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...]
Rebel Rewind: Vestavia Hills Plans to Honor Anderson’s First Season and 1998 Title Team
By Rubin E. Grant As he embarks on his 41st season as Vestavia Hills’ head football coach, Buddy Anderson remembers his first season as if it unfolded yesterday. In 1978, Anderson was elevated to the head job after spending six seasons as a Rebels assistant. Vestavia Hills reached the 1978 Class 4A championship game – the highest classification level then – but lost 21-7 to … [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...]
‘Real Good Leadership Coming Back’: Vestavia Hills Returns in 2018 With Experience at Most Positions
By Blake Ells It was quite an off-season for Vestavia Hills head coach Buddy Anderson. The winningest high school football coach in Alabama was inducted into the National Federation of State High School Association Hall of Fame on July 2 during a banquet in Chicago. “It was nice,” said Anderson, who is just the 12th individual from Alabama enshrined in the National Hall of … [Read more...]
Messy Houseguest Catalyst for Home Remodel: Vestavia Hills Couple Update Their ’60s Home with Big Open Spaces
By Ingrid SchnaderA curious, enthusiastic dog was the catalyst for a long-delayed remodeling of a 1960s house in Vestavia Hills. Ron and Lu Ann Smith said they had wanted to remodel their house ever since they moved in 20 years ago, but converting the closed-in house to an open concept design would be a big project, and so the job never made it to the top of the to-do … [Read more...]