By Rubin E. GrantMountain Brook senior Reagan Riley had one thing uppermost on her mind as she ran the Oakville Indian Mounds Park course during the AHSAA 67th State Cross Country Championships on Nov. 5.“The conditions were not the best,” Riley said. “It was muddy after a torrential downpour, and it is usually dry and dusty. I was really watching my … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. GrantSavannah Gann didn’t shy away when things got a little tight during matches for the Vestavia Hills volleyball team this season.Instead, the Rebels’ senior outside hitter elevated her level of play.“Savannah is a fierce competitor,” Vestavia Hills coach Ashley Hardee said. “She’s always working to get better. She’s a six-rotation player.”“She … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. GrantA day after her first season as Hoover’s head volleyball coach had ended, Amanda Wood was in no mood to offer any reflections.The dejection and disappointment of being eliminated in the Class 7A state tournament was too fresh.“I am still wallowing in self-misery,” Wood said.Enterprise narrowly defeated Hoover 3-2 (25-23, 22-25, 25-27, 25-22, … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. GrantMountain Brook couldn’t get into a flow, and as a result the Spartans’ streak of consecutive state volleyball championships ended at three.The two-time defending Class 6A champion Spartans fell to the record-setting Bayside Academy Admirals 3-1 (25-21, 21-25, 25-18, 25-17) in the semifinals last Wednesday at the 52nd AHSAA Elite 8 State Volleyball … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. GrantJohn Paul Head would rather not hear it. So please don’t tell him about the eye-popping statistics he put up in Vestavia Hills’ final three regular season football games.“I don’t like to keep count,” Head said. “It could make my ego go up.”Head getting the big head would be understandable considering what the junior quarterback did in leading the … [Read more...]