Photo by Erin Nelson. Starnes Media
SPK at VH Volleyball
Spain Park head coach Kellye Bowen talks to Spain Park’s Brooklyn Allison (5) and Spain Park’s Katelyn Walsh (1) between sets in a match between Spain Park and Vestavia Hills at Braasch-Hatchett Court at Vestavia Hills High School on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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
The Hoover and Spain Park football teams earned opposite results last Friday. The Bucs continued their perfect campaign with a 48-21 win over Tuscaloosa County. Click here for a recap of the game.
Spain Park was unable to establish any momentum in a 32-7 loss to Vestavia Hills. Click here for the story from the game.
This Friday, both teams wrap up region play. Spain Park travels to Tuscaloosa County while No. 2 Hoover travels to top-ranked Thompson for a game that will decide the region title.
VOLLEYBALL
The Hoover and Spain Park volleyball teams began postseason play last week and have a chance this week to see their seasons continue.
Last Wednesday, both teams won their area tournament. Hoover took the title in the Class 7A, Area 5 tournament with wins over Tuscaloosa County (25-8, 25-6, 25-13) and Thompson (25-19, 25-17, 25-18). It was Hoover’s ninth consecutive area championship. Rya McKinnon led the team in kills for the night, including 16 kills and 15 digs against Thompson. Aly Durban had 43 assists and 12 digs in the same match. Kayla Jemison hit over .600 for both matches as well. Gabrielle Essix had six blocks on the night, while Eva Guenster had 11 digs and Kendal Youngblood had 10 digs in the Thompson match.
Spain Park accomplished the same result in the Area 6 tournament with three-set wins over Gadsden City and Hewitt-Trussville.
Hoover and Spain Park play in the North Super Regional at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville on Friday. Hoover plays Grissom and Spain Park faces Austin at 11:30 a.m. The winners will seal a spot in the state tournament next week.
CROSS-COUNTRY
The Hoover cross-country team ran in the 29th annual Husky Challenge at Hewitt-Trussville on Saturday, with the boys dominating the event and the girls placing third. Kyle Epperson won the boys race with a time of 16:17, while Elijah Joseph (third), Matthew Harden (fifth), Owen Marquardt (sixth) and Sam Kilgore (seventh) scored for the Bucs.
Lauren Wallace gave Hoover a clean sweep of the top spot by winning the girls race in 18:51. Abigail Batchelor (eighth), Ashley Girouard (ninth), Alyssa Halcomb (13th) and Reagan Hendricks (19th) also scored points for the Lady Bucs.
— What else would you like to see mentioned? For any suggestions, feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnespublishing.com.
