By Lee Davis If not for her close friend Sophie Jane Knott, Holli Chapman might never have become a part of the Mountain Brook girls track and field team. “We were in the seventh grade and I was playing soccer,” Chapman recalled. “Sophie Jane suggested that I get into track. She kept asking me, and finally I agreed. By eighth grade, I loved track so much that I gave up … [Read more...]
Surpassing Expectations: Polls Reflect Another Strong Year for OTM Basketball
By Lee Davis Do you think it’s just another routine year for Over the Mountain basketball? If you do, it might be a good idea to take another look. Spain Park’s stunning 66-62 upset of Mountain Brook in boys play last week is a sign that something special may be brewing. The Jags’ win not only ended the Spartans’ amazing 38-game home winning streak, but also offered evidence … [Read more...]
Hoover’s Taylor Leads All-OTM Football Team; Lions’ Yancey Named Top Coach
By Lee Davis Any advocates of the idea that the Hoover Bucs’ longtime domination of high school football in Alabama is waning will have to come up with some fresh arguments this winter. The Bucs’ 17-7 win over defending Class 7A champion McGill-Toolen last December gave Coach Josh Niblett’s team its fourth state crown in five years and the school its 10th title in the 21st … [Read more...]
Beason Season: Former Patriot Coach to Be Honored
By Lee Davis David Beason hasn’t coached a basketball game in 35 years, but he still remembers his final victory at Homewood as if it were played last week. "We were playing Shades Valley in the Region 7 finals at Mountain Brook,” he recalled when contacted recently. “They were a big favorite. At the end, our guy Rufus Hudson drew a charge and sank two free throws to win … [Read more...]
Defensive Posture: Stout Defense Brings Hoover Another State Title
By Lee Davis During its amazing run through the 21st century, Hoover has found a way to win 10 state football championships. But perhaps the program has never won a title quite the way it did in 2016. Hoover’s offense was good, averaging 29 points a game, but nothing quite approaching the spectacular scoring machines directed by former coach Rush Propst a decade ago. The … [Read more...]