By Rubin E. Grant Homewood cross-country coach Josh Donaldson doesn’t like to use the term rebuilding. But even he had to admit that the Patriots have to do some reconstructing if they are going to continue their dominance. Homewood’s boys have won eight consecutive Class 6A state cross-country championships, and the girls have won three of the past four state … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. Grant Audrey Rothman didn’t have any interest in volleyball when she was a little girl. If her parents hadn’t insisted she play a sport, she probably wouldn’t have become Spain Park’s most dominant player and one of the top high school volleyball players in the state. Rothman was in the fourth grade when her parents demanded she play something. “My parents … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. Grant This was not the way Braden Glenn envisioned his senior year on the Vestavia Hills’ football team would begin, especially since it’s his first season as the Rebels’ starting quarterback. But three weeks ago, Vestavia Hills suspended preseason practice for nearly two weeks and canceled their first two games of the season against traditional rivals Mountain … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. Grant Before he had ever attempted a pass for Spain Park’s varsity team, Jaguars junior quarterback Bennett Meredith already had received a college football scholarship offer. Earlier this year, Jags head coach Shawn Raney sent a highlight tape of Meredith playing for the Jags’ junior varsity last season to Troy University head coach Chip Lindsey, who once coached … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. Grant  The Mountain Brook volleyball team might have taken a step down in classification, but don’t expect the Spartans to take a step back. After winning the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 7A state championship in 2019 with a senior-laden team, led by Player of the Year Grace Carr, Mountain Brook has been reclassified as Class 6A. The … [Read more...]