’ soccer, Bob Jones will be represented by Malaika Albright (M, 5-8) while Emery Mills (F, 5-5) will carry the school banner of Madison Academy into the match versus the South.
Additional sports held at All-Star Week, but did not have local athletes on the North rosters, include Baseball (July 17 at Riverwalk Stadium), Cross Country (July 18 at AUM) and Football (July 19 at Cramton Bowl).
