By Blake Ells Just one senior – Libby Grace Gann – departed Mountain Brook last season, and this year, the Spartans’ volleyball team will have none. But a large junior class is moving in to help the Spartans surpass last year’s season, in which the team fell in the state semifinals to McGill-Toolen 3-0. “Every day we come in, we know how last year ended,” said junior setter … [Read more...]
Briarwood Looks to Build a Team on Base of Two Returning Players
By Blake Ells Briarwood Christian’s 2018 volleyball team faces an uphill battle. The Lions return just two players from last year’s squad, and as they typically have, they’ll play up to a lot of 6A and 7A competition in the Birmingham area, including their opening match against 6A Pelham. But the latter is something to which they’ve grown accustomed. “I’ve been on the … [Read more...]
‘We Could Have an Outstanding Team’: Briarwood Faces a Tough Schedule but Aims for the Top With Position Switches
By Blake Ells It’s tough to find room for improvement when you’re coming off of a 14-1 season. Briarwood Christian School fell in last season’s state championship game to St. Paul’s Episcopal 17-14 when the Saints scored on a fourth down with 1:54 remaining in the game. After its third title in four years, St. Paul’s now moves to 6A because of the AHSAA’s new competitive … [Read more...]
‘It Comes Down to Day-to-Day Work Ethic’: Mountain Brook Starts With an Experienced Defense, Looks to Fill the Offensive Line
By Blake Ells Defense will be a strength for Mountain Brook in 2018. Coming off an 8-4 season that concluded with a loss to Thompson in the second round of the state playoffs, the Spartans return nine players from a unit that lost just two 7A Region 3 regular season games. “Most of the urgency is on offense,” said coach Chris Yeager. “We have a lot of positions up front that … [Read more...]
‘Every Week, We’ve Got to Bring It’: Spain Park Filling in Its Roster in Bid to Excel
By Blake Ells Spain Park will have some key positions to fill in 2018, but coach Shawn Raney feels confident that he has enough “program kids” who are up to the task. “Program kids” are what he affectionately calls the athletes who have been a part of his program from the moment they could be but who often are inexperienced and undersized before their arrival, who work hard … [Read more...]