
Kyle Parmley
The Vestavia Hills High School boys golf team won the Class 7A state championship May 11 in Mobile.
MOBILE -- The Vestavia Hills High School boys golf team picked a great time to win its only two tournaments of the year.
The Rebels established themselves as one of the top teams in the state throughout the regular season, placing second several times. But once postseason play rolled around, they put the pieces together and came out on top, winning the Class 7A state championship.
The state tournament was held at RTJ Magnolia Grove in Mobile and was originally slated to be a 36-hole event over May 10 and 11. Despite persistent rain on the first day, all golfers were able to complete a full round.
After that day, Vestavia Hills was atop the leaderboard, albeit by a slim two-stroke margin.
The weather was worse the following day. Heavy rain and thunderstorms entered the area in the late morning, halting the tournament. The course was deemed unplayable for the remainder of the day.
That meant the tournament reverted to the first day’s scores, giving Vestavia Hills the championship. Vestavia Hills finished with a team score of 296, two strokes ahead of Enterprise, three ahead of Auburn and four ahead of Hewitt-Trussville.
“It was awesome,” Vestavia Hills coach Stephanie Meadows said. “Those kids, all of my kids, the five guys that played and the other 13 in the program, I couldn’t ask for a better group of kids to work with.”
Meadows said the team knew going into the tournament weather could play a factor. A day ahead of the tournament, the teams were instructed the state tournament would be played as four nine-hole rounds.
“Every nine holes is huge,” Meadows said she told the team. “We have to play every nine holes like it’s our last nine holes, and they did.”
Vestavia Hills triumphed for the first time this season at the section tournament, two weeks prior to the state tournament. The Rebels placed second to Hewitt-Trussville by four strokes the following week at the sub-state tournament.
“To do what they had to do [was impressive],” Meadows said. “We’ve said all year long if we can take five scores in the 70s, we can win the state championship.”
The Rebels got those five scores in the 70s at state. Parker Moellinger and Ward Harris led the way for the team, each finishing in a tie for fourth by firing a 2-over par 73. Jay Clemmer improved his sub-state score by 12 strokes to shoot 75 (+4). Andrew Szymela shot a 77 and Pierce Becker fired a 78.
Making the feat even more impressive is the fact that the team at state consisted of four sophomores and a freshman. Becker is in ninth grade, while the other four scorers for the Rebels are only in 10th grade.
“To have four sophomores and one freshman and some other incredible kids that didn’t play, we’ve got a lot to look forward to,” Meadows said.
Luke Maluff is the program’s lone senior.
Going into the state tournament, the Rebels knew any of the four 7A teams had the potential to win. With the weather forecast uncertain, it added a layer of pressure to the first day of competition.
“They responded in a phenomenal way,” Meadows said. “They didn’t let the pressure get to them.”