JV Lady Rebels repeat as AISA State Champs
By KATIE MCELVY
THE LAFAYETTE SUN
LAFAYETTE — Just one year removed from winning their first AISA Junior Varsity Softball State Tournament, the Chambers Academy junior varsity softball team has repeated as champions after defeating Bessemer Academy 7-1 in Montgomery on April 16.
JV Lady Rebels
In a school where “threepeat” was the buzz word of the year, “repeat” still has a very nice ring to it. That’s exactly what the Chambers Academy JV Lady Rebels did over the weekend as they competed in the AISA JV Softball State Tournament. After taking the crown last year, the JV Lady Rebels were looking for a return to the big game. In a double-elimination format tournament held at Macon East Academy in Montgomery, Chambers was determined to stay in the winner’s bracket for a much easier path to the championship.
On Thursday, they played a tough Bessemer team. Payton Earl doubled in the lead off position and was knocked in on a ground ball by Blakely Allen. Earl drove in another run in the second inning to give the JV Lady Rebels a 2-0 lead.
Bessemer added a score in the top of the third. Abigail Downey and Jersy Richardson singled in the bottom of the inning to add another run for Chambers.
The Bessemer bats got hot, and they took a 4-3 lead in the last inning. Unwilling to give in, the JV Lady Rebels fought back. Allen singled on a line drive to right field, and Emmalee Jackson hit an RBI double to tie the game. Richardson singled on a bunt to third to send in Jackson for the winning run.
Earl was a force in the circle striking out eight batters. Chambers’ bats came alive in the next game as they beat Clarke Prep 9-0. They then beat Lowndes 6-0 to advance to the championship. Earl was once again in the circle. She gave up no hits, striking out six and walking two.
The wheels finally came off in the championship game as the JV Lady Rebels once again faced Bessemer who had battled through the loser’s bracket. Plagued with errors and cold bats, Chambers suffered their first loss of the season 1-9 to force a winner-take-all game.
Earl stepped to the plate first in the championship game and homered on a line drive over the left field wall to give Chambers a quick lead. The JV Lady Rebels maintained the 1-0 lead until the bottom of the last inning when Bessemer tied it up.
In extra innings, with a runner placed on second base, Tenley Benefield singled, and Allen was intentionally walked to load the bases. With one out, Jackson singled on a hard ground ball to center field, sending in two runs. Klancey Phillips then reached on an error. Allen scored on the same error. Kennedy Perry singled on a bunt to third base, and Jackson and Phillips both scored on an error to give Chambers a 7-1 lead.
Three outs away from another state championship, the Lady Rebels took the field. Earl struck out the first batter. The second batter singled to put two runners on. The next batter grounded out to Jackson. Earl struck out the final batter to seal the win and give the JV Lady Rebels their second championship in as many years.
Chambers Baseball
The Rebels picked up two wins last week to improve to 20-8 on the season. After beating Bessemer 12-4, Chambers hosted senior night on the final regular season game of the year. After falling behind 0-3 in the top of the third against the Edgewood Wildcats, the Rebels battled back adding two runs in the bottom of the inning off a Phillip Belcher single.
The Rebels took a 4-3 lead in the fourth after both Landon Hand and Colton Fuller singled.
Hand, Peyton Yerta, Tucker Anderson and Cameron Gooden all collected hits in the last inning to give Chambers a 13-3 win.
Sam Smith got the win on the mound, striking out three. Cameron Gooden closed the game, only allowing one hit.
