By Rubin E. GrantHomewood’s girls indoor track and field team appears primed to continue their Class 6A dominance.The Patriots outclassed the competition last week in the Hump Day Octameet, hosted by Mountain Brook at the Birmingham CrossPlex.With senior distance runner Lainey Phelps claiming victories in the 800- and 1,600-meter runs and senior Alex Brooks … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. Grant Sam Willoughby already was playing football when his dad, Lee Willoughby, suggested he also try wrestling. Lee Willoughby had been part of a state wrestling championship team at Hewitt-Trussville in 1988 and encouraged his son to give the sport a try. “He took me out there on the mat, and I liked it,” Sam Willoughby said. “I’ve been wrestling eight or nine … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. Grant After taking over for Briarwood Christian football coaching legend Fred Yancey last year, Matthew Forester had one goal in mind: Maintain the standard Yancey had set. “It was a huge honor for me to follow Coach Yancey,” said Forester, who played for Yancey and spent several years as an assistant under him. “It was good for me to pay attention and learn from … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. Grant Before the start of the 2019 high school football season, Spain Park offensive coordinator Marty Rozell had a message for senior quarterback Harrison Barker and his teammates. “Our offensive coach told us it was going to be a Johnny Manziel type of season with us throwing a lot because we had a young offensive line,” Barker said. Manziel won the 2012 … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. Grant Clark Griffin’s senior football season almost was over before it began. A week before Mountain Brook’s 2019 season kicked off, Griffin was diagnosed with a turf toe, with tendon and ligament damage. The senior linebacker had three options. He could have surgery, which would have sidelined him for the entire season; be injected with blood plasma and miss the … [Read more...]