By Blake EllsWhile Spain Park’s season didn’t end the way the Jaguars had hoped, accolades continue to roll in for freshman pitcher Annabelle Widra.After breaking her own school record with 264 strikeouts this season, she is Over the Mountain Journal’s Player of the Year.“My older brother has a great work ethic, and I feel like I’ve gotten … [Read more...]
Big Blue: Vestavia Hills Girls Take the Trophy Back From McGill-Toolen
* This article was edited on May 17, 2018 to correctly identify Faith Hauberg as a Vestavia Hills High School senior. By Blake Ells Vestavia Hills took home its fifth 7A girls state soccer championship, beating McGill-Toolen 2-1 to end the year with a 22-3-1 record. The win, secured May 12, was sweet for the girls, who lost their championship bid last year to … [Read more...]
Vestavia Boys Tennis Team Continues Its Steady Climb, Ending the Season at No. 2
By Blake Ells Each year under coach Nathan Miles’ guidance, the Vestavia Hills boys tennis team has gotten closer to its days of dominance – no easy task in an area that has become the state’s most difficult. This year’s squad finished second at the state tournament, one spot ahead of Mountain Brook, also part of their area and winners of the last four state … [Read more...]
Laser Focused: Hoover Goalkeeper Rudolph Relishes Pressure of Being a Hero or a Zero
By Rubin E. Grant Annoyed, peeved, angered, irritated, ruffled or vexed. Any of those adjectives is an apt description of Hoover junior soccer goalkeeper Max Rudolph’s reaction when an opponent scores a goal. “He’s pretty tenacious about not letting the ball get to the back of the net,” Hoover soccer coach Kris Keplinger said. “If it does, it bothers him. He’s a fierce … [Read more...]
Raising the Roof: Vestavia Students and VHUMC Members Team up to Build Their 13th Habitat for Humanity Home
By Emily Williams In the words of author Sol Hurok, “The sky’s the limit if you have a roof over your head.” Volunteers, locally and from other states, recently came together under the auspices of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Birmingham to help build that roof for one Birmingham family. “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to make my kids’ dreams come true,” wrote … [Read more...]