The Over The Mountain Journal’s very own Rubin Grant is being given the 2021 Mel Allen Media Award for his lifetime contribution to sports as a journalist. Grant will join previous winners Paul Finebaum, Cecil Hurt, Ron Ingram, Tom Roberts, George Smith and John Pruett who hold the award from the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. The award is named for Mell Allen of Birmingham, … [Read more...]
Great Expectations: Spain Park Boys Basketball Garnering Attention
By Rubin E. Grant Spain Park boys basketball coach Chris Laatsch would prefer that his team fly under the radar right now, but that’s going to be difficult because of the way the Jaguars are playing. The Jags improved to 10-0 Friday with a 47-46 victory against crosstown rival Hoover Bucs on Senior Night at Spain Park. It was the latest impressive victory in the first month … [Read more...]
Title Quest: Lady Bucs Eager to Resume Basketball Season After COVID-19 Outbreak
By Rubin E. Grant The Hoover girls basketball team had one goal coming into this season: reclaim the Class 7A championship. But after four blowout wins to start the season, the Lady Bucs had to hit the pause button because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We had several players and coaches test positive, so we went into quarantine,” Hoover coach Krystle Johnson said. “I tested … [Read more...]
Early Deficit Halts Mountain Brook’s Football Playoff Run
By Rubin E. Grant Mountain Brook football coach Chris Yeager knew his team had to play near-flawless football in its Class 6A semifinal matchup at Pinson Valley to pull off a victory the Friday after Thanksgiving. But an early Spartans’ fumble that Pinson Valley’s Alijah May returned 50 yards for a touchdown and the Indians’ Mike Sharpe’s 92-yard touchdown run put Mountain … [Read more...]
Rebel’s Basselin, Springs’ Underwood Claim State Championships: Future Teammate Denies Briarwood’s Mathias Three-Peat in Boys State Swim Meet
By Rubin E. Grant If not for his future college teammate, Briarwood Christian senior Mason Mathias would be a three-time state swimming champion. Mathias finished second in both the boys Class 6A-7A 200-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle behind Daphne junior Drew Jordan in the Alabama High School Athletic Association State Swimming and Diving Championships, held Saturday … [Read more...]