Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Vestavia Hills boys indoor track and field team with the AHSAA Class 7A state runner-up trophy following the state indoor meet at the Birmingham CrossPlex on Feb. 3.
The Vestavia Hills High School boys indoor track and field team picked up another trophy to add to the trophy case Feb. 3, finishing second in the Class 7A state meet at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
Nobody was catching Hoover, which posted 133.5 points to run away from the field. But the Rebels edged out the likes of James Clemens, Hewitt-Trussville and Oak Mountain to claim second. Vestavia scored 79 points, James Clemens scored 56.5 and Hewitt added 38.5
The Vestavia girls were a close third, finishing behind Hoover and Hewitt-Trussville, but beating Auburn and Thompson by just a few points.
“All the things we needed to do, we did,” Vestavia Hills coach Richard Anderson said. “Then, we had some other kids step up.”
Anderson pointed to the boys 1,600-meter run as one of the key events for the Rebels, as the team got a combined 11 points from Mitchell Schaaf and Jackson Mize. Schaaf finished second and Mize finished sixth in a strong event for the team.
Max Armstrong had a big day individually, winning the 800 in 1:54 and placing second in the 400.
Anderson knew going in that the Rebels had an opportunity to strike in the 4x800 relay. The Rebels did just that, setting a state record by winning in 7:56. In addition, the 4x400 team was second and the 4x200 team finished fourth.
Caleb Farrar posted a personal best clearance of 13 feet, 6 inches, to finish second in the pole vault, which was big as well. Jack Stubbs and Emory Carver each scored points in the long jump.
Schaaf also finished fifth in the 800, John Hayes was seventh in the 3,200, Tyler Dressback was seventh in high jump, Carver was sixth in triple jump and Chase Kaiser and Henry Drew each gained points in the shot put.
Anderson was also pleased with the performance from the girls team, which was expected to finish third based on projections entering the meet.
Riley Zeanah delivered a victory to the team, winning the 800 in 2:15. Kennedy Moreland and Krislyn Thomas swept the top two positions in the pole vault, as Moreland cleared 11-6 to win.
Reese Beckner was fourth in the 60-meter hurdles, Olivia Carroll was seventh in the 1,600, the 4x400 relay team was fourth and the 4x800 team finished fifth.
Chase Webb, Graham Gwaltney, Niklas Volkoff, Wilson Holt, Hollis Smith, Brady Ferrell, Emily Spooner, Abby Allen, Finley Becker, Kaitlyn Wende, Claire Spooner, Barclay Brown and Addison Armstrong also competed in individual competitions.
“I’m just proud of the way our kids show up when we’re not exactly supposed to do certain things, and they manage to get the job done,” Anderson said.
