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Hoover's indoor track team celebrates girls and boys 1st place finishes at the AHSAA indoor class 7A track and field championships at the Birmingham Crossplex on Jan. 31, 2025. Photo by Savannah Schmidt,
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Hoover's indoor track team celebrates girls and boys 1st place finishes at the AHSAA indoor class 7A track and field championships at the Birmingham Crossplex on Jan. 31, 2025. Photo by Savannah Schmidt,
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Hoover's indoor track team celebrates girls and boys 1st place finishes at the AHSAA indoor class 7A track and field championships at the Birmingham Crossplex on Jan. 31, 2025. Photo by Savannah Schmidt,
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Hoover's indoor track team celebrates girls and boys 1st place finishes at the AHSAA indoor class 7A track and field championships at the Birmingham Crossplex on Jan. 31, 2025. Photo by Savannah Schmidt,
BIRMINGHAM -- Hoover High School extended its reign over track and field in Alabama, winning both the boys and girls Class 7A team titles for the fourth consecutive year at the Birmingham CrossPlex on Friday afternoon.
Hoover ran away with victory on the boys and girls sides. The boys team accumulated 137.5 points, well ahead of the 95.5 points accrued by Vestavia Hills. The Bucs also edged the Rebels in the girls competition, scoring 108.5 to Vestavia’s 61.
“I’m extremely proud of this group,” Hoover coach Chris Schmidt said. “This classification is really strong, it’s always going to be a battle.”
The Bucs’ sprinters delivered standout performances, led by senior DeMarion Gardner, who placed third in the 60-meter dash with a personal-best time of 6.89 seconds. Sophomore Jordan Williams finished seventh in 7.00 seconds.
In the girls’ 60 meters, senior Taylor Canada placed third in 7.60 seconds.
Hoover also excelled in the 60-meter hurdles, with sophomore Christopher Lawley winning the boys’ title in 8.09 seconds, while Jeremiah Tabb finished seventh with a personal-best 8.59.
Freshman Gideon Newton ran well in the 400 meters, finishing second in 48.44 seconds. Junior Jameson Coleman placed third in 48.53.
Junior Daisy Luna won the girls' 400-meter title in 55.55 seconds, with Grier Jones placing seventh in 58.99.
In the 800, Hoover athletes delivered strong performances, with Ian Chatterton finishing second in 1 minute, 55.17 seconds, and Benny Schmidt placing third in 1:55.62. Chatterton also picked up points by placing fifth in the 1,600.
Hoover’s depth was on full display in the distance events and relays, where the Bucs set two state records.
The boys 4x400-meter relay — Newton, Christian August, Coleman, Gardner — finished in 3:16.71 (state record, No. 4 nationally).
The girls 4x400 relay of Jones, Green, Luna and Canada won in 3:52.98 (state record, No. 6 nationally).
The boys' 4x800 relay also impressed, placing second in 8:01.30 (Chatterton, Benny Schmidt, Burns, Burgess).
The girls 4x200 relay of Jones, Luna, Canada and Settles won in 1:40.98.
The boys 4x800 relay finished second, the boys 4x200 relay was third and the girls 4x800 relay finished fifth.
In distance events, senior Ava Sparks won the 3,200 meters in 11:10.23, while teammate Amelia Vann placed third with a personal best of 11:17.99. Catherine Wallace (5:08.61) and Sparks (5:08.68, personal best) finished second and third, respectively, in the 1,600 meters.
Thomas Sheek finished third in the boys 3,200.
Hoover’s success extended into the field events. Seniors Omari Bryant and Norman Settles finished first and second, respectively, in the pole vault, clearing 14 feet, 6 inches.
Sophomore Nigel Thomas won the boys’ shot put with a personal-best throw of 57 feet, 8 inches, while junior Damian Reese claimed the triple jump title with a mark of 46-1.5. Langston Smith also finished seventh in shot put and Tabb was seventh in triple jump.
“That was a huge moment,” Schmidt said of Thomas’ performance.
Hunter Purdue took home third in the long jump, while August posted a fourth-place finish in the high jump competition.
On the girls’ side, junior Nyel Settles won the high jump at 5-4, with Stevey Gilmore finishing seventh. Senior Isabella Maple took the pole vault title with a clearance of 11-6, with Lucy Benoit placing sixth.
Sydnie Broom placed second and Kaitlyn Cox was fifth in the shot put event.
Owen Chatterton was an exceptional bright spot for the Bucs, running in the ambulatory races. He set state record with his performance in the 60 meters, 400 meters and shot put.
Despite the recent run of dominance, Hoover continues to shine in the state meets. In recent years, most of the indoor competition has been won in runaway fashion.
“It’s the expectation of Hoover High School,” Schmidt said. “I expect excellence from our kids. I believe in them and they believe in our coaching and it works. I’m blessed and fortunate to have the caliber of athletes that we have.”
Spain Park also had a few athletes in the 6A meet Saturday. Isaac Battles earned a third-place finish in the boys 400 meters (50.24). James Thompson contributed with a seventh-place finish in the boys long jump (20-7.75), while Graydon Moran placed sixth in the boys pole vault (12-6).
Spain Park’s relay teams also performed well, finishing sixth in the boys 4x800-meter relay (8:35.39) and sixth in the girls 4x800-meter relay (10:33.50).
