By Lee Davis
Rick Grammer is by nature a very modest man, but even he would have to admit that 2014 was a very special year.
Earlier in the spring Grammer chalked up his 600th career victory as soccer coach of the Vestavia Hills Rebels boys’ soccer team. If that wasn’t enough, Grammer’s team earned its second consecutive 6A state title in Huntsville last Saturday.
The top-ranked Rebels claimed the championship with a 2-0 win over longtime rival Oak Mountain. Vestavia also defeated the Eagles for the championship last season.
“We have a wonderful group of young men,” Grammer said. “It’s an honor to coach them. It’s even more special to see them celebrate the title.”
Vestavia’s championship title was only one of many blue trophies that Over the Mountain schools brought home from Huntsville Saturday.
Oak Mountain defeated Mountain Brook to win the girls’ Class 6A crown. Homewood claimed the boys’ 5A title, and John Carroll Catholic won the girls’ 5A championship. The Indian Springs boys captured the Class 1A-4A title.
Vestavia won with a dominating defense that held Oak Mountain to eight shots. The Rebels had only seven shots themselves but took advantage of the opportunities.
Nate Dauphin scored both of Vestavia’s goals. The first came on a penalty kick in the first half, the second goal on a free kick with 26 minutes left in the game.
“When Nate scored the second goal, we knew we were only 26 minutes away from a second state championship,” said Rebel goalkeeper Evan Swanagin. “There was no way we were going to give up that lead.”
The back-to-back champ ended its season 23-2-1. Oak Mountain completed the year with a 20-2-3 worksheet.
Vestavia defeated Huntsville 3-2 in Friday’s semifinal. The Rebels rolled to a 3-0 lead in the first half before hanging on to claim the victory.
Dauphin, Jarrod Nieves and Taylor Strange scored for the eventual state champs. The winners took 11 shots for the game. The Crimson Panthers had only five.
“It was a dogfight until the finish,” Grammer said. “They put a lot of pressure on us at the end. We had to hang in there and play our game.”
Oak Mountain reached the final by beating Fairhope 4-0. Mark Green scored two goals for the Eagles. Patrick Carroll and Tyler Luckett also scored for Oak Mountain.
The girls’ 6A championship match pitted defending titlist Mountain Brook against Oak Mountain, which won the blue trophy in 2012. The Lady Eagles took a tough 1-0 decision to dethrone the Lady Spartans.
Julia Buckner scored the game’s only goal early in the second half and was named tournament MVP.
“There was a small opening, but when I kicked it I knew it was in the net,” Buckner said.
Defense dominated the day as there were only 12 shots on goal the entire game. Oak Mountain had only five but connected on the one that counted.
“It was the type of match we expected,” Buckner said. “It was very physical. But we like to play that way.”
Lady Eagle goalkeeper Kate Maria Denney had seven saves.
“I felt the pressure at the end, but I had to step up and make plays. This meant too much to mess up at the end,” Denney said.
Mountain Brook goalkeeper Heitho Shipp had three saves.
Oak Mountain finished the season with a 26-0-1 record.
In Friday’s semifinal, the Lady Eagles overwhelmed McGill-Toolen 4-1. Buckner, Alexandra Dunn, Julianne Johnson and Julia Pack scored goals for the winners.
Mountain Brook reached the final by defeating Huntsville 2-1 in a shootout. Adelaide Kimberly’s penalty kick earned the win. Catherine Gillespy also scored for the Lady Spartans.
Mountain Brook finished 15-7-2.
The Homewood boys won their fourth state 5A championship–and first since 2006–with a 3-1 win over Fort Payne.
Jackson Lynn gave the Patriots the lead with a goal in the first half. After Fort Payne tied the score early in the second half, Christopher Simpson and William Jackson each scored in the final 10 minutes to assure Homewood of the blue trophy.
Jackson, only a sophomore, was named MVP.
Homewood fired 19 shots, while Fort Payne took only nine.
“That third goal was sweet because we knew Fort Payne would keep charging after us, and every goal helped,” said Patriot coach Sean McBride.
McBride also had special praise for Jackson.
“The kid has the world at his feet as far as soccer goes–and also because of his ability in the classroom. But we’ve got a lot of special kids on this team,” McBride said.
Homewood reached the final on the strength of its 5-1 domination of Pinson Valley in Friday’s semifinal. Jackson scored the Patriots’ first goal and Ryan Hepp scored the second only 49 seconds later.
Christopher Castro scored after a pass from Chris Simpson to raise Homewood’s lead to 3-0. After Pinson finally scored, Hepp earned his second goal. Jack Schiller scored with a flick from Jackson Lynn for the Patriots’ final point.
John Carroll Catholic earned the girls’ 5A championship with a 2-0 whitewashing of defending champion Athens. The victory marked the Lady Cavaliers’ first state title since 2000.
Lindsey Fleming and Claire McPherson scored John Carroll’s goals, which both came in the first half. The Lady Cavs had 24 shots on goal for the game, while Athens had only five.
Senior Caroline Moffit was named Most Valuable Player. She earned an assist in the win over Athens.
“We wanted to have a quick start,” said John Carroll coach David DiPiazza. “Athens did a good job in the second half of coming back and taking the game to us. It was a matter of us absorbing that and getting through the game.”
The Lady Cavs ended the season with a 28-3-1 record.
In Friday’s semifinal, John Carroll routed Pinson Valley 5-0. Moffitt scored two goals, while Alexandra Maziarz, Nicole Bernal and McPherson had one each. Bernal also had two assists.
The Cavs outshot the Lady Indians by a margin of 37-1.
In Class 1A-4A competition, the Indian Springs boys won the state title with a 2-1 win over Randolph. Reeves Duggan scored both of the winners’ goals and was named MVP.
“This is my third time to make it to the championship game,” Duggan said, “so this was one we really wanted to get. I guess the third time is the charm.”
Duggan’s first goal was assisted by Eli Cohen. Rakim Ali assisted with the second goal.
Randolph had 11 shots but connected on only one.
ISS finishes its season with a 24-2 record.
In the semifinal, Indian Springs routed the Montgomery Academy 4-0. Ali scored a goal, Duggan added two and Jeffrey Simonetti scored as well.
