Hunger, humility have Rebels on the brink

An air of uncertainty surrounds the Vestavia Hills High School boys cross-country team.

Through the first two months of the season, the Rebels have emerged as one of the state’s top squads. Yet, head coach Brett Huber has a hunch that they may be capable of more.  

“It’s a good unknown,” Huber said in October. “I think there’s a lot of potential.” 

Vestavia Hills will try to tap into it in the coming weeks. 

At the Class 7A, Section 3 meet on Nov. 2, the Rebels will attempt to punch their ticket to state for the first time since 2013, when they were runners-up in 6A. The top three teams advance to the Nov. 11 state championship in Oakville.  

“We’ve competed for the sectional race every year and fallen short by a few points every time,” said James Sweeney, a senior. “Having a good chance of qualifying is exciting.”

Sweeney, who is expected to contend for the 7A individual title, is one of only two Vestavia Hills runners with state meet experience. He and Bryce Hutchinson, a junior, clinched wild-card spots last season thanks to top six finishes at the sectional.

The rest of the Rebels, however, have been waiting for — and working toward —  their opportunity. Sweeney’s fellow seniors Joseph Gilroy, Grayson Holbert and William Tapscott, in particular, have demonstrated abiding persistence. 

All were eighth-graders the last time Vestavia Hills qualified for state, but each subsequent season has seen the group inch closer to a return. Only nine points separated the team from a state berth last fall. 

“When we came in as freshmen we knew that our senior year was going to be our best chance to do something pretty great,” Holbert said.

The pieces for such a feat have seemingly converged. 

Starting with the Sept. 9 Chickasaw Trails Invitational, the Vestavia Hills boys have unleashed a tide of steady performances. They placed fourth as a team at the season-opening meet, knocking off perennial section rivals in Mountain Brook, Spain Park, Hoover and Oak Mountain. 

Sweeney paced his squad with a second-place finish in 15 minutes, 40 seconds. Additional crisp performances from Gilroy and Holbert, along with sophomores Joseph Ingram and Mitchell Lee, helped the Rebels post a 16:40 5K team average. 

The polished showing prompted Huber to praise his team’s depth. Looking back, Tapscott reinforced his coach’s analysis.

“This is one of the deepest training teams I’ve ever seen in my four years,” he said.

The reality of that statement has become more visible with each race. 

Vestavia Hills notched a top three finish at the Sept. 23 Twilight Panther Prowl in Huntsville. There, Sweeney captured his first victory of the season, crossing the finish line in 15:32. 

But he was not the only Rebel to stand out. Freshman Ethan Strand trimmed close to 30 seconds off his personal best to take fourth in 16:11. 

The race pitted Vestavia Hills against Huntsville, which appears to be the state favorite in 7A. The Panthers won their home meet convincingly, but the outcome could change in November. 

The Rebels are hopeful they will have Hutchinson back in the lineup should they advance to the state meet. Hutchinson, who raced alongside Sweeney last season, sustained an injury prior to Chickasaw Trails.

Now, he is on the mend.

“With everybody back, we could have a really good end of the season,” Sweeney said.

Another strong showing at the Oct. 7 Jesse Owens Classic, where Sweeney placed second in a personal-best 15:25, injected the team with further momentum. 

Without Strand, Vestavia Hills still managed to finish as the top Birmingham-area team. 

“We’ve been performing really strong in meets, even without everybody there,” Holbert said. 

The team’s next test will come at sectionals, which will be held at Veterans Park in Hoover. The Rebels will enter the meet with chips on their shoulders and humility in their hearts. History has informed them that nothing is guaranteed in 7A, Section 3. 

“We’re not taking anything for granted,” Huber said, “because we haven’t qualified as a team.” 

Mountain Brook projects as Vestavia Hills’ top challenger for the section crown. If the Rebels advance, they will then turn their attention to state. 

Amid the looming uncertainty, one thing is clear. An Alabama-shaped map, outlined in blue, will be there for the taking. 

“I’d like to see what we can do,” Gilroy said. “I think we have a good shot.”