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Photo by David Leong
Mountain Brook Spartans pose for a group photo after the girls Class 6A Northeast Regional final game between Mountain Brook and Fort Payne on Wed, Feb. 25, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by David Leong.
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Mountain Brook forward Maddie Walter (15) shoots over Fort Payne guard Naomi Wise (5) during the girls Class 6A Northeast Regional final game between Mountain Brook and Fort Payne on Wed, Feb. 25, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by David Leong.
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Mountain Brook guard Avery Davis (3) dribbles against Fort Payne guard Zimri Craig (11) during the girls Class 6A Northeast Regional final game between Mountain Brook and Fort Payne on Wed, Feb. 25, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by David Leong.
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Fort Payne guard Naomi Wise (5) guards Mountain Brook forward Maddie Walter (15) during the girls Class 6A Northeast Regional final game between Mountain Brook and Fort Payne on Wed, Feb. 25, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by David Leong.
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Mountain Brook guard Kate Bakken (25) shoots over Fort Payne guard Claire Carter (14) during the girls Class 6A Northeast Regional final game between Mountain Brook and Fort Payne on Wed, Feb. 25, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by David Leong.
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Mountain Brook guard Avery Davis (3) dribbles the ball downcourt during the girls Class 6A Northeast Regional final game between Mountain Brook and Fort Payne on Wed, Feb. 25, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by David Leong.
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Mountain Brook guard Avery Davis (3) drives to the basket against Fort Payne guard Naomi Wise (5) during the girls Class 6A Northeast Regional final game between Mountain Brook and Fort Payne on Wed, Feb. 25, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by David Leong.
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Mountain Brook Spartans bench react to their impending loss during the girls Class 6A Northeast Regional final game between Mountain Brook and Fort Payne on Wed, Feb. 25, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by David Leong.
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Mountain Brook cheerleaders entertain the crowd during the girls Class 6A Northeast Regional final game between Mountain Brook and Fort Payne on Wed, Feb. 25, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by David Leong.
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Mountain Brook fans react during the girls Class 6A Northeast Regional final game between Mountain Brook and Fort Payne on Wed, Feb. 25, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by David Leong.
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Mountain Brook forward Maddie Walter (15) guards Fort Payne guard Zimri Craig (11) during the girls Class 6A Northeast Regional final game between Mountain Brook and Fort Payne on Wed, Feb. 25, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by David Leong.
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Mountain Brook pep band entertains the crowd during the girls Class 6A Northeast Regional final game between Mountain Brook and Fort Payne on Wed, Feb. 25, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by David Leong.
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Mountain Brook head coach Sara Price reacts during the girls Class 6A Northeast Regional final game between Mountain Brook and Fort Payne on Wed, Feb. 25, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by David Leong.
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Fort Payne guard Kinsley Worthey (22) guards Mountain Brook guard Avery Davis (3) during the girls Class 6A Northeast Regional final game between Mountain Brook and Fort Payne on Wed, Feb. 25, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by David Leong.
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Fort Payne guard Carley Cash (10) guards Mountain Brook guard Avery Davis (3) during the girls Class 6A Northeast Regional final game between Mountain Brook and Fort Payne on Wed, Feb. 25, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by David Leong.
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Mountain Brook Spartan bench reacts during the girls Class 6A Northeast Regional final game between Mountain Brook and Fort Payne on Wed, Feb. 25, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by David Leong.
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Fort Payne guard Carley Cash (10) guards Mountain Brook guard Avery Davis (3) during the girls Class 6A Northeast Regional final game between Mountain Brook and Fort Payne on Wed, Feb. 25, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by David Leong.
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Mountain Brook forward Maddie Walter (15) shoots a free throw during the girls Class 6A Northeast Regional final game between Mountain Brook and Fort Payne on Wed, Feb. 25, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by David Leong.
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Mountain Brook guard Avery Davis (3) shoots over Fort Payne guard Kinsley Worthey (22) during the girls Class 6A Northeast Regional final game between Mountain Brook and Fort Payne on Wed, Feb. 25, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by David Leong.
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Fort Payne forward Zaria Craig (25) guards Mountain Brook guard Kate Bakken (25) during the girls Class 6A Northeast Regional final game between Mountain Brook and Fort Payne on Wed, Feb. 25, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by David Leong.
JACKSONVILLE – The Mountain Brook High School girls basketball team wrapped up its season as one of the final eight teams in Class 6A.
The Lady Spartans fell to Fort Payne 52-37 in the Northeast Regional final on Wednesday morning at Jacksonville State University. Fort Payne has been a mainstay at the Northeast Regional over the years, but advanced to the final four for the first time since 2009 with the win.
Mountain Brook (16-13) fell behind early, but rallied to a 13-10 deficit at the end of the first quarter, as junior Maddie Walter scored all 10 points for the Lady Spartans.
“I felt confident, because we’ve been here before,” Walter said. “I believe in our team. I know we’ve been putting in a lot of work, and I felt confident we could get through this. Unfortunately, we didn’t today and that happens sometimes.”
A rough second quarter for the Spartans sent Fort Payne into the halftime locker room with a 26-16 lead.
But Mountain Brook put forth a rally coming out of the halftime break, cutting the deficit to one point. Just when the Lady Spartans were on the brink of reclaiming the lead, Fort Payne went on a 10-0 run to finish the third quarter to stretch the lead back to double digits. The Wildcats hung on from there.
“They’re tough, but super proud of my kids to come back in the third quarter and fight back,” Mountain Brook head coach Sara Price said.
Walter led the way for Mountain Brook with 17 points and seven rebounds. Avery Davis scored seven points and Kate Bakken added six.
The season didn’t go exactly as planned for a Mountain Brook squad coming off a final four run a year ago, but the Lady Spartans battled to a 16-13 record against a schedule stacked with top-level competition. They also fought through injuries and other adversity along the way.
When asked to describe the difference of her team from the start of the season to now, Price said, “growth.”
“I don’t think anyone expected us to be here,” she said. “It only makes us tougher for next year. We lose two key seniors in Clarkie Wilkinson and Annabelle Avery. You never want to end a season like this, but someone has to end it. They’ve continued to learn and grow as a group.”
Even with the experience from playoff runs the last two years, Mountain Brook will return plenty of youth next season. There were only two juniors on this year’s team, with plenty of freshmen and sophomores set to have expanded roles in the future as well.
“Having a harder schedule [this year] will prepare us for next year,” Bakken said. “We’ve seen every team possible. We’re losing two seniors but we have a bunch of players who have been through all of it.”
