Household teams hoop it up at Hartselle High School:
GDW Analysis:
HARTSELLE: Cold Springs Lady Eagles were one of five teams with a household name to spend time hooping it Tuesday in the Hartselle basketball playday.
The Lady Eagles shared the limelight with Jasper, Deshler, Decatur Heritage and Madison Academy. Cold Springs, Jasper, Deshler, Madison Academy have claimed an AHSAA championship in recent time while Decatur Heritage is making progress after an Elite Eight berth in 2A the past season.
A different future will be waiting for Cold Springs. The Lady Eagles have enjoyed 58 wins the past two seasons in 66 games for Tammy West with two consecutive Central regional championships and berths to the Class 2A Final Four.
Four seniors are gone that carried them to greatness in 2022-23 and 2023-24. Experience is on a limited status with Tammy West using the playday series to build things in order for Cold Springs to maintain success they have endured for so long in Cullman County and North Alabama.
Ella Dickerson is not available for the summer time as she continues to recover from an ACL injury she had in the county semifinals in late January against West Point.
Kenady Graves goes into her senior season with valuable experience as a shooting guard. Maci Huffstutler and Paizley Whitlow will be in the backcourt, eagerly awaiting the challenge.
Sophomore to be Hollyn Bruer will look to impact the team as an outside shooter and play defense in the paint and baseline.
On Tuesday, the Lady Eagles started strong with Madison Academy, getting a 16 to 9 lead at the half. Madison Academy made a run in the 2nd half with Cold Springs fighting off the challenge and winning by the final of 33 to 29.
In the early afternoon, the Lady Eagles took on Austin from Decatur.
Austin's frontline size and trying to intimidate the Lady Eagles allowed the Black Bears a 23 to 11 edge following the first half.
Cold Springs played almost even in the final half, getting outscored by the Black Bears 21 to 19. Austin would take a 44 to 30 triumph and the Lady Eagles finished 1 & 1 in their journey to Hartselle High School.
Gameday Weekly was delighted to put this tour on its reporting schedule for highly anticipated matchups of quality programs that don't play one another in the regular season.
In the main gym, the opener had 5A state champion Jasper taking on 2A contender Decatur Heritage.
The two teams went after it with nothing being gained by halftime as the score was tied at 25 to 25.
It came down to the final minute with Jasper getting the lead thanks to the play of 6'2" center Missy Odom, the 5A player of the year by the ASWA. Odom was on the defensive end in the closing seconds, keeping Heritage from trying to score on a close range shot before time ran out to possibly send the game into OT.
Odom earned good honors, but it was not easy in going to war in the paint with 5'9" forward Genie McGhee and 5'10" forward Leslie Hames.
Jasper will see different things in 2024-25 for the Lady Vikings move up to 6A hoops and will have Cullman and Mortimer Jordan as area opposition.
The Lady Vikings lost Final Four MVP Mia Hollingsworth to UAH, senior guard Idaysia Mercer to Wallace State, senior forward Ally Grace Salors and senior forward Hallie Harrell to track at the University of Montevallo.
Looking to help the Lady Vikings once again with experience will be sophomore to be Gracen Norris, junior to be Marianna Rigsby, junior to be DeCaleigh Calvin and freshman to be Sara Katherine Bonner.
Decatur Heritage will be a sound team for next season with McGhee and Hames key personnel in attacking defenses. Point guard Emma Eastman will be in her freshman season and starting at PG her second year.
Taylin Puryear, Bri Tyson and Layla Hanvy are experienced people with the Lady Eagles looking to make a deep run and get back to the Northwest Regional from Wallace State.
Decatur Heritage had a first half explosion with Deshler in its 2nd assignment. At halftime, Deshler surged in front by the score of 34 to 32.
Deshler pulled away in the last half as Decatur Heritage could not stay consistent in scoring and lost to the 4A power from Tuscumbia 64 to 43.
After a break, Deshler then fought Jasper and with sophomore to be guard Reese Davis setting the tone, the Lady Tigers stunned the Lady Vikings and were ahead at halftime, 28 to 17.
Jasper would go down 33 to 19 early in the last half before Odom and company turned the momentum into their advantage. Jasper tallied a 31 to 11 scoring streak, showing steady play in crunch time and going back to Walker County 2 & 0 in Hartselle, winners by the final of 48 to 39.
Other results from the Hartselle playday Tuesday:
Ardmore 60, Columbia 33
Ardmore 46, St. John Paul 36
Madison Academy 57, Madison Co 27
Columbia vs. St. John Paul
Austin vs. Madison Co
Photo of the Cold Springs' Lady Eagles bench during a timeout in game vs. Madison Academy Tuesday at the Hartselle playday.
GDW photo by Johnny Thornton.
