AUBURN – Mountain Brook struggled to contain Saraland sophomore Ryan Williams in the 2022 Class 6A championship football game.When cornerback Tucker Crawford wrestled Williams out of bounds at the 1-yard line on what appeared to be the final play of the first half, Mountain Brook coaches and players hustled off the field with a surge of optimism.Saraland coach Jeff … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. GrantEven though he led Mountain Brook to its first championship game appearance since 1996, Chris Yeager figured someone else would be the 2022 All-OTM Coach of the Year.He pointed to his former defensive coordinator Robert Evans, who guided Vestavia Hills to a 7-5 record and a second-round Class 7A playoff appearance in his first season; Wade Waldrop, who … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. GrantLate in the fourth quarter of the Class 6A championship football game on Dec. 2, Mountain Brook senior linebacker Trent Wright went down in a pile on the ground at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn.Wright didn’t get up. He had snapped the fibula in his right leg and torn all the ligaments in his ankle.“I was running to make a tackle and in the pile … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. GrantMountain Brook junior running back Cole Gamble began the 2022 high school football season splitting time in the backfield with Jack King and Will Waldrop.“We hope to keep each of them fresh,” Spartans coach Chris Yeager said before the season. “They allow us to run schemes using two backs at a time or three at a time.”But midway through the season, … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. GrantThe Oak Mountain boys basketball team has served notice in the first three weeks of the young season that it is not ready to take a step back under new coach Joel Floyd.The Eagles went into the Thanksgiving break with a 6-1 record, with the only loss to defending Class 7A champion Enterprise, 59-47, in the first round of the Sneaky Pete’s Rebel Classic … [Read more...]