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Photo courtesy of Karen Askins.
The Vestavia Hills High School boys lacrosse team celebrates winning the state championship on May 13.
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Photo courtesy of Karen Askins.
The Rebels posted an undefeated 15-0 record, defeating Briarwood, 15-11, in the state title game.
The Vestavia Hills High School boys lacrosse team is no stranger to the pinnacle of the season, but this past season the Rebels’ finally left it with a sweet taste in their mouths.
The Rebels’ varsity squad ran through the competition this past spring, posting an undefeated 15-0 record, en route to a state championship.
It was the fourth consecutive state championship game appearance for Vestavia Hills, but the Rebels broke through after falling in the previous three. The Rebels knocked off Briarwood, 15-11, on May 13, to take home the crown.
David Powell, president of the Vestavia Lacrosse Organization, credited the victory over Briarwood to “precision passing, scoring from several different positions, quality depth at every position and outstanding coaching.”
“Vestavia has played as a team from the start of the season and finished the season in the same way,” he said.
The Alabama Lacrosse Organization named Randy Nace coach of the year for his efforts leading the charge behind the Rebels’ dominant run.
“In my opinion, we have the best coaching staff in the state, hands down,” Powell said. “Randy Nace, Kee’vin Staples, Joseph Bowker, and LaDarius Williams are the best around.”
The statistics show that the Rebels were dominant for much of the season. They trailed on the scoreboard for a total of 22 minutes the entire campaign, and averaged 16 goals per contest while allowing just over five goals. In total, Vestavia outscored its opponents 241-77, scoring the most goals and allowing the fewest in the Greater Birmingham Youth Lacrosse Association in 2017.
It’s not as if those numbers were inflated, either. The Rebels scored 15 goals in both the semifinals and finals, against Hoover and Briarwood, respectively.
The Rebels played just three games decided by fewer than eight goals. During the regular season, eventual semifinalist Hoover played Vestavia to a tight, low-scoring match, with Vestavia edging out a 7-5 win. Mountain Brook, the team Briarwood edged to reach the finals, played the Rebels to an 11-9 decision. The only other close contest was Vestavia’s 15-11 win over Briarwood in the championship.
The seniors on the team went out with a bang, finishing off their careers with the kind of season that will be remembered for years to come. That class also put together an undefeated season and state championship when it was competing at the U13 level.
But it’s not as if that class’ departure signals the peak of the Vestavia lacrosse program, according to Powell. In every division but one, Vestavia Hills had a team competing for the state championship, including both boys teams in the U13 division.
The White U13 team went 13-0 and won the crown, while the Blue team posted a record of 11-2, with its only two losses the entire season coming to the White team.
“Vestavia lacrosse has a bright future ahead,” said Powell. “While the varsity team was senior-laden this year, they return a very talented squad for next year and the future continues to be bright.”
