By Lee DavisSpain Park added a blue piece of hardware to the school trophy case recently. But it wasn’t just a new trophy – the trophy represented a new sport. The Jaguar boys bowling team claimed the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s first-ever sanctioned bowling championship on Jan. 28. Spain Park out-bowled runner-up Stanhope-Elmore 1,836-1,576 to claim the … [Read more...]
The Reign of Spain: Raney, Young and Jags Lead 2015 All-OTM Team
By Lee Davis Whenever Spain Park fans gather to share their favorite football memories, the 2015 season will be a popular conversation topic. The Jaguars, coming off a 5-6 record in 2014, turned in perhaps the most memorable year in the program’s comparatively short history. Spain Park posted a 12-2 worksheet, defeated arch-rival Hoover twice and went all the way to the Class … [Read more...]
The Peters Principle: Former Spartan Star Contributing to Bulldogs
By Lee Davis After helping lead Mountain Brook to the state 6A basketball championship in 2013-14, Alex Peters had a problem. Peters – a 6-8 forward – wanted to continue his career in college, but most major schools had overlooked him. “I had talked to some (NCAA) Division III schools, and Loyola of Chicago was interested, but that was about it,” he recalled, when contacted … [Read more...]
Rocky Soccer Show: Vestavia Club Has Grown in Recent Years
By Lee Davis Rocky Harmon wasn’t named after a famous boxer, but even at an early age he had a way of shaking things up. “When I was a baby, I kept trying to crawl out of the crib,” he recalled. “I literally was rocking my own cradle. So from that point on – everyone called me ‘Rocky.’” Harmon has spent the past eight years as executive director of the Vestavia Hills Soccer … [Read more...]
Championship Roles: Area Players Were Part of Tide, Gamecock Title Runs
By Lee Davis The University of Alabama’s 2015 national championship football team was packed with players who had Over the Mountain connections. A count of the official Crimson Tide football roster shows no fewer than eight players from area schools. While some – such as Hoover’s Marlon Humphrey and Michael Nysewander – had high profiles, others served in roles that garnered … [Read more...]