Stephens steps up

By EASportsToday.com
- Tweet
Updated: January 16, 2016

Faith scorer fights through sickness to help Lady Lions complete undefeated run through area; includes girls box scores

By Jason Katz
For East Alabama Sports Today

One of the hardest things to do in sports is playing hurt or sick. Madison Stephens played basketball Friday night and played well while battling the dreaded mononucleosis virus.

Oh, did we mention she was also on the homecoming court just a few minutes before the game started?

The lingering virus had no effect on Stephens this night as she scored 18 points to lead Faith Christian over rival Donoho 54-28 and complete an undefeated run through Class 1A Area 12.

“I didn’t really know if I was going to play tonight,” Stephens said. “I had like five minutes before the game to warm up because of my homecoming obligations, but I am glad I was able to play and have such a good night.”

Stephens had been battling the illness for several weeks and had missed or been limited in several games, but it obviously was no factor in her game against the winless Lady Falcons.

“I wasn’t really trying to think about it,” she said. “I just played through it and my team really stepped up as well. I think as a team we played really well tonight.”

Her team did not disappoint. Sydnee Johnson had 15 points with seven rebounds and Emily Sills had 12 points as seven players scored for the Lady Lions (8-6)

Winning installs them as the solid No. 1 in their area, allowing them to host the area tournament for the first time in recent memory.

“This game solidified us as the team to beat in the area,” said Faith coach Bradley Dawson, himself feeling a bit under the weather. “We have never been No. 1 and we have never hosted area tournament, so this is special to us. It has been a long three years, but this year we have come together and played some really good ball.”

Dawson said running the table in the area’s regular season schedule is a testament to the consistent nature the team came ready to play.

“I think it shows the amount of work the girls put in in the offseason,” he said. “We haven’t really talked about it much. We are a pretty young team and we don’t really focus on wins and losses.

“I think after basketball season the girls will realize how special this group was. We always talked about wanting to send Madison out on top. We still have a lot of work to do, but we did take care of business in the regular season.”

Donoho fell to 0-13 with the loss. Constance Hodges led the team with eight points while Lauren Holbrook had six.

Both teams now move into the Calhoun County Tournament. Faith will face White Plains today at 6 p.m. Donoho will face Weaver on Monday.

Mono or no, Madison Stephens plans to play.

“The girls are excited,” said Dawson. “We have a good enough team to make a run and if we can play good defense I think we have a shot.”

FRIDAY’S GIRLS BOXSCORES

Faith Christian 54, Donoho 28

DONOHO (0-13) — Anna Marie Woodfin 2 1-9 5, Kirin Heathcock 2 1-2 5, Campbell Hagan 0 0-0 0, Alysse Lalonde 0 1-2 1, Savannan Frickey 0 0-0 0, Kelsey Jackson 1 0-0 3, Constance Hodges 4 0-0 8, Jenna Stremmel 0 0-0 0, Carley Hughes 0 0-2 0, Lauren Holbrook 3 0-0 6. Totals 12 3-15 28.

FAITH CHRISTIAN (8-6) — Logan Boyd 2 0-0 4, Kristan Covington 1 0-0 2, Emily Sills 5 1-3 12, Madison Stephens 8 2-4 18, Ashleigh Mockabee 0 0-0 0, Sarah Jessica Christjohn 0 1-3 1, Sydnee Johnson 5 5-7 15, Regan Crosby 1 0-0 2, Zana Christjohn 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 9-17 54.

Donoho 9 5 6 8 — 28
Faith Christian 16 9 21 8 — 54

3-point goals: Donoho 1 (Jackson); Faith Christian 1 (Sills). Total fouls: Donoho 17, Faith Christian 13. Officials: Killingsworth, Winn, Stubbs.

Jacksonville 45, White Plains 30

WHITE PLAINS – Shelby Wood 4-14 0-4 8, Carley Wood 4-7 0-0 8, Ann Katherine Dothard 2-4 2-2 6, Korie Burgess 2-5 0-0 4, Rian Chandler 1-2 0-0 2, Grey Young 1-2 0-0 2, Mary Clare Young 0-1 0-0 0, Jocelyn Harris 0-0 0-0 0, Chasity Nelson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 14-35 2-6 30.

JACKSONVILLE – Aniyah Jefferson 6-9 1-2 13, Dasia Kirksey 5-11 0-0 12, Kyra Williams 4-8 0-0 10, Ataliya Morgan 2-3 0-0 6, Aniyah Robinson 2-7 0-0 4, Kelsey Ervin 0-1 0-0 0, Essence Hutchinson 0-0 0-0 0, Malieah Patterson 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 19-42 1-2 45.

White Plains 10 8 6 6 — 30
Jacksonville 11 8 12 14 — 45

3-point goals: White Plains 0-3 (S. Wood 0-1, C. Wood 0-1, G. Young 0-1); Jacksonville 6-15 (Kirksey 2-6, Williams 2-5, Morgan 2-3). Rebounds: White Plains 19 (Dothard 5); Jacksonville 25 (Kirksey 9). Total fouls: White Plains 2, Jacksonville 6.

Ohatchee 52, Ashville 37

ASHVILLE — Kattin Hale 1 0-0 2, Lasondra Looney 4 6-7 16, Ashlee Barnard 1 1-2 3, Walina Acosta 0 0-0 0, Hannah Lauderdale 0 5-6 5, Laura Mejia 0 0-0 0, Diamond Williams 5 1-2 11, Erika Williams 0 0-0 0, Lex Woods 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 13-17 37.

OHATCHEE – Taylor Hamm 0 0-0 0, Courtney Poole 0 0-0 0, Hannah Howell 0 0-0 0, Shelby Crump 0 0-0 0, Ally McCoy 8 8-8 27, Kourtney Shuler 0 0-0 0, Kacie Cooper 1 0-0 3, Mac Hanks 2 2-2 7, Madison Hanks 3 2-2 8, Shey Clements 0 0-0 0, Mandy Jennings 0 0-1 0, Cheyenne McCarter 2 3-4 7. Totals 16 15-17 52.

Ashville 4 16 7 10 — 37
Ohatchee 9 18 18 7 — 52

3-point goals: Ashville 2 (Looney 2); Ohatchee 5 (McCoy 3, Cooper, Mac. Hanks). Total fouls: Ashville 18, Ohatchee 20.

Notes: With the victory, Ohatchee avoids being the No. 4 team in its area. McCoy scored 11 of her points in the third quarter, 16 in the second half.

CHEROKEE COUNTY TOURNAMENT

Spring Garden 51, Cedar Bluff 19

CEDAR BLUFF – Alexis Moten 1 0-2 3, Kiana Dobbins 1 0-0 2, Delilah Price 5 1-1 11, Marigrace Wilson 1 0-0 3, Ollina McClellan 0 0-2 0, Diamonds Moore 0 0-0 0, LaQuesha Alford 0 0-0 0. Totals 8 1-5 19.

SPRING GARDEN – A.J. Broome 6 0-0 14, Kerstin Bryant 2 0-0 4, Madison Sides 1 0-0 3, Savannah Dempsey 2 0-0 5, Payton McGinnis 2 0-0 4, Tykeah Rogers 8 1-2 17, Chloe Jarrett 0 0-0 0, Madison Jennings 2 0-0 4. Totals 23 1-2 51.

Cedar Bluff 9 2 5 3 — 19
Spring Garden 15 14 12 10 — 51

3-point goals: Cedar Bluff 2 (Moten, Wilson); Spring Garden 4 (Broome 2, Sides, Dempsey). Fouled out: Moten. Total fouls: Cedar Bluff 9, Spring Garden 9. Officials: Davis, Madaris, Watkins.

Sand Rock 47, Cherokee County 28

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Meagan McGatha 1 0-0 2, Emily Ransom 0 1-2 1, Kendal Perry 1 0-2 3, Coley Battles 3 4-4 10, Emily Williams 0 0-0 0, Crimson Mahannon 0 1-3 1, Jensen Alexander 5 0-0 11. Totals 10 6-11 28.

SAND ROCK — Kiby Deboard 3 2-3 8, Haylie Pruitt 1 1-2 3, Paige Norris 0 0-0 0, Audrey Richardson 0 0-0 0, Savannah Blackwell 2 1-4 5, Emily Langley 5 2-2 16, Morgan Bone 3 0-0 6, Katelyn Hanson 2 0-0 5, Mary Frances Brown 1 2-2 4. Totals 17 8-13 47.

Cherokee County 9 0 8 11 — 28
Sand Rock 13 17 8 9 — 47

3-point goals: Cherokee County 2 (Alexander, Perry); Sand Rock 5 (Langley 4, Hanson). Total fouls: Cherokee County 14, Sand Rock 15. Officials: Reedy, Gilmore, Miller.

NEWS TICKER