The JV Lady Raiders and Raiders secured MAIS 6A Junior High State Championships this weekend.
The JV girls won the championship with a 44-29 victory over Jackson Prep. JA led 33-12 at the half and won in dominating fashion. They finished the season with a 15-7 final record and went into the tournament as the No. 2 seed with a 7-3 conference record.
“This team peaked at the right time,” said Junior High Head Coach Ronnie Rogers. The team had played most of the year without a returning starter, and a second starter had an injury in the last week of the season. Both Gracelyn Carmichael and Harkins Simpson returned for tournament play and were vital to the team’s championship, Rogers said. “They combined with Jayden Rhymes, Mylee Maurer, and Ebbie Barbour for the first conference championship since 2017,” he said. “I am so proud of these ladies overcoming so many obstacles to win a championship.”
The Raiders earned the championship title in a 69-39 game with MRA. The JV boys finished with a perfect record of 22-0 and 10-0 in conference play. They won both tournament games by 30 points or more, defeating Hartfield Academy and MRA en route to the title. Congratulations, JV teams!
