Kyle Parmley
Jag Classic Softball
Spain Park wins the Jag Classic on Saturday, March 6, 2020, at Spain Park High School in Hoover. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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.
BASEBALL
Hoover
Over the weekend, the Hoover baseball team played a part in hosting the Perfect Game High School Showdown. On Thursday, the Bucs split their pool games. They began play with a 3-0 win over Pike County (Ga.), as Austin Cornelius threw a complete game shutout. He struck out 10 batters and allowed seven hits over seven innings of work. Lucas Steele knocked in a pair of runs for the Bucs as well. Hoover dropped its second game of the day, 2-0 to Blessed Trinity (Ga.), despite a strong performance on the mound from Colson Lawrence. He worked five innings, allowing two unearned runs on three hits and striking out seven.
Hoover concluded the event with two games on Saturday, with the Bucs splitting those games. Steele exploded for seven RBIs in the Bucs’ 10-4 win over Rockmart (Ga.). He tallied three hits, including a double and a grand slam on the day. Evan Radford also notched three hits, going for a double and two RBIs. In the second game of the day, Mountain View (Ga.) defeated Hoover 5-3.
Spain Park
The Spain Park baseball team began last week with a 9-5 win over Gadsden City on Tuesday. The Jags held the lead for much of the contest, but Gadsden City tied the game with two runs in the top of the sixth. But in the bottom of the sixth, Trent Thompson’s two-run hit gave the Jags a lead they would not relinquish. Adam Wygle and Ethan Smallwood also drove in two runs each for Spain Park.
Spain Park picked up two more wins by sweeping a doubleheader at Huntsville on Saturday. The Jags began the day with a 9-4 win over Hazel Green. Colton Ledbetter led the offensive charge with three hits, including a home run, and three RBIs. Thompson doubled twice and also drove in three runs. Smallwood knocked in a pair as well. Harrison Holcomb was strong in relief, allowing just one hit in 2 1/3 scoreless innings. The Jags got another great relief outing in an 8-3 win over Huntsville, as Jaxson Lucas gave up two hits in three scoreless innings in the win.
SOFTBALL
Hoover
Last Tuesday, the Hewitt-Trussville softball team knocked off Hoover 11-3. Hewitt’s Kenleigh Cahalan led the way for the Huskies offensively, as she went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs in the contest. Crystal Maze also picked up three hits for the Huskies, while KK Hughes got the start in the circle and allowed two hits in four scoreless innings. For Hoover, Gracie Hillman registered a triple and two RBIs on the night.
On Thursday, Hoover traveled to Jacksonville State University to take on Southside-Gadsden, with the Bucs earning a 6-0 victory. Jordan Moore hit a home run for the Bucs, while Hillman and Katie Norris each tallied two hits and two RBIs. Emily Sims and Brookelyn Cannon combined for the shutout in the circle, with Sims going three innings and Cannon striking out six batters over four innings.
Spain Park
The Spain Park softball team picked up its first Class 7A, Area 6 win of the season on Thursday evening in a 20-0 rout of Mountain Brook. The Jags took care of business in just three innings. Offensively, Alexis Anderson, Mackenzie Thompson and Katie Flannery all hit home runs. Anderson and Thompson finished with four RBIs in the game, while Flannery had two. Annabelle Widra, Lindsay Parker and Maggie Daniel all registered two hits and two RBIs. Ella Reed and Katherine Brown combined for the shutout in the circle.
Spain Park hosted its annual Jag Classic over the weekend, beginning things on Friday by winning both pool games. In a 9-2 win over Alma Bryant, Lydia Coleman went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs. Thompson had a double and three RBIs as well. Reed pitched three innings, allowing two hits and one unearned run. Widra hit two homers and drove in five runs in a 12-0 win over Calera. She also threw two scoreless innings and struck out six. Chloe Brittain homered and drove in three runs as well.
Spain Park made a run on Saturday, winning the Jag Classic for the second time in program history. The Jags began the day with a 7-2 win over Hueytown, as Parker and Flannery each knocked in two runs. In an 8-1 win over Tuscaloosa County, Widra hit a grand slam to lead the charge. Anderson tallied a double, homer and two RBIs, while Brittain hit another home run as well. The Jags then routed Sumiton Christian 17-1. Flannery had a big game, going 3-for-3 with a double, homer and three RBIs. Anderson doubled and tripled and knocked in five runs. Coleman had two hits and two RBIs. Widra struck out seven in three innings in the circle and racked up three hits at the plate.
In the championship game, Spain Park struck for five runs in the third inning to take a 5-3 win over area rival Hewitt-Trussville. Daniel had a two-run homer and Parker hit a solo shot in the big inning as well.
SOCCER
Hoover
Hoover’s boys soccer team won a big area matchup and dropped a match late in the week. The Bucs outlasted Thompson with a 1-0 win Thursday at Thompson, putting Hoover at 1-0 in the area. The Bucs dropped a match against Huntsville on Saturday by a 4-1 margin.
The Hoover girls soccer team came away with a 3-0 shutout win of Thompson. The Lady Bucs earned their first area win while improving to 4-3 on the season.
Spain Park
The Spain Park boys soccer team only had one match during the week, but it was a big one against area rival Vestavia Hills. The Jags pulled out a key 1-0 win on Friday night. They are sitting at 1-0 in the area now and 7-1-1 overall in the season.
The Lady Jaguars dropped their only game last week, falling to Vestavia by a 2-0 score. This puts the Lady Jaguars at 0-1 in the area.
TENNIS
Hoover
Both Hoover tennis teams walked away with wins against Tuscaloosa County while the girls team added another win to their resume. The boyss team swept Tuscaloosa County with a 9-0 win and the girls won 8-1 last Tuesday.
The girls team defeated Oak Mountain on Wednesday by an 8-1 margin as well.
Spain Park
Both Spain Park tennis teams won their only match of the week before two cancellations due to inclement weather. The boys team won 7-2 over Hewitt-Trussville and the girls grinded out a 5-4 win on Tuesday.
TRACK AND FIELD
Spain Park
Spain Park had multiple top finishers at the Husky Seven Way Meet in Trussville on Thursday. Keon Buck finished with two first-place finishes in the 100- and 200-meter dash. Sydney Taylor took home gold with first-place finishes in the 100 and 200 as well.
Mackenzie Culpepper finished in second place in the 400 and 800 for the Jaguars. Anna Collins finished in second place in the girls pole vault event. Many others placed in the top 10 for Spain Park.
— What else would you like to see mentioned? For any suggestions, feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnespublishing.com.