HIGH-SCHOOL

Columbia academy falls in semifinals

JIM BRATTON Special to The Daily Herald
Paxton Powell goes up for two of his team-high 14 points Friday night, as Columbia Academy fell to Christ Presbyterian Academy in the semifinals of the Division II-A District 3 boys basketball tournament.

After host Columbia Academy seized a one-point advantage in a high-scoring first quarter Friday, the second-seeded Bulldogs couldn’t maintain the momentum in dropping a 94-61 decision to Christ Presbyterian Academy in the semifinals of the Division II-A District 3 Tournament.

“They’re a really good team,” CA coach Marty DeJarnette said after the Bulldogs (20-7) dropped into Saturday’s tournament consolation game against Battle Ground Academy, which lost to Webb in the other semifinal matchup. “They’re clicking on all cylinders. And if you don’t slow them down, then they’re gonna do that to people. They’ve been doing it to everybody here recently, and it’s more a credit to them than to us.”

CPA (24-7), which with Friday’s victory has won 12 of its last 13 games, trailed 22-21 after the opening period. The Lions broke the contest open with a 34-point second quarter, as Braedon Moore and Braden Zapp combined for five 3-pointers en route to a 55-35 cushion, and never looked back.

“Couldn’t be more proud of our guys, first of all,” veteran CPA coach Drew Maddux said. “They really have bought in to the way that we want to play. We want to play fast, we want to space the floor, we want to utilize our vertical drives and our shooting ability. And (Friday), particularly in the second quarter, I thought that’s where the game started to change. All of those aspects were on full display, so I was just really proud of the way our guys really executed what we have asked them to do.”

Moore finished with a game-high 25 points to lead five double-digit scorers for CPA, which faced Webb in the championship game Saturday. Paxton Powell’s 14 points led Columbia Academy, with Gary Smith Jr. adding 13, Riley Weller 12 and Tanner Ham 11.

“I thought we were ready to play,” DeJarnette said. “Obviously, we had the lead after the first, and just got away from us in the second quarter. And that’s kind of what they do. You know, they pressure you, they get it chaotic. If you can’t slow it down, if you’re not matching them shot for shot, then they’re tough to beat. So, it’s just a credit to them. They played really well, and we just couldn’t sustain it over four quarters. So, just a credit to them.”

The top four teams each advance to the Division II Middle Region Tournament, which will be held this week at Battle Ground Academy.

In Friday’s girls semifinals, CPA defeated Middle Tennessee Christian 38-36 while Franklin Road Academy downed Providence Christian 72-47.

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Christ Presbyterian Acad. girls 38,

Middle Tenn. Chr. 36

M 8 10 5 13 — 36

C 17 15 0 6 — 38

Middle Tenn. Chr. (36) — Kiersten Hudson 5, Reagan Atkinson 7, Sarah Wisziowski 10, Amaria Gillispie 9, Macy Smith 3, Rosie Davis 2

Christ Presbyterian Acad. (38) — Susannah Matthews 2, Carrington Washburn 13, Ava Maddux 5, Carley Smith 9, Emmaline Bartlett 2, Virginia Glisson 7

3-pointers — Middle Tenn. Chr. 2 (Atkinson, Smith), Christ Presbyterian Acad. 4 (Washburn, Maddux, Smith, Glisson)

Franklin Road Acad. girls 72,

Providence Chr. 47

F 13 16 24 19 — 72

P 9 9 16 13 — 47

Franklin Road Acad. (72) — Ansley Cumminski 4, Ryan Pierce 12, Macey Medes 9, Ava Ackerman 9, Iris Heldman 9, Zharia Hutchison 26, Kaia Scott 3

Providence Chr. (47) — A.C. Markham 7, Mariah Edmonds 18, Alia Callum 6, Sydney Gibson 6, Abby McFarland 3, Gracie Duke 5, Mia Alexander 2

3-pointers — Franklin Road Acad. 4 (Pierce, Medes 2, Hutchison 2), Providence Chr. 2 (Edmonds 2)

Webb (Bell Buckle) boys 79, Battle Ground Acad. 62

B 8 15 14 25 — 62

W 13 20 25 21 — 79

Battle Ground Acad. (62) — Sean Williams 14, Jo Cantrell 4, Briston Bennett 4, Kaleb Seay 6, Nick Semptimphelter 4, Garnett Hollis Jr. 27, Mitch Petzelt 3

Webb (79) — Alex Garrett 11, Junior Chambers 4, Weston Coop 3, J.J. Platt 36, Khi Harris 6, Shawn McKenzie 1, Amos Howard 9, Jordan Jenkins 9

3-pointers — Battle Ground Acad. 1 (Semptimphelter), Webb 3 (Coop, Howard, Jenkins)

Christ Presbyterian Acad. boys 94, Columbia Acad. 61

CP 21 34 21 19 — 94

CA 22 13 15 11 — 61

Christ Presbyterian Acad. (94) — Jordan Dewalt 13, Jake Dykstra 14, Braden Zapp 16, Evan Shiflet 14, Sam Smith 6, Braedon Moore 25, Garrison Weeks 3, Jack Fry 3

Columbia Acad. (61) — Tanner Ham 11, Canon Lansdell 1, Drew Butt 4, Riley Weller 12, Will Jackson 2, Gary Smith Jr. 13, Jacob Perry 4, Paxton Powell 14

3-pointers — Christ Presbyterian Acad. 8 (Zapp 2, Moore 6), Columbia Acad. 6 (Ham 3, Weller 3)