GDW Analysis:
Vinemont 11 16 14 11 - 52 (6 & 2)
Hartselle 17 16 6 9 - 48 (4 & 3)
Encore Classic Wednesday from Hartselle HS.
Vinemont Lady Eagles can celebrate Thanksgiving after enjoying their time in the Encore Classic for the first time.
Vinemont met three well known programs and displayed a winning effort that has them with 5 consecutive victories and 6 wins through 8 games of the 2025/26 season.
Playing Hartselle on their floor, the Lady Eagles had to encounter a new scoring weapon for Hartselle.
Seventh grade guard Brinlee Sams. Sams is a former student at West Point. Her mother is Brittany Freeman, a former all county and all area standout at West Point in the early 2000s.
Sams inspired her team with four treys and 14 points through the first period to put Hartselle ahead.
Vinemont was able to use a good 2nd period from Caroline Miller who netted 12 in the stanza, going three of three from the line and making 4 FGs, one being a trey.
The Vinemont defense went to work in the 3rd, holding Hartselle to one FG, a three by Sams.
Balanced scoring from Miller, Reagan Robinson and Vayda Yarbrough enabled the Lady Eagles to go on a 14 to 6 run and take a 41 to 39 advantage into the 4th.
Hartselle regained the lead at 48 to 47 late when Elise Boyd tallied a three.
Miller matched it for Vinemont with a three and the Lady Eagles inched back on top, 50 to 48.
A couple from the line were added in the final minute and Vinemont said goodbye to this tour in Morgan County by beating Susan Moore 77 to 61, Madison Academy 55 to 40 and Hartselle 52 to 48.
Miller would pace Emily Willoughby's Lady Eagles with 21, Robinson scored 18, Yarbrough 9, Addison Holcomb 4 and Arleigh Thomason 2.
In 3 games of the classic, Vinemont made 25 treys with 15 against Susan Moore, 10 vs. Madison Academy and 5 in the Hartselle game.
Sams would finish with 22 in converting 6 treys, her best outing in her first year playing with the varsity.
Boyd would deliver 15 as the duo combined for 10 treys for coach Amber Deline.
Vinemont joined Mars Hill as the only schools playing in the Encore Classic to post 3 wins in as many games.
Mars Hill finished a 3 & 0 tour with a 58 to 53 come from behind victory Wednesday afternoon over Mortimer Jordan as all state guard Belle Hill had a classic game high 46 points, 24 in the first half.
Photo of the Vinemont Lady Eagles prior to their Encore Classic game with Hartselle Wednesday morning.
GDW photo by Johnny Thornton.
