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Kyle Parmley
Class 7A Northeast Regional
Vestavia students during a Class 7A Northeast Regional game on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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Kyle Parmley
Class 7A Northeast Regional
Vestavia Hills' Adrian Peterson (3) during a Class 7A Northeast Regional game on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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Kyle Parmley
Class 7A Northeast Regional
Vestavia Hills' Emory Bear (2) during a Class 7A Northeast Regional game on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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Kyle Parmley
Class 7A Northeast Regional
Vestavia Hills' Patrick Davis during a Class 7A Northeast Regional game on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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Kyle Parmley
Class 7A Northeast Regional
Vestavia Hills' Patrick Davis during a Class 7A Northeast Regional game on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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Kyle Parmley
Class 7A Northeast Regional
Albertville's Lani Smallwood during a Class 7A Northeast Regional game on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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Kyle Parmley
Class 7A Northeast Regional
Vestavia Hills' Olivia Hunsburger (13) during a Class 7A Northeast Regional game on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at Jacksonville State University. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
JACKSONVILLE – The Vestavia Hills High School boys and girls basketball teams had their seasons come to a close Monday morning in the Class 7A Northeast Regional Tournament at Jacksonville State University.
Vestavia Hills’s girls teams put forth a strong effort, but No. 2 Albertville pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 54-35 win in the regional opener Monday morning.
Lani Smallwood, one of the state’s top players, shot 50% and scored 27 points to lead all scorers in the contest. The Mississippi State signee is putting the finishing touches on a superb career in this postseason.
Vestavia Hills hoped to be able to limit her a little more, but the Lady Rebels were proud of how they competed against the second-ranked team in Class 7A.
“What a fantastic season for this group,” first-year coach Crosby Morrison said following the game. “A lot of people didn’t believe this group could get back to JSU.”
Morrison harped on the positive qualities of the team’s two seniors, Marley Cowan and Caroline Leyden.
“We have a young team and we’ll be building on this foundation. It’s a standard to get here and compete well,” Morrison said.
Outside of Cowan and Leyden, the Vestavia program is in a bit of transition following a highly-successful run under previous coach, John David Smelser. This year’s team featured several younger players getting their first chance to make a splash on the varsity level, meaning that the growth from start to finish was exponential.
“We don’t even look like the same team,” Morrison said. “They just have confidence in themselves. They needed some reassurance that they could play. We saw it early [in the summer], they just couldn’t put together. But they never quit and never stopped giving effort.”
Junior Ella Grace Stricklin led Vestavia with 10 points, with Olivia Hunsburger and Lila Kelley each adding seven points.
Albertville will play in the regional final Wednesday, with a trip to the state final four on the line. Vestavia Hills finishes the year with a 21-12 record.
The boys game between the Rebels and Sparkman was a back-and-forth affair the whole way, but Sparkman held on late for a 52-51 win.
“Hard-fought, really physical game,” Vestavia Hills coach Patrick Davis said following the game. “We came up one play short.”
Sparkman scored the go-ahead basket with around 45 seconds to play, and Vestavia was unable to get a solid look at the basket in the final minute.
The Senators started strong in the contest, grabbing a 27-19 lead at the halftime break. But Vestavia Hills came out hot in the third quarter and made a push to make the game close the rest of the way.
“All year, our group doesn’t get really tight and they don’t panic,” Davis said. “Our guys being who they are and believing they were in good shape [allowed them to rally].”
Johnny Towry led the Rebels with 17 points and five rebounds in the game. He was joined in double figures by Emory Bear, who has been out the last several weeks with a back injury. But the senior was determined to get back on the floor for his final playoff stretch. Bear went for 15 points in the game.
“This season meant a lot to me,” he said. “It’ll be the last time I play competitive basketball in my life. I was told I was out for the season, I thought I was done. I give all the glory to God to have the opportunity to play today.”
Sparkman will also play in the regional final Wednesday. Vestavia Hills finishes the campaign with a mark of 24-7.
“This regional was really, really good,” Davis said. “If you through the Northeast Regional, you’ve got a chance to win the whole thing.”
