All-Star Week Has Local Flavor
MONTGOMERY- In a near clean sweep, the North dominated the South in the annual Alabama High School Athletic Association’s (AHSAA) North-South All-Star Week winning nine of 11 events with two additional contests canceled due to rain. The North domination included athletes from the four local high schools, many of which played a big part in the North’s authoritative performance at the event held in Montgomery.
The victories by the South came in Baseball and Softball while the North took home victories in girls and boys golf, girls and boys cross country, girls and boys basketball, girls and boys soccer and volleyball. Both the girls and boys tennis competitions were canceled due to inclement weather, but doubles matches were held before rain pelted the area and the competition was canceled without declaring an overall winner in either division.
Volleyball
In what was the most riveting competition of the All-Star Week, the North pulled out a 3-2 victory over the South in volleyball winning the battle in five games 23-25, 26-24, 25-23, 23-25, 15-9. The North victory improved its all-time in the series to 16-10.
The North was led by head coach Jenny Jarrett who had two of her own players in Riley Lovell and Kennedy Vaughn on the North squad. Lovell dished out 26 assists and had five digs while Vaughn was a team-tied supplier with 13 kills. After dropping the first game in a close score, the North rebounded with two close game victories of their own before the South came back to win game four to force a fifth deciding match. In the dramatic fifth game, Vaughn and North MVP Lauren Buchanan of Chelsea basically put on a clinic for the 15-9 game and match victory.
Basketball
Down 50-44 at halftime, the North raced back and cruised to a 97-85 win in boys basketball as Kaden Rickard (6-6, 170) of Bob Jones, the lone local participant in the 81st annual contest, scored 9 points, grabbed 5 rebounds and had 1 blocked shot in 14 minutes of playing time for the North. He hit 3-8 field goals and 3-4 free throws.
The win was the third in four years for the North which holds a 51-30 lead in the overall series. Since the game became part of the All-Star Week in 1997, the North has won 20 of the 27 matchups.
In the girl’s game, another Bob Jones Patriot took to the floor for the North as 5-10 guard Jaliyah Smith played 10 minutes, scored 3 points with 3-4 free throws to assist the North to an easy 87-46 win over the South squad. With the win, the North has won six in a row and now holds a commanding 24-3 lead in the series.
Softball
Without any representatives from the local schools, the North stormed back to tie the South 11-11 in game two of the annual softball games. This came after the South with three pitchers combined to hurl a 3-0 shutout victory in game one. In the second game, both teams combined for 25 hits, 22 runs and 21 RBIs. With the two games, the South recorded the victory, but still trail the North 29-25-5 in the overall series.
Baseball
Mother Nature interrupted what potentially was going to be a barnburner in the baseball competition. The South received strong pitching performances from four hurlers to post a 4-1 victory in game. The two teams got game two started, but a lightning delay interrupted play in the first inning and the game was unable to continue thus giving the South the victory, but still trails in the series of the competition 28-18-4 to the North.
In game one, which featured Bob Jones All-American and reigning Hitter of the Year in Alabama Zack Johnson, All-State catcher played his position for half the game and was listed as designated hitter. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Johnson was 0-2 at the plate as the North was outhit 7-4 scoring the necessary winnings runs in the second, fourth and sixth innings.
Soccer
Two local students, Regan Boyd of Madison Academy and Amber Smith from Sparkman, were chosen to represent the North in the annual battle with the South All-Stars in girls competition.
Boyd, the 5-4 midfielder from the Mustangs, had two shots on the day including one on-goal. The 5-7 midfielder Smith had one shot in the North 4-1 victory over the South. The North completed the contest leading in shots-on-goal 32-13.
The North boys helped the sweep for the North soccer competition as the North won the match 4-1. The North boys lead the all-time series 16-4-1 while the North girls improved to 19-3-1.
Golf
The North used their talents throughout the course in a sweep of the South in the golf competition. Without any representatives from the local teams, the boys nipped the South 39-33 while the girls won their match 51-39 against the South. The North girls’ victory was their fourth in five years and improved their lead 4-1 in the series. Meanwhile, the North boys improved to 5-0 in the overall series, which was added to the All-Star Week in 2019.
Cross Country
Athletes from James Clemens helped both the boys and girls squads to a North sweep in the All-Star Week cross country competition. Luke Alverson posted a time of 15:50.83 to place second in the boys battle securing the title with a North victory 20-41. In girls, Kyle Gero was fifth with a time of 19:52.00 as the North outscored the South 17-38 to complete the whitewash for the North.
The cross country series in its seventh year has the North leading 5-2 in both boys and girls events.
