By Lee Davis Spain Park probably learned an important lesson about how difficult life can be in Class 7A’s Region 3 last season. “I’m not an expert on the history of high school football in Alabama,” said Shawn Raney the Jaguars’ head coach. “But I couldn’t imagine a team beating Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills in the same season and not making the playoffs. That’s exactly … [Read more...]
Talkin’ Football: After Controversy, Rebels Ready for Season
By Lee Davis Nobody can blame Vestavia Hills coach Buddy Anderson for being ready for some football. After a summer of controversy over the Rebels’ mascot, Anderson – and everyone else in the Vestavia football family – is ready to move on. “All of that is behind us,” Anderson said. “The full focus is on the season ahead.” The Rebels are hoping to bounce back from an … [Read more...]
Still Super: Sullivan Treasures Relationships the Most
By Lee Davis Pat Sullivan earned a lot of hardware in his days as a star Auburn University quarterback and later as a coach. Sullivan won the Heisman Trophy as the nation’s outstanding college football player in 1971. In the 1980s, he directed the Tigers’ offense as Auburn won three consecutive Southeastern Conference championships. But his most prized awards from athletics … [Read more...]
OTM Volleyball Teams Set for New Season
By Tyler Waldrep While football gets most of the attention in Alabama during the fall, it’s not the only sport that launched with the beginning of school. Volleyball teams have been in training and have started their season with the same competitive spirit as their helmeted counterparts. In fact, the Over the Mountain area boasts two state champions, along with a slew of … [Read more...]
Regional Conflicts: A Look at How Over the Mountain Teams May Finish
By Lee Davis In some ways, the 2014 high school football season was one of the most unusual on record. For one thing, when was the last time that perennial powers Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills both missed the playoffs in the same season? The Spartans were good enough to narrowly defeat the Rebels, and Vestavia was good enough to give Buddy Anderson his record-breaking … [Read more...]