Cornerstone Christian completes undefeated regular season

Published 5:17 pm Saturday, January 30, 2010

It was a dominating performance to end a season full of dominating performances.

The 2009-2010 Cornerstone Christian School boys’ basketball team will be forever remembered in the future as the “undefeated” team.

The Chargers wrapped up a perfect season with a 79-31 win over South Montgomery Academy on senior night Jan. 29.

Senior guard J.V. McKinney led Cornerstone (22-0, 16-0 in AISA Class 1A, Region 1) with 28 points in his final home game. McKinney hit 11-of-24 field goals and 8-of-14 free throws in the win.

McKinney said the 2009-2010 edition of the Chargers were successful because of their unselfishness. Cornerstone had many doubters after inheriting former Shelby Academy players when the school closed in August 2009, McKinney said.

“Everybody thought we would be a bunch of individuals,” McKinney said. “But we all came together.”

The Chargers became the first Shelby County high school basketball team to finish the regular season undefeated since the Kingwood Christian School girls’ team finished the 2003-2004 regular season with a 23-0 record.

Kendall Moore added 11 points. Colton Wingard chipped in nine points. Stephen Bulger finished with seven points.

Moore and Auston Wingard led the Chargers with nine rebounds. Bulger added eight rebounds.

Cornerstone had an impressive defensive performance as it held the Raiders to less than 10 points in each quarter. The Chargers led by as many as 35 points in the first half.

Cornerstone coach Tim Smith said the Chargers can be proud of finishing the regular season undefeated, but they have to stay focused with the Alabama Independent Schools Association Class 1A, Region 1 tournament set for Feb. 4-6 at Southern Union Community College in Wadley.

“We want to win five more games,” Smith said. “We’d give up the first 22 to win the last one.”

GIRLS

Cornerstone Christian 48, South Montgomery County 29

The Cornerstone Christian School girls’ basketball team finished 17-3 overall following a 48-29 win over South Montgomery on senior night Jan. 29.

Destiny Dillard led the Chargers with 15 points in her final home game. Kailey Goodwin added 11 points. Jana Armstrong and Chelsey Dunnaway chipped in eight points each.

Dunnaway led Cornerstone with six rebounds.