Lady Rebels fall in elite eight
HANCEVILLE — It was only a matter of time before Sarah Ashlee Barker found her rhythm.
After being held to four points through two quarters, the Spain Park High School senior scored 21 in the second half to lead the Lady Jags to a 42-37 victory over Vestavia Hills in Tuesday’s Class 7A Northwest Regional final at Tom Drake Coliseum.
With the win, Spain Park (30-4) advances to its third state semifinal in the past four years.
“We had to really scratch and claw to get points,” Spain Park head coach Mike Chase said. “We normally average about 58 to 60 points a game. When you only get 42, those possessions become a lot tighter.”
Barker shot 1-of-8 from the field in the first half but finished the game 7-of-18 for 25 points. She went 10-of-12 from the free-throw line while recording six rebounds, five blocks and three assists.
She was named regional tournament MVP.
“My mom’s always told me, ‘just keep shooting and they’ll fall,’ and that’s what I did,” Barker said.
Barker helped the Lady Jags to a state championship in 2018 but came up short last season. Spain Park fell to Hewitt-Trussville in last year’s regional final on the same court where it prevailed Tuesday.
Vestavia Hills (23-11) tried its best to force a similar outcome. The Lady Rebels, under the direction of first-year head coach John David Smelser, led 22-19 at the half after Carley Smith drilled a 3-pointer before the break.
Although Smelser’s team lost to Spain Park three times earlier in the season, the game was tied 29-29 through three quarters, and he thought the Lady Rebels had a chance for an upset.
But Barker then poured in 12 of her team’s 13 points in the final frame.
“She’s going to score. She’s the best player in our state,” Smelser said. “She might be the best player in the Southeast.”
Alison Stubbs led Vestavia Hills with 13 points, while Emma Smith contributed seven. Mackenzie Culpepper had eight and Avery Madson had seven for Spain Park.
The Lady Jags will face McGill-Toolen or Foley in the state semifinals at Legacy Arena in Birmingham next Thursday.
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