Photo by Erin Nelson. Starnes Media
Cross-country sectionals
Spain Park’s Mackenzie Culpepper makes her way down the final stretch during the Spain Park 7A Section 3 meet at Veterans Park hosted by Spain Park High School on Thursday, Nov. 5, 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.
BASKETBALL
Last Tuesday, the Hoover and Spain Park basketball teams were back in action. The Hoover girls returned to action for the first time in three weeks and picked up a 69-36 win over Wenonah. Three Lady Bucs finished in double figures, with Jada Knight leading the way with 16 points. Aniya Hubbard posted 15 points and Kristen McMillan added 11 points. The Hoover boys earned a nice win as well, edging out Wenonah 47-42. Chip Culpepper had 16 points and six rebounds to lead the team, with Colby Carter adding 11 points and seven rebounds. DJ Fairley filled up the stat sheet, going for nine points, six rebounds and four assists. Brodin Grady also chipped in nine boards and five blocks.
Spain Park’s girls traveled to Hartselle and suffered a 44-33 loss, while the boys traveled to Thompson and remained unbeaten with a 35-32 victory. The Jags were led by Colin Turner’s 10 points, while Blake Floyd scored nine, Cam Crawford added eight and JR Lambert finished with four points.
On Thursday, Hoover earned a hard-fought sweep over a pair of strong Vestavia Hills teams. The Lady Bucs celebrated seniors Rachel Hager and Knight and picked up a 60-54 win. Reniya Kelly scored 22 points to lead all scorers, with McMillan and Hubbard adding 11 and 10, respectively. The boys also won by six, knocking off the previously unbeaten Rebels 62-56. Fairley went for 18 points and seven rebounds, Culpepper had 12 points and eight rebounds and Carter chipped in 12 points and five boards.
Spain Park earned a sweep of Homewood on Friday evening. The Lady Jags pummeled Homewood on the way to a 65-28 win. Camille Chase led the team with 15 points, while Jordy Griggs (13 points), Haley Russell and Katie Flannery (10) joined her in double figures. The Spain Park boys earned a 41-31 win over the Patriots. Harrington led the team with nine points, Floyd and Crawford scored eight each and Zach Gray added six.
Spain Park’s boys suffered their first loss of the season on Saturday, dropping a 52-50 decision to defending Class 6A champion Huffman in the Bobby Ledbetter Twin City Classic at Plainview. Crawford paced the Jags with 23 points. Floyd and Gray scored six, Harrington added five and Turner scored four points.
WRESTLING
Hoover’s wrestling team beat Jasper 54-16 last Tuesday and defeated Grissom 51-25 Wednesday. Jake Thompson pinned his opponent in the second round of his match. Junior Jack Gibbs won his match 8-5 by repeatedly taking down his opponent and fighting for the win in all three rounds. Senior Jacob Johnson wrestled well in the first round and won by a pin early in the second round. Seniors JT Foster, Wyatt Huddleston and Dawson Rye all pinned their opponents to give Hoover a substantial lead early in the match as well.
On Saturday, Hoover won all three of its matches in the Hornet Quad, beating Fort Payne 60-24, Chelsea 42-24 and James Clemens 65-9.
On Thursday, Spain Park swept a quad match. The Jags beat Arab 34-30, Moody 45-29 and Southside-Gadsden 48-26. Spain Park went 5-2 in duals at the Swede Umbach Duals over the weekend.
TRACK AND FIELD
The Spain Park track and field team competed in the Holiday Invitational at the Birmingham CrossPlex on Saturday. Mackenzie Culpepper set the meet record in the 800-meter run, setting a blistering pace of 2 minutes, 14.44 seconds.
Keith Warner won the 1,600 on the boys side as well. Other podium finishers for the Jags were Annabelle Widra (third in the 60), Anna Collins (second in pole vault), Keon Buck (second in 60), KJ Fleming (second in 400), Warner (second in 3,200) and Kenneth Bishop (third in 3,200).
Hoover also competed in the Holiday Invitational. Jebreiya Chapman (60-meter dash), Amyah Ellington (60 hurdles), Kayla Jemison (triple jump), Alex Inglis (pole vault), Julian Fore (400), Matthew Harden (800) and Jay Avery (long jump and triple jump) all won events for the Bucs.
Also finishing on the podium were Gabrielle Washington (second in 400), Reagan Hendricks (third in 800), Kayla Webb (second in 60 hurdles), Jemison (second in high jump and third in long jump), Kirsten Leonard (second in pole vault), Ashlyn Bottom (third in pole vault), Ainsley Staie (second in shot put), DJ Black (second in 60), Mohammed Sakalla (second in 400), Elijah Joseph (third in 1,600), Owen Marquardt (third in 3,200), Joshua Whitt (second in high jump), Levi Arroyo (second in pole vault) and Tanner Snow (second in shot put).
— What else would you like to see mentioned? For any suggestions, feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnespublishing.com.
