By Blake Ells This isn’t quite the Vestavia Hills football team you’ve grown to know. After defeating Spain Park for the first time in three years, a 28-21 victory on Sept. 7, the Rebels are poised to make some noise in 7A Region 3. Vestavia beat Tuscaloosa County 28-19 in Region 3 play at home last Friday. Their first two victories have come not just on the ground, but … [Read more...]
‘Heart and Effort’
By Blake Ells Mountain Brook had a few important holes to fill as the 2018 football season arrived, but the Spartans have managed to find new ways to be productive offensively. In the opener against Northridge on Aug. 24, the Spartans spread the carries around as they learn how to replace Harold Joiner, who graduated last spring. Starting running back AJ Gates was … [Read more...]
Game Changer: Helmets Go High-Tech for MBHS Football Players
By Ingrid Schnader Amidst the controversy surrounding football and brain damage, Mountain Brook High School football coach Chris Yeager has gone forward and found something to help his players on the field. It all started when he realized that the inside of helmets that players had been using were losing their pliability. “It’s almost like a cardboard box,” he said. “It … [Read more...]
The Juniors Have It on Mountain Brook’s Volleyball Squad
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...]
‘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...]