The girls and boys basketball teams for Pike County High School, Pike Liberal Arts School, Goshen High School and Zion Chapel High School were all in action on Jan. 26.

The Pike County girls saw their overall record improve to 16-8 on the season with a 56-41 win over Cottonwood at home. PCHS held Cottonwood to less than 10 points in three of the four quarters. Taniyah Green led the Lady Dawgs with 23 points, while Ivy White added 13 points and Amity White scored nine points.

The Pike County boys’ team also saw their record improve to 6-10 on the season on Thursday night with a 66-53 win over Cottonwood. The Bulldogs were led by senior Ian Foster with 12 points, while Chimarion Brown, Markelis Hobdy and Kam Christian scored 11 points each for the Dawgs.

The Goshen Lady Eagles saw their record improve to 7-14 on the season and 2-5 in Class 2A, Area 4 with a 48-17 win over the Pike Liberal Arts Lady Patriots. The Lady Pats’ 2022 record fell to 1-14 overall and 0-6 in area play.

The Pike Lib boys’ team picked up their first area win of the season, and the first area win for a PLAS basketball team of any kind in the AHSAA, with a 36-29 victory over the Goshen Eagles on Thursday. PLAS jumped out to a 9-6 lead in the first quarter and led 15-11 at halftime. The Patriots took control in the third quarter, holding a 28-17 lead going into the fourth quarter. Goshen managed to outscore PLAS 12-8 in the fourth quarter but it wasn’t enough as the Pats held on for their first area win of the season. The Patriots’ overall record now sits at 5-18 and 1-5 in Class 2A, Area 4.

Both Levi DeBoer (14) and Will Rice (2) had big games this week for PLAS. (Photo by Josh Boutwell)

Will Rice had a career-night for the Patriots with 20 points, while Levi DeBoer added six points in the win. Jayden McNabb led Goshen with 13 points, as well.

The Zion Chapel Lady Rebels also lost a Class 2A, Area 4 matchup with Highland Home by a score of 50-36 on Thursday night. The loss moves the Lady Rebs’ record to 3-17 overall and 3-5 in area games. Shea Wambles and Riley Bannin both scored 10 points each for Zion Chapel in the loss.

The ZCHS boys’ team also lost its area game on Thursday night by a score of 70-56 to Highland Home. The loss moves the Rebels’ 2022 record to 12-12 on the season and 5-3 in area play. Slade Grantham led ZCHS with 28 points, while Jacob Chestnutt scored 21 points.

Pike Lib and Zion Chapel also met in an area matchup on Wednesday night with the ZCHS girls coming out on top 66-38, despite the Lady Patriots hanging tough in the first half. PLAS trailed just 19-18 at halftime, but ZCHS outscored PLAS 47-20 in the second half.

On the boys’ side, Zion Chapel held a 14-11 lead going into the second quarter but the Patriots rallied to take a 25-21 lead into halftime. Zion Chapel exploded in the third quarter, though, and held a 47-36 lead going into the final period. Zion Chapel managed to hang on to a 69-52 Area 4 win over PLAS.

Chestnutt led ZCHS with 23 points – including 10 in the fourth – and Slade Grantham scored 15 points. Stuart added 14 points and Joseph LeGear scored 13 points for the Rebels, as well. DeBoer led PLAS with 18 points in the loss, while Renfroe scored 13 points.

PLAS is back in action on Monday, Jan. 30, at Luverne in another area game, while Goshen hosts Samson in non-area matchup. Goshen and PLAS will also rematch on Jan. 31. Also on Jan. 31, Pike County travels to Ariton in a non-area game and Zion Chapel travels to New Brockton in a non-area game.