Alabama Elite: 2004-05 Season
Sunday, May 8Another Alabama Elite signs to play in college
Jenna Collier, from the 2004 16U Elite team, signed with Alabama A&M on Friday bringing the count to 6 out of 7 seniors from that team to sign. If you count players from the 2003 Elite squad that totals 9 in two years - 6 Division 1 signees and 3 junior college signees. This year's team that returns 6'2" Channa Campbell from West Limestone and Jenaya Wade-Fray from Bob Jones will only increase those numbers.
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14U Alabama Elite win Clay Classic!
The 14U Alabama Elite won the Clay Classic tournament which was held in Birmingham on the weekend of May 6th-8th. The Elite went 3-0 beating the Alabama Extreme in a close matchup 29-28, then beat the Twisters in a lopsided 44-19 win, and ending with a convincing 43-23 win over the Swoosh in the finals.
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Alabama Elite Teams go 13-1 for the weekend!
The Alabama Elite club teams went 13-1 over the weekend of April 29th, 2005. The 10U were a perfect 3-0 winning one on a foul shoot, followed by the 11U squad who beat a 13U team 52-22 making them 1-0, followed by the 13U team who went 3-0 completing their first undefeated weekend, followed by the 14U team who went 2-1, and rounding out the play the 17U team went 4-0 without a few of their strong players. The Alabama Elite Club President/Coach, Mike Ellen, was very happy with the effort.
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Bob Jones runners right on time
.. Bob Jones girls winners included Erika Akins in the 300-meter hurdles (49.57) and triple jump (35-11), Brittany Manning in the high jump (5 feet) and Susie Ecklin in the pole vault (9-6)... "I think I did pretty well. My legs are just tired," said Manning, a sophomore who qualified in all four of her events (high jump, 100, triple jump and long jump).
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Alabama Elite 11U players going to Australia
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| 10 - Amara Mayers / 13 - Meechie McNealey | |
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Alabama Elite 13U finished 3rd in Hartselle
The Alabama Elite 13U team finished third in the Hartselle tournament held the weekend of April 15th, 2005. They finished 2-1 for the weekend with one score being a 25-9 win over Priceville.
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17U Elite finish Fourth in Adidas Tournament of Champions
The Alabama Elite 17U team beat the Lubuck Hawks from Texas 66-64 in the opening round of the Adidas Tournament of Champions held in Atlanta, Georgia the weekend of April 15th, 2005. The second game for the Elite was a loopsided 61-40 win over the Lone Wolf Athletics also from Texas. In the third game, the Elite got down huge early, but fought back and actually took the lead in the second half before falling to the Chicago Hoops Express I 57-51. Brittany Manning had a very impressive defensive game as she held their highly talked about offensive player in check. The Elite did not play well in their last game and fell to the Winston-Salem Stealers 59-45.
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2005 11U Alabama Elite take 3rd in YBOA National tourney
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| 2005 YBOA 11U State Champs |
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Alabama Elite capture 11U YBOA State Title
The 11U Alabama Elite started the 2005 YBOA State Tournament by going through possibly six of their weakest quarters played this year. Good thing for the Elite, that it stopped there. After a 40-37 overtime loss to the Alabama Twisters followed by two subpar quarters against the 11U Pelham Pride, the Elite started clicking on all cylinders. The Elite finished the Pelham Pride game with a 34-12 win and jumped on the Birmingham Tornadoes 36-14. The semi final game was a basic mismatch when the Elite got scheduled to play the 10U Pelham Pride because of a surpise 1 point loss by the Alabama Twisters to the 11U Pelham Pride. The championship game provided a very interesting scenario. The 10U Alabama Elite's only loss in 2004 was to the Alabama Twisters in their very first game of the year. The 10U Elite then ran the table and beat the Alabama Twisters in the finals of the AAU 10U State Championship. This year, the 11U Alabama Elite's only loss to an 11U girl's team was the first game in the tournament. So for two years in a row, the Alabama Elite have avenged losses to the Birmingham Alabama Twisters while capturing two straight state titles. In the championship game both teams started slow with the Twisters taking an 9-8 lead after the first quarter. The Elite turned up the defense in the second quarter while Ebony Sharpley stepped up her game in helping the Elite make a 15-3 run for a 23-12 halftime lead. The Elite expanded the lead to 31-17 by the end of the third quarter but played a little sloppy in the final quarter before winning 37-33. The Twisters never got closer than 6 points down until the final shot with no time left. Next up for the 11U Alabama Elite, the 2005 YBOA National Championship to be held the week of June 25 - July 2, 2005 in Brevard County (Cocoa Beach Area), Florida.
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'93 Alabama Elite 11U finishes 2nd in 12U Pelham Tourney
The 11U Alabama Elite team won three games on Saturday be beating the 12U Pelham Pride, 12U Triple Threat, and the 12U Alabama Flyers to advance to the 12U championship game on Sunday at 5:30pm at Pelham High School. The 11U Elite lost in the championship game 31-30 to what is becoming a very familiar foe, 12U Bama's Best. Bama's Best advanced to the final game by beating the Alabama Flyers, Birmingham's Swoosh, and losing to the Pelham Pride by 2 points. Bama's Best is the only girl's team to beat the 11U Alabama Elite this season. The championship game was very physical and had its share of turnovers. Four three pointers from one of Bama's Best point guards aided the win. Although emotions ran high during the game on both sides, a friendly and respectful atmosphere followed the contest.
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Alabama Elite honored on Super All-Metro Basketball Team
The following players earned positions on the 2004-2005 Huntsville Times Super All-Metro Basketball Team:
2004-2005 1st Team
Ashley Fann, Hazel Green, Sr., 5-11, F
One of three finalists for Class 6A Player of the Year, named All-State first-team; named All-Area, All-County and All-Metro three times; named second-team All-State twice; named All-Tournament at The Huntsville Times Classic as junior; named All-Regional and Wendy's Heisman nominee as senior; member National Honor Society, Stand Up, Junior Civitans and SHOTS.
Jeneya Wade-Fray, Bob Jones, Jr., 5-9, G
A native of Bermuda, named All-Tournament at The Huntsville Times Classic, selected All-Area and Class 6A All-State honorable mention.
Class 1A-4A
Amber Whitt, Madison Academy, Jr., 6-0, F (Played on 2003 Elite Team)
2004-2005 Honorable Mention
Ashley Haugtvedt, Hazel Green, Sr., 6-3, C
Jenna Collier, Johnson, Sr., 5-7, G
Sunday, March 27
Alabama Elite players earn All-State honors
The following players earned positions on the 2004-2005 Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State basketball teams:
2004-2005 1st Team
6A - Ashley Fann, Hazel Green, Sr., 5-11, F (2003-2004 1st Team 5A)
4A - Ashley Boykin, Haleyville, Sr., 5-10, G (2003-2004 1st Team 4A)
2004-2005 2nd Team
5A - Ashley Thornton, Pinson Valley, Sr., 6-0, F (Played on 2003 Elite Team)
3A - Channa Campbell, West Limestone, Jr., 6-2, C (2003-2004 2nd Team 3A)
2004-2005 Honorable Mention
6A - Jeneya Wade-Fray, Bob Jones, Jr., 5-8, G
3A - Amber Whitt, Madison Academy, Jr., 6-0, F (Played on 2003 Elite Team)
Saturday, March 26
Alabama Elite take all four games in Lynchburg, Tennessee
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| Jenaya Wade-Fray takes it to the Hoop! | |
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Basketball takes Bob Jones star around world
Thursday, July 14, 2005, By MIKE EASTERLING, Times Sports Staff mikee@htimes.com
The destinations sound like Rolling Stones concert tour dates. London. Gibraltar, Spain. Morocco. Those are the places Jenaya Wade-Fray visited this summer as a member of the Bermuda National Team. But while the rising Bob Jones High senior said her travels were a great adventure she added they also were a bit taxing. "It was a lot of fun, but it was too long,'' said Wade-Fray, a member of the North team for tonight's game against the South in the annual Alabama High School All-Stars Sports Week series. Wade-Fray not only spent two weeks traveling with her native Bermuda team for the Small Islands Games, where the squad finished third in Gibralter, after she arrived back in the states last Thursday she headed to Atlanta for an AAU tournament. She came back to Madison on Monday, one day before the teams reported to begin preparations for tonight's 6 p.m. game at UAH's Spragins Hall. Hopefully, she said, jet lag won't affect her game. "The travel was too much,'' she said. Wade-Fray and the North will attempt to continue its dominance in this series since it started in 1997. The North holds a commanding 7-1 lead in the rivalry. For Wade-Fray, the game marks not just a chance at representing her school and the North in front of what is basically a home crowd but could also kick-start what she hopes will be a productive recruitment. She has received attention from college scouts - Troy has already offered a scholarship - but a typographical mistake during one summer tournament might have slowed other offers that might have otherwise come her way. "One thing that hurt her was that early on in one major AAU tournament she went to they had her listed as a senior that had already graduated,'' said Bob Jones coach Scott St. John, who is serving as a North coach this week. "I've tried to let the in-state schools know she'll just be a senior. Hopefully, after this week they'll know that.'' Wade-Fray helped lead Bob Jones to the state Class 6A final four in Birmingham this past season and was a Super All-Metro selection. "I'm looking forward to (the game),'' she said. "It's a great learning experience and it's also good because college coaches can come and see me and the other players.'' Wade-Fray moved with her mother from Bermuda when she was in the fifth grade. She attended Oakwood through the eighth grade, then moved to Bob Jones as a freshman. She's been playing on the varsity since and hopes her final high school season will be her best. "I'm ready to get back (to playing high school),'' she said. "I want to have a better season and make it to the finals. Last season gives us more determination." (Read the Huntsville Times for more news on High School Basketball action)
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Alabama Elite Holds Tryouts for 2005 Season
There will be additional tryouts for all girls interested in playing for either the '93 (11 and under), '94 (10 and under) or the '95 (9 and under) club teams. The tryouts will be announced at least two weeks ahead of the time of the tryout. The 1st tryout was held at Bob Jones High School gym on Monday night, September 13th, 2004 at 7:00pm.
Sunday, October 3
Alabama Elite Fall Tip-Off Tournament
The tournament will be held on October 29-30 at the Bob Jones High School in Madison, Alabama. All teams will play three games. The cost is $125.00 per team for boys & girls, 5th and 6th graders. For more information, call Mike Ellen at (256)895-0872 or email at mike@alabamaelite.com.
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| Our oldest sponsor, MTA Inc. |
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Alabama Elite Welcomes Our New Sponsors
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| Welcome our newest Sponsor! | |
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New for the 2005 season
The Alabama Elite basketball club will offer Gold, Silver, and Bronze sponsors packages for the 2005 season. Any sponsor donating $3000 or more will be Gold, $1000 - $2999 Silver, and $999 or under Bronze. All sponsors will have their company or individual name added to the sponsors section of the web site. Additional goodies for Gold and Silver sponsors are being evaluated.
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| 2004 10U Alabama Elite Win AAU State Title |
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The Alabama Elite 16U team placed third and the 10U team placed first in the Alabama State Tournament held in Mobile from May 28-30, 2004. Congratulations to Krystin George and Jenaya Wade-Fray off of the 16U team and Danielle Conaway and Demetries McNealy off of the 10U team for being selected to the All-Tournament teams for their age groups. The 10U team will advance to the National Tournament held in Orlando, Florida the week of June 28th, 2004. Good Luck at Nationals!