Leake Academy stays alive in MPSA tourney

By By Austin Bishop/EMG regional sports director
Feb. 14, 2002
The Leake Academy boys and girls teams made dramatic comebacks on Wednesday night to stay alive in the MPSA South AA Tournament being played at Madden, while the Lamar School boys and girls saw their seasons come to an end with a pair of losses to Central Private School in the MPSA South AAA Tournament at Centreville.
Leake girls 54
Wilkinson 50
The host Rebelettes outscored Wilkinson Christian 23-15 in the fourth quarter to take the four-point win.
Leake now moves into Friday's 2:30 p.m. semifinal against Brookhaven Academy.
Leake led 14-7 after one quarter of play, but trailed 25-20 at the half and 35-31 after three quarters of play.
Kristen Caldwell led the Rebelettes with 23 points, while B.J. Helton hit for 14 and Jessica Dickens scored 10.
Leake boys 100
Columbia 74
Columbia Academy built a 44-37 halftime lead, but the host Rebels exploded for 63 points in the second half including a 31-13 margin in the fourth quarter to take the win.
Leake now faces Canton at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
Only six players scored for Leake in the game, but five of them were in double figures.
Daniel Jones led the way with 26 points, while Luke Culpepper had 23 and Joshua Chamblee notched 21. Drew Wolverton scored 15 and Allen Byrd 12 for the Rebels.
Central Private 104
Lamar boys 42
Powerful Central Private led 33-12 after one quarter and 59-27 at the half on the way to the handy win.
Jace Hill led the 4-20 Raiders of Lamar with 15 points, while David Haggard scored eight and Daniel Harrison and Justin Mitchell picked up six each.
Central Private 59
Lamar girls 24
Central Private held Lamar to just eight first half points on the way to the victory.
The winners led 16-3 at the end of one quarter and 29-8 at the half.