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2021-22 King’s Ridge Basketball Team
Photo by Bradley Collier
“What we learned from this experience is that common people can do uncommon things if you just work together,” Martin said. “We may not look like a Georgia High School Final Four team, especially in the final, but it taught us that all of our hard work paid off.”
The Tigers went 28-5 overall and 13-3 in league play and eventually fell to the Greenforest Eagles in the finals, but what a ride it was.
“Everywhere we went, there was a sea of purple,” the Atlanta Tip-Off Club Coach of the Year said. “The community really jumped on board. Our students, lower school families, boosters and board members all showed up for us with great support. They filled up an entire section and were electric all season.”
King’s Ridge had a sensational regular season run, putting the Region on notice over the winter. The Tigers went 3-0 in the Region Tournament, before knocking off Athens Christian, St. Anne-Pacelli, Calvary Day and First Presbyterian Day in overtime to reach the Finals.
“We just took it one day at a time,” he said. “We had tunnel vision. They went to school and did basketball. Nothing else mattered and we had zero distractions. With each additional win in the postseason, we had an element of calmness. That sounds strange but we would just become more focused and we didn’t worry about the nerves.”
The memories made on their amazing run will be locked away forever.
“We beat Calvary Day in Savannah,” he said. “We didn’t want to celebrate on their home court, so we took the team to the locker room. The student-section asked if they could come celebrate with us. Then the parents wanted to come in. We had the music up and we were all dancing. It was a party in there for like 10 minutes. Pure celebration.”
The Tigers knocked off First Presbyterian Day in Macon in the next round in an instant classic in overtime.
“Heck, you need some luck sometimes,” Martin laughed. “Isaac hit an off the-backboard three to tie it and we hit a pair of free-throws with less than a second to play. That was a wild one.”
In the finals, King’s Ridge faced Greenforest, which had a significant height advantage. It was tied 50-50 with just over three minutes to go before the Eagles took control.
“We kept grinding and grinding, but we just made some mistakes at the end that cost us,” he said. “Regardless of the outcome, I think everyone was just so happy that we accomplished what we did.”
With success comes recognition.
Juniors Isaac Martin and Micah Hoover were named to the all-state and all-region teams and were invited to play in the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association All-Star Game. Zak Thomas was an honorable-mention, all-region selection, while coach Bob Martin was also named the Sandy’s Spiel Coach of the Year.
“The standard is now set,” Martin said. “The goal is the State Championship and our players have bought into it. The bar has been set, so we are here to stay.”
PICS FROM THE STATE TITLE GAME
FORT BEND CHRISTIAN ACADEMY MADE THE PLAYOFFS IN 2022, REBOUNDING FROM A SUBPAR 2021 SEASON.
The Eagles were 19-14-1 overall in securing their postseason bid and buoyed by stellar performances from a number of players.
Senior Zane Councill hit .374 with 24 RBIs and a .468 on-base percentage. Junior Benji Elizondo hit .374 with 21 RBIs and a .508 on-base percentage to go with a team-high 25 walks. Junior Caleb Bratcher had 22 RBIs. Senior Blaine Baird had 21.
On the mound, junior Clay Krisch led the team in innings with 50 1/3 and had more than three times as many strikeouts (53) as walks (14). Senior Markos Romo led the team in appearances (16) and ERA (2.88), striking out 17 and walking only four in 24 1/3 innings of work.
SOFTBALL
FBCA SOFTBALL UNDERWENT SIGNIFICANT LEADERSHIP CHANGE IN 2022.
And the wins kept coming.
With Kelli Jacoby taking over for longtime leader Kelly Carroll, the Eagles went 11-1 in TAPPS 5A district play to earn a share of the District Championship and advanced to the State Tournament. FBCA did not skip a beat under Jacoby.
Though this is her first stint as head coach, she is a respected club coach who spent the previous 14 years as associate head coach for the Eagles.
FBCA was paced by senior and Oklahoma-signee Avery Hodge (.722 average, .767 onbase percentage, 14 RBIs; 1.87 ERA in 52 1/3 innings), senior and Nicholls State signee Reagan Heflin (.641 average, 26 RBIs), sophomore Hadley Hodge (.610 average, 15 RBIs), sophomore Jaelynn Lee (.475 average, 13 RBs) and senior Grace Payton (.317 average).
TENNIS
A FEW FRESHMEN MADE THE 2022 SPRING TENNIS SEASON ONE TO REMEMBER FOR FBCA.
Amber Hayes and Farrah Childs enjoyed an outstanding season on the courts as a doubles tandem, making it all the way to the TAPPS 5A State Tournament before falling 6-3, 6-2 to Austin Regents.
Freshmen Naomi Jones and Elizabeth Johnson also qualified as feed-in matches at State. FBCA enjoyed a strong freshman class overall. Sydney Batts and Kendall Dailey also performed admirably in their debut seasons.
On the boys’ side, freshman Austin Martinez is someone to keep an eye on down the road.
TRACK AND FIELD
IT WAS A BANNER YEAR FOR TRACK AND FIELD AT FBCA.
The girls won the Regional Championship and sent 10 qualifiers to the TAPPS State Meet in Waco, where they followed up by winning the TAPPS 5A State Championship.
Bayleigh Minor qualified in the long jump, triple jump, 200-meter dash, 400-meter dash, and 4x400. She was the star in Waco, taking home five gold medals at State.
Angel Nwodu qualified in the shot put, triple jump, 200-meter dash, 4x100 and 4x200. Lani Brown qualified in the 300 hurdles, 4x200 and 4x400. Brooke Coleman qualified in the 100-meter dash, 4x100 and 4x200. Gabbie Washington qualified in the 400-meter dash, 4x100 and 4x400. Bailey Hanner qualified in the high jump, and in her first year competing in track and field won gold in the event at the State Meet.
Daniella Herrera qualified in the 4x200 and 4x400. Shea Bedminster qualified in the 4x100 and 4x200. Kyra Whitman qualified in the 4x400. Thea Longbottom qualified in the 4x200 and 4x400.
The boys also sent 10 to State and finished by placing third in Waco.
Cobey Sellers qualified in the 110 hurdles, 200-meter dash and 4x400. Noah Brooks qualified in the high jump, 400-meter dash, 4x100 and 4x400. Brooks won gold in the 400 meters.
Sam LeBlue qualified in the long jump and 4x200. Max Granville qualified in the shot put and 4x400. Bryce Grays qualified in the 100-meter dash, 4x100 and 4x200. Bryan Domino qualified in the long jump, 4x100 and 4x200. Matthew Brown qualified in the 100-meter dash, 4x100 and 4x200. Ben Longbottom and Ryan Welch each qualified in the 4x400. Tekena Williams qualified in the 4x200.
The Eagles’ dominance at State was no surprise. They set a plethora of school records during the season and postseason.
Minor set records in the triple jump (37’-0”), long jump (18’-3.2.5”), 200-meter dash (24.44 seconds) and 400-meter dash (56.31 seconds). Sellers set the record in the 200-meter dash (21.80 seconds). Brooks set the record in the 400-meter dash (49.58 seconds).
The boys 4x100 relay of Grays, Brooks, Domino and Brown set the record with 42.86 seconds, and the 4x200 of Grays, LeBlue, Domino and Brown set the record with 1:29.92.
The girls 4x800 of Minor, Washington, Sidney Arnold and Maddie Font set the record at 10:23.29, the 4x100 of Nwodu, Coleman, Washington and Minor set the record at 48.04, the 4x200 of Coleman, Nwodu, Washington and Minor set the record at 1:41.09 and the 4x400 of Washington, Coleman, Herrera and Minor set the record of 3:53.40.
If you lost count, that’s 12 school records set in one season.
GOLF
FBCA’S BOYS TEAM STARTED STRONG BY WINNING FOUR OF ITS FIRST FIVE TOURNAMENTS THIS SEASON, AND THEN WAS REWARDED BY QUALIFYING FOR THE TAPPS STATE TOURNAMENT.
The Eagles’ boys were led by Eli Walker Campbell (71 average) and Andrew Jammal (73). Chris Jammal (87), Brody Cowser (95) and James Donovan (99) also qualified for State due to the team’s strong standing at the Regional Tournament.
At the TAPPS 5A State Golf Tournament, Campbell finished ninth overall shooting a 142 (72, 70). The FBCA team finished seventh overall, shooting a 636.
Andrew Jammal shot a 159 (79, 80), Chris Jammal scored a 167 (80, 87), James Donovan scored a 168 (81, 87) and Brody Cowser hit a 194 (95, 99).
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