Jackets back
- Updated: February 13, 2023
Sizemore drives Glencoe girls to subregional victory at Piedmont, back to Northeast Regional for the first time since 2019
CLASS 3A NORTHEAST SUBREGIONALS
Glencoe 66, Piedmont 50
Susan Moore 72, Sylvania 42
Ohatchee 73, Saks 25
Plainview 70, Vinemont 31
By Joe Medley
East Alabama Sports Today
PIEDMONT — Jaxson Sizemore’s skip and giddy smile as the last second of Glencoe’s subregional victory at Piedmont on Monday ticked away was very much that of a younger kid.
More like the eighth-grader she was the last time the Yellow Jackets’ girls made the Northeast Regional.
“This is the first time this team has ever gone anywhere,” the senior said. “We’ve not even made it out of area the last couple of years, so this is so special for us.
“This has been the goal every year.”
Sizemore scored a game-high 24 points, and Glencoe eliminated Piedmont 66-50 Monday to punch its first Northeast Regional ticket since 2019.
The Yellow Jackets (19-10) will play Susan Moore on Monday at Pete Mathews Coliseum at a time to be determined. Glencoe’s boys play their subregional Tuesday, and there’s a chance both Glencoe teams could play back to back in the regional.
Glencoe’s girls finished runner-up in Class 3A, Area 12 and had to go on the road to play their sub-regional game, but getting out of area marked progress toward ending the program’s recent regional drought.
Missing regional is not normal for Glencoe’s girls. The Yellow Jackets have made 14 regional appearances Glencoe has for a program with 14 regional appearances, including four from 2015-19.
Their lone regional title came in 2009.
The Yellow Jackets’ path at regional is backed with ranked teams. Susan Moore finished the regular season ranked No. 2 in 3A in the Alabama Sports Writers Association poll.
The other regional matchup will feature No. 3 Plainview and No. 8 Ohatchee.
“Glencoe girls is a proud program, and that was the main thing is, let’s just have a chance to get ourselves back,” second-year Glencoe coach Blake Badgett said. “We know the three that’s going to be there are great teams, but you’ve got to get there and give yourself a chance.”
Sizemore’s drives and 8-for-11 free throw shooting Monday helped Glencoe get there. The Yellow Jackets also got 11 points apiece from Autumn Greene and Alli Jo Amos
They overcame a 22-point showing from Piedmont’s Ava Pope, including three fourth-quarter 3-pointers, and 18 points from senior LeLe Ridley, who hit 10 of 14 free throws.
Piedmont got 10 total points from the rest and struggled to take advantage of 27 Glencoe turnovers, most coming as Piedmont tried to press its way back from a 38-20 halftime hole.
“You create 27 turnovers, you’ve got to be able to score on at least half of them, over half of them,” Piedmont coach Terrace Ridley said. “We went back to midways through the season. That’s what we looked like.
“We’d come down and get a turnover, and then we’d come back and give it right back to them. We’ve just got to be patient enough to wait on that good shot.”
The Bulldogs finished 16-14, winning the 3A, Area 11 regular season and tournament titles. They earned the right to host both the area tournament and subregional for the first time since 2015.
The Bulldogs hoped to clinch their first Northeast Regional berth since 2013.
Monday’s game marked the last for seniors LeLe Ridley, Armoni Perry and Gracie Naugher.
It wasn’t just any senior ending for the Ridleys. Mother has coached daughter since seventh grade.
Challenges come with playing for a parent.
“It’s been hard at times,” LeLe Ridley said. “It’s been hard, but it’s really an honor, and I’m glad that I got to.”
LeLe Ridley finished with 1,662 points to ranked second to her mom (2,164) on Piedmont’s all-time scoring list. She will finish top 10 in her senior class and plans to study forensic science at Jacksonville State University.
“That’s what hurts the most,” Terrace Ridley said. “She’s been playing for me since seventh grade, along with these other seniors that I have that have been here the whole time that I’ve been here.
“She gave it all she’s got. A lot of pressure has been on her all these years. We knew coming into this game, the pressure was going to be on her. She fought hard, but in the end, it still hurts because my baby is done.”
GLENCOE – Madalyn Amberson 4 0-0 9, Autumn Greene 4 3-4 11, Kinslee Gray 3 0-0 9, Alli Jo Amos 5 1-1 11, H. Hanners 0 0-2 0, E. Croy 1 0-0 2, Jaxson Sizemore 8 8-11 24. Totals 25 12-18 66.
PIEDMONT – Ava Pope 7 2-2 22, Jaycee Glover 1 0-0 3, LeLe Ridley 4 10-14 18, Cayla Brothers 1 4-8 6, Melanie Studdard 0 1-2 1, Gracie Naugher 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 17-26 50.
| Glencoe | 17 | 21 | 13 | 15 – | 66 |
| Piedmont | 10 | 10 | 11 | 19 – | 50 |
3-point goals: Glencoe 4 (Gray 3, Amberson), Piedmont 7 (Pope 6, Glover). Total fouls: Glencoe 16, Piedmont 15. Fouled out: none. Technical fouls: none. Officials: Paige, Davis, Shon.
Cover photo: Glencoe’s Jaxson Sizemore drives to the basket during Monday’s Northeast subregional at Piedmont. She scored a game-high 24 points. (Photo by Greg Warren)
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