Jimmie J. Mitchell
Spain Park head coach Shawn Raney speaks to the team during a game between Spain Park and Hewitt-Trussville on Friday, Sept. 20, 2019, at Husky Field at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium in Trussville.
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.
FOOTBALL
Hoover
The Hoover football team won its second straight game last Friday night, cruising past Class 7A, Region 3 foe Oak Mountain 37-7. Click here for a recap of the game.
This week, the Bucs take their open week.
Spain Park
The Spain Park football team notched a thrilling, come-from-behind victory over Hewitt-Trussville last Friday in a region contest. Click here for a full recap of the Jags’ big win.
This week, the Jags take their open week.
VOLLEYBALL
Hoover
The Hoover volleyball team won both matches it played last week to improve to 15-9 overall on the season. On Tuesday, the Bucs swept Jasper (25-15, 25-19, 25-21) a week after falling to the Vikings. Hoover backed that up with an area win against Thompson (25-19, 25-22, 25-8) on Thursday. Some notable stats from the week:
- Gabbi Essix: 21 kills
- Rya McKinnon: 30 kills, three aces, seven digs
- Eva Guenster: 16 digs
This week, Hoover hosts Spain Park on Wednesday, Vestavia Hills on Thursday, and the Over the Mountain Tournament over the weekend.
Spain Park
The Spain Park volleyball team put together a strong week, winning eight matches (17 straight sets) and only falling in the final of its tournament.
Last Tuesday, the Jags swept Class 7A, Area 6 foe Vestavia Hills (25-20, 25-12, 25-17). They backed up that win with a sweep of a tri-match on Thursday, knocking off Oak Mountain (25-20, 25-13) and Montgomery Academy (25-22, 25-22).
On Saturday, Spain Park hosted the annual HeffStrong Tournament and made a run to the final, where the Jags were finally upended by Mountain Brook. In the leadup to the final, Spain Park defeated St. James (25-5, 25-10), Northridge (25-17, 25-10), St. Benedict (25-14, 25-19), St. John Paul II (25-16, 25-12) and Bob Jones (25-22, 25-18). In the final, Mountain Brook won the match in two sets (18-25, 21-25).
Some notable stats from the week:
- Paris Morris: 70 kills, 15 aces, 11 digs, seven blocks
- Audrey Rothman: 67 kills, 52 digs, nine blocks, five aces
- Jessica Veal: 181 assists, 27 digs, 11 kills, four aces
- Alex Wright: 30 kills, 12 blocks
- Olivia Stark: 28 kills, 16 blocks, 12 digs, 10 aces
- Lexie Fowler: 84 digs, seven aces
- Katelyn Walsh: 40 digs
- Paige Ingersoll: 26 digs, seven aces
This week, Spain Park hosts Thompson on Monday and Hoover on Wednesday. The Jags are now 25-12 on the season.
CROSS-COUNTRY
The Hoover cross-country teams participated in the TCBY Invitational in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, with both boys and girls teams sweeping top honors. The girls scored 28 points and the boys scored 30.
Lauren Wallace was the top Hoover girl, placing second in 20:29. Alyssa Halcomb (fifth, 20:42), and Ashley Girouard (ninth, 21:01) also came home in the top 10. The boys swept spots four through eight, paced by John Michael Williamson (17:17) and followed by Brody Church (17:34), Matthew Harden (17:36), Sean Huffman (17:38) and Elijah Joseph (17:45).
— What else would you like to see mentioned? For any suggestions, feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnespublishing.com.