The Reset: Rebels soccer picks up 2 area wins

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.

BASEBALL

The Vestavia Hills baseball team got its week off to an encouraging start last Tuesday, as Eli Sawyer and Graham Duncan combined to no-hit Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa in a 10-0 Rebels win. The Rebels ended the game via mercy rule as they scored seven runs in the fifth inning. Ben Saway led the charge offensively with a triple and three runs batted in. Eston Hall notched a pair of RBIs as well. Sawyer pitched the first four innings, while Duncan finished things off with a perfect fifth.

Vestavia Hills notched its ninth and 10th straight victories to open the season with a doubleheader sweep of Northridge on Thursday. In the first game, the Rebels notched a 7-1 victory behind a balanced offensive effort, led by Saway and Grant Cacace, who each knocked in two runs. Garrison Cherry was dominant on the mound, allowing four hits and a run in the complete-game effort.

The second game was a bit more dramatic, as the Rebels scored twice in the eighth inning to win 4-3. Northridge notched the go-ahead run on a single in the top of the eighth, but a Colton Lewis RBI single tied the game and Wilson Owen’s groundball brought home the winning run four batters later. Prior to the eighth, Vestavia’s lone runs came on a two-run single by Bennett Whisenhunt in the first inning.

Vestavia Hills cruised to a 6-0 victory over Gadsden City on Friday afternoon, as the Rebels got the insurance they needed with five runs in the third inning. Lewis pitched a two-hit shutout and struck out 11, while driving in a pair of runs at the plate as well.

SOFTBALL

The Vestavia Hills softball team began last week with a Class 7A, Area 6 win over Mountain Brook, 15-0. The Rebels scored in all four innings they batted, and pitcher Charity Bibbs was dominant, throwing a no-hitter and striking out 10 batters over four innings. Bibbs was also one of five Vestavia Hills hitters to hit a home run in the contest. Leadoff hitter Mary Claire Wilson set the table well, going 3-for-3 with a homer, three runs scored and four runs batted in. Gwynnie Hornibrook, Hannah Grace Roden and Emma Shofner also homered.

The Rebels continued their momentum with an 8-6 win over previously unbeaten Thompson on Tuesday. Roden had several big at-bats for the Rebels, as she drove in four runs in the game. Bibbs walked and scored three times.

Vestavia Hills turned an early deficit into a 9-4 win over Springville on Thursday, as the Rebels bats got hot and scored all their runs over the final four innings. Hornibrook homered and drove in three runs on the night, while Wilson went 3-for-4 with a double and four RBIs. Bibbs struck out 10 in the complete game.

Over the weekend, the Rebels performed well in Wetumpka’s tournament, as they advanced to the final and finished with a 4-1 record. They began the event on Friday with a 6-3 win over Saraland, as Arden Plugge pitched all four innings and drove in two runs as well. Vestavia Hills began Saturday with a 6-1 win over Holtville. Bibbs and Hornibrook homered in the contest, and Nikki Hammond allowed an unearned run over her four innings of work. The Rebels then dispatched Brewbaker Tech 10-0 in three innings. Hammond homered and knocked in four runs, while Wilson had a pair of hits and RBIs as well. Bibbs retired nine of the 10 batters she faced and struck out seven of them.

In the semifinals, the Rebels hung on to their early lead and pulled away from Marbury in a 7-1 win. Roden notched three hits — including a double — and two RBIs on the game, while Plugge went the distance in the circle. The run she gave up was unearned, as she allowed four hits over five innings. Holtville avenged the earlier loss by downing Vestavia Hills 3-0 in the tournament final.

TENNIS

The Vestavia Hills boys tennis team began last week with an 8-1 win over Hewitt-Trussville on Tuesday. Danny Wheeler, Ethan Arrington, Gray Moore, Jack Kimbrough and Ryan Pearlman all won their singles matches, and all three Rebels doubles teams were victorious. On Saturday, the Rebels won the Top Seed Invitational. In the event, Vestavia knocked off Huntsville 6-3, Auburn 5-4 and McGill-Toolen 5-4. The Rebels are now 7-0 on the year and 4-0 against section opponents.

SOCCER

The Vestavia Hills girls soccer team blanked Class 7A, Area 6 opponent Spain Park 6-0 on Tuesday and defeated John Carroll 2-0 on Thursday. The Rebels are now 10-0 on the season. This week, they’ll host James Clemens on Friday.

The Vestavia Hills boys soccer team rebounded from last week’s area loss to Mountain Brook with a 4-1 victory over fellow area foe Hewitt-Trussville on Tuesday. Mitchell Register, Tony Shaw, Jack Loftis and Brody Arrington scored goals for the Rebels.

Vestavia Hills picked up another key area win on Friday, downing Spain Park 2-1 to improve to 8-2 overall. This week, the team will play at McCallie (Tenn.) on Monday before competing in the Bob Sims Invitational in Atlanta over the weekend.

TRACK AND FIELD

The Vestavia Hills track and field teams hosted the King of the Mountain Invitational on Saturday.

Crawford West led the Rebels girls with a first-place finish in the 3,200 meters, running 11 minutes, 52.3 seconds. West also contributed to Vestavia Hills’ winning 4x800-meter relay, which included Katy Lambert, Christina Sorochinsky and Eden Roberson. Katherine Ratliff won the javelin with a mark of 121 feet, 8 inches.

Bryce Hutchinson, John Ingram and Andrew Precise swept the 3,200 meters to pace the Vestavia Hills boys. Hutchinson took first in 9:47.89. Tyree Thigpen and Caleb Huber also claimed event victories. Thigpen won the long jump with a leap of 21-10, while Huber won the javelin with a throw of 158-7.

— What else would you like to see mentioned? For any suggestions, feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnespublishing.com.