Every week we’re spotlighting a program from around Pike County for our Team of the Week, presented by Casey Carter, Farm Bureau Insurance

(Team photo by Beth Hemeter)

The Parklane Academy girls’ basketball team reached the mountaintop of MAIS hoops earlier in 2025.

The Pioneers beat Madison-Ridgeland Academy 45-42 back in February at Mississippi College to clinch the first MAIS Overall Tournament Championship for the program since 1993.

On Tuesday in Madison, the schools will meet for the first time since that game.

PA and coach Vicki Rutland are 11-1 thus far on the 2025-2026 season. They started off with a pair of tough opponents, beating Jackson Academy 51-41 and losing to Jackson Prep 58-51 about a month ago in the first two games of the year.

Since that setback to Prep, Parklane has been cruising, winning 10 in a row by an average of 28 points per game.

Sophomore guard Carlyle Carruth has been in the news for some of the honors she’s been piling up in the early season.

Carruth, a varsity starter since she was in junior high, topped the 1,000 career points and 500 career rebounds plateau recently.

She was also named to the annual Dandy Dozen team by The Clarion Ledger, which spotlights the top 12 players across the Magnolia State according to the newspaper.

Senior guard Zoey Alford has been cooking as well, scoring a career high 36 points in a home win over Silliman last month.

Rutland is assisted by Tammy Gillihan.

Seniors on the team include Alford and Anna Sawyer. Sawyer is signed to next play softball at Southern Miss.

Juniors on the squad are Lexie Lott and Carley Melton.

Sophomores playing for PA include Carruth, Brenley Caston, Lay Jackson, Maddy Rayborn, and Kherington Weekley,

The freshman class is made up of Myles Honea, Elaine Van, and Lori Caston. Eighth grader Kaylee Sawyer is also on the varsity roster.

MRA is 12-3 overall. The matchup between the Patriots and Pioneers is a district matchup and one that will likely be repeated in the postseason, as it appears that MRA, PA, Prep, and JA are all amongst the MAIS 4A heavyweights.

After the matchup with MRA, PA will be back at home for a Saturday home game against Columbia Academy.