High school sports recap: Bucs swim and dive team takes 2nd at state

Here's a look back at the last week in Hoover and Spain Park high school sports.

BASKETBALL

The Hoover boys and Spain Park girls basketball teams were back in action last Monday.

Hoover’s boys earned a hard-fought 57-48 win over Northridge. The Bucs had three double-digit scorers, led by DeWayne Brown and Salim London, who each posted 16 points. Brown added 8 rebounds and London contributed 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Jarett Fairley posted a line of 14 points, 3 assists and 3 steals as well. Jonathan Caicedo went for 9 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocks. 

Spain Park’s girls fell to Pell City on the road, 64-20.

Hoover and Spain Park’s teams also played Tuesday. The Bucs went on the road and swept Oxford, while Spain Park earned a split at home against Clay-Chalkville.

Hoover’s girls earned a 67-32 win over the Jackets. Layla Etchison led the way with 21 points and was joined in double figures by Reniya Kelly, who had 19 points.

The Hoover boys dominated the middle two quarters to take a 74-47 win over Oxford. Nine different players scored for the Bucs, led by London’s 21 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Brown had 10 points and 6 rebounds, while Caicedo finished with 9 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. 

Spain Park’s girls fell to Clay-Chalkville 61-18, but the boys earned a 61-45 victory. Zach Gray had a big game for the Jags, racking up 23 points. Chase James notched 15 points and 5 assists, and Sam Wright tallied 12 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double. Devin McKinnon led Clay with 17 points, while Tiawan Hardy Jr. had 10 points and Kevin Kirk Jr. finished with 9 points. 

Hoover’s girls traveled to Blythewood, South Carolina, to play in the Queens of the Castle event. The Lady Bucs began the event Thursday evening with a 71-48 win over Camden. Etchison had a big night, leading the team with 22 points and adding 4 assists and 4 steals. Kristen McMillan posted 10 points and 8 rebounds to join her in double figures. Kelly had 8 points, 7 rebounds and 11 assists, Kennedi McCray scored 7 points and Ariana Peagler added 6 points.

On Friday, Hoover’s girls continued play in South Carolina, while Spain Park and Hoover’s boys squared off against each other.

The Lady Bucs ran to a 51-35 win over Westwood. Kelly had a strong game with 14 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists on the night. McMillan also scored 14 points and added 6 rebounds. Etchison posted 11 points and 4 boards.

Spain Park’s boys outlasted Hoover 54-50 in the boys game. Wright and Gray led the way for Spain Park with 18 points each. Korbin Long also scored 8 points for the Jags. On the Hoover side, London went for 19 points and 3 steals in the contest. Brown posted 16 points, 7 rebounds and 4 blocks. Caicedo also added 9 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals.

Hoover’s girls finished up things in South Carolina on Saturday with a tight 55-51 win over Keenan. Kelly led the Lady Bucs with a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds. During the game, she became Hoover’s all-time leading scorer as well. McMillan posted 16 points and 7 rebounds. Etchison added 13 points.

INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

The Hoover indoor track and field team began the season at the Magic City Invitational last Saturday at the Birmingham CrossPlex. 

On the girls side, Nyel Settles won the high jump competition by clearing 5 feet, 4 inches. Laurin Mack also won the long jump competition with a distance of 16-2. Gabrielle Washington was second and Alyssa Wilson was seventh in the 60-meter dash, Taylor Canada was second and Jebreiya Chapman was third in the 400, Catherine Wallace finished sixth and Sarah Hertz was seventh in the 800, Ava Sparks placed fifth in the 3,200, Amyah Ellington was fourth and Paige Momern was fourth in the 60-meter hurdles, Settles went fourth in the long jump and second in the triple jump, Mack was also sixth in the triple jump, and Nicolette Lewis was fifth in the shot put. The girls 4x400- and 4x800-meter relay teams won as well.

For the boys, Jay Avery won the triple jump at 45-8.25 and won long jump at 21-9, while Bradley Shaw took the top honor in the shot put, throwing 49-8.5. DeMarion Gardner was sixth in the 60 and third in the 400; Charles Crowder was sixth in the 400; Cannon Peters finished third, Zachary Cooper was fourth and Elijah Joseph was fifth in the 800; Joseph finished fifth, Danny Tackett was sixth and Peters was ninth in the 1,600; RJ Torbor was second and Denver Cash finished fourth in the 60 hurdles; Jordan Woolen placed second, Owen Jung finished fourth and Daniel Echols was eighth in the high jump; Crowder was fourth and Torbor was eighth in long jump; Crowder was fourth, Torbor was sixth and Alijah Abram finished eighth in triple jump; Collin Pate placed second and Connor White was third in pole vault; and Michael Nixon was second and Toshi Yamamoto finished third in shot put.

WRESTLING

Last Tuesday, the Spain Park wrestling team traveled to Vestavia Hills to compete in the Over the Mountain Duals. Due to illnesses and injuries, the team had to forfeit five weight classes. As a result, in the first match, the Jags lost to Oak Mountain 42-27. Of the eight weight classes wrestled, Spain Park won five with three yielding bonus points.

Sawyer Hardy (132 pounds), Bradley Williams (145), Jackson Mitchell (182), Dakarai Shanks (195), Will Conlon (220), Rayshod Burts (285) won for the Jags.

In the second match, the Jags again forfeited five weight classes but held on to defeat Vestavia Hills 47-36, winning all but one of the nine weight classes wrestled. Kyle Fairless (126), Hardy, Williams, Brad Cummings (152), Drake Gregory (160), Mitchell, Conlon and Shanks picked up wins.

On Friday and Saturday, the Jags competed in the Gardendale Invitational Tournament.

At 195 pounds, Conlon placed first. Conlon breezed through his weight class, gaining bonus points in each match.

At 285, Burts placed first. His championship match was very closely contended, as neither wrestler could get a takedown.  In the second period, Burts escaped easily to gain a point. In the third period, he controlled his opponent the entire period, riding him for two minutes and not giving up any points, to take a 1-0 victory.

At 145, Williams was second. The team finished in sixth overall.

Hoover competed in the Saints Invitational in Mississippi over the weekend. In duals action, Hoover beat Vancleave 57-21 to start things off. Mycah Martin (126 pounds), Vincent Aspito (138), Ian Addison (152), Keith Christein (160), Kasey Zylstra (170), Jack Lamey Jr. (182), Alex Burch (195), Chaleb Powell (285), Manuel Flores-Bueno (113) and Landon Sanders (120) won in that match. 

The Bucs then beat St. Patrick’s 71-6. Sanders, Camden Harris (126), Ty Sissen (132), Aspito, Jaxson Carter (145), Addison, Christein, Zylstra, Lamey, Burch, Powell and Malcolm Smith (106) all won. Hoover fell to Brother Martin 58-24 in the final match. 

SWIMMING AND DIVING

The Hoover swimming and diving season has wrapped up. The Bucs sent 22 athletes to the sectional meet, and the girls team was the runner-up at the Central Sectional Meet. Hoover also had 20 athletes qualify for state. 

On the girls side, sophomore Lucy Benoit earned bronze in the 1-meter dive, while Priscilla Smith earned bronze in the 50-yard freestyle.

For the boys, junior Owen Fuller earned bronze in the 1-meter dive. Senior Lukas Fu won gold in the 200-yard individual medley. Senior Victor Song won gold in both the 50 and 100 freestyle. The boys relay team of Leo Song, Fu, Ken Ning and Victor Song got the silver medal in the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays. Those results were good enough to earn the runner-up trophy at state.

Want to see something else mentioned? Feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnesmedia.com.