Kamp Fender
The Hoover Bucs pose as staet champions during an AHSAA class 7A championship basketball game between Hewitt-Trussville and Hoover on Saturday, March 2, 2019, at the BJCC's Legacy Arena in Birmingham, AL. (Kamp Fender)
Over the course of the year, the Hoover Sun will keep you up to date on the various Hoover and Spain Park high school athletic teams. For previous weekly updates, click here.
BASKETBALL
The Hoover girls basketball completed its quest for redemption on Saturday, winning its second state championship in the last three years. Click here for a full recap of the Class 7A state championship game.
BASEBALL
Hoover
The Hoover baseball team avenged a doubleheader sweep on Tuesday when the Bucs shut out Helena 5-0 behind a great game from Daniel Swatek. Swatek got the ball rolling in the top of the first inning on a sacrifice fly and went the distance on the mound. He pitched the complete game, going seven innings and surrendering a single hit, while walking two and striking out 10 batters. Robby Ashford and Jesse Kelley had two-run singles in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively, to extend the lead to its final margin.
Hoover hosted JSerra of California for a doubleheader on Friday night, with the Bucs managing a sweep of the Lions. The first game went 10 innings before the Bucs claimed a 3-2 win when Swatek’s grounder snuck through the infield and scored a pair of runs. Colson Lawrence got the start on the mound and pitched well, as he went 5 2/3 innings and gave up one run on five hits. The Bucs scored all of their runs in two innings in a 7-2 win in the nightcap. After JSerra struck for two runs in the first, Hoover strung together seven runs over the second and third innings. Cole Baker went the distance, allowing just two runs on five hits while striking out nine. Lawrence Hammonds drove in a pair of runs.
Hoover welcomed another out-of-state opponent on Saturday and walked off a 7-6 winner over Lassiter (Ga.), as Kelley notched the game-winning hit. Lassiter rallied after Hoover scored five runs in the second inning to take an early lead and even tied the game with a run in the top of the seventh before Kelley’s hit.
Spain Park
The Spain Park baseball team knocked off Briarwood 8-3 last Thursday evening. The Jags plated all eight of their runs over the first three innings to roll to a comfortable victory. Colton Ledbetter set the table nicely for the Jags offense from the leadoff spot, as he notched two hits, two walks, three runs and three RBIs. Adam Wygle and Chris Mancill notched RBIs for Spain Park as well. Bryce Perrien, Carson McKinney and Christian Ferguson drove in the runs for Briarwood. On the mound, Eli Copenhaver was stellar for the Jags, allowing just one run on one hit in 4 1/3 innings, while striking out nine.
Spain Park was back in action on Saturday, as the Jags split a doubleheader with Hueytown. Spain Park dropped the first game 6-5 after allowing three Hueytown runs across in the final inning. John Poist led the way offensively with two doubles among his three hits and three RBIs. In the second game, the Jags struck for half their runs in the first and cruised to a 10-4 win. Mancill and Ethan Smallwood each doubled and drove home two.
SOFTBALL
Hoover
Hoover took down crosstown rival Vestavia Hills last Monday, coming back from a 5-0 deficit to win 6-5 on Haley Green’s walk-off double. The Rebels took a five-run lead into the bottom of the fourth inning on the strength of Mary Claire Wilson’s double, two runs and two RBIs and Gwynnie Hornibrook’s RBI double, but the Bucs chipped away. They notched three runs in the fourth, one more in the sixth and won on Green’s double to the warning track in left center field. Brookelyn Cannon gave Hoover 3 1/3 solid innings of relief in the circle, allowing just two hits and no runs while striking out seven.
The Bucs held on for a 6-5 win over Prattville on Tuesday. Hoover jumped out to a 6-0 lead on the strength of a three-run home run from Campbell Hecklinski and a two-run shot by Hannah Presley. Prattville rallied to pull within a run with a big fifth inning, but Cannon held off the Lions to win. Cannon pitched the complete game, going seven innings and giving up five hits and five runs (none earned), with 11 strikeouts.
Hoover competed in Spain Park’s Jaguar Classic over the weekend and had two very different games in pool action on Friday. In the first contest, the Bucs dominated Pleasant Grove en route to a 22-0 victory. Katie Norris and Tennyson Guffey each drove home three runs, while Cannon, Eva Guenster and Abby Fortner all had two RBIs. In the second game, the Bucs fell to Rehobeth 1-0, with Rehobeth’s lone run coming in the sixth inning. The Bucs didn't play on Saturday due to rain.
Spain Park
Spain Park got a test from Brookwood last Monday before pulling away for a 9-5 win. Annabelle Widra did damage at the plate and in the circle, hitting a home run, driving in three runs, and picking up the win with 3 1/3 innings pitched. Brookwood jumped out to a 4-2 lead before Spain Park rallied. Widra’s two-run homer tied it in the fourth, and Taylor Harrington’s bases-loaded walk gave the Jags the lead in the fifth. Alexis Anderson, Lindsay Parker, Caroline Kendrick and Lydia Coleman all drove in a run.
Spain Park hosted the Jaguar Classic over the weekend and did not allow a run in its two pool games on Friday. In a 12-0 win over Clay-Chalkville, Kate Campbell and Kendrick combined for a one-hit shutout. Parker and Caroline Wooley homered in the game. In the second game, the Jags shut out Sumiton Christian 3-0. Widra gave up a single hit in five innings, while also notching three hits at the plate and driving in a run.
Due to rain, Spain Park played just one game to conclude tournament play on Saturday. The Jags defeated Bob Jones 13-0. Wooley registered three hits, two doubles, a home run and five RBIs on the night, while Majors also went deep in the contest and drove in three runs. Bailey Bowers and Taylor Harrington knocked in two runs apiece as well. Widra allowed just one hit in four innings.
TENNIS
Hoover’s boys tennis team dominated Oak Mountain last week, sweeping all matches and posting a 9-0 victory. Spain Park’s tennis teams were also in action last week. On Monday, the boys team narrowly lost to Vestavia Hills 5-4. The Jags defeated Indian Springs on Tuesday, with the boys winning 8-0 and the girls pulling out a 5-4 win.
SOCCER
Hoover
The Hoover boys soccer team had a strong week, earning four victories to improve to 5-0-2 on the season.
The Bucs defeated Helena 7-0 on Monday, Prattville 4-0 on Tuesday, Northview 1-0 on Friday and Enterprise 2-1 on Saturday.
Hoover opens Class 7A, Area 5 play this week, with a home game against Tuscaloosa County on Tuesday and a road game against Oak Mountain on Friday.
The Hoover girls soccer team (2-1-3) recorded two ties last week. It drew Homewood 0-0 on Tuesday and Spain Park 0-0 on Friday. This week, it will play area matches at Tuscaloosa County on Tuesday and at Thompson on Friday.
Spain Park
It was a quiet week for the Spain Park soccer teams. The girls (5-1-1) drew Hoover 0-0 on Friday, while the boys’ Class 7A, Area 6 opener against Hewitt-Trussville was canceled on Thursday due to inclement weather.
This week, the boys (2-1-2) will play a pair of area matches. They host Mountain Brook on Monday and Vestavia Hills on Friday.
The girls will host Vestavia Hills in their area opener on Tuesday.
TRACK AND FIELD
The Hoover and Spain Park track and field teams opened their outdoor seasons on Saturday at the Hoover Open with Relays.
The Hoover boys won the meet, while the girls placed second. Spain Park finished third in the boys division and fifth in the girls division.
Alex Inglis (pole vault), Adetola Koiki (long jump) and Alexandria Stone (triple jump) won events for the Hoover girls.
Dorian Austin (400 meters), LJ Hill (110-meter hurdles), J’Marri McCall (long jump) and John Watkins (triple jump) won events for the Hoover boys.
Kameron McDaniel (100-meter dash, 200-meter dash), Matthew Gray (shot put), Steven Pate (discus) and Josh Wallace (javelin) won events for the Spain Park boys.
Sydney Taylor paced the Spain Park girls with a pair of runner-up finishes in the 100- and 200-meter dashes.
— What else would you like to see mentioned? For any suggestions, feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnespublishing.com.
