Photos by Erin Nelson.
Vestavia Hills’ Ally Smith (10) shoots for 3-points as the Rebels face Hewitt-Trussville in the AHSAA Class 7A Northeast Regional final at Pete Matthews Coliseum at Jacksonville State University on Feb. 24. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 48-46 to advance to the Class 7A State semi-final at Bartow Arena on March 2.
Plenty of athletes from Vestavia Hills High School’s sports teams were recognized and honored for their outstanding 2021 spring seasons.
A handful of athletes were selected to play in their respective sport’s North-South all-star events, which took place in July in Montgomery. These games feature a collection of the top rising seniors in each AHSAA sport and showcase them.
Elle Squires was selected to play in the North-South girls golf event, while Jackson Sharp was tabbed to play in the boys event. Squires advanced to the sub-state tournament as an individual in the spring, while Sharp is part of a Rebels program that won the 7A state championship this year.
Ella Denton, a defensive midfielder for the Rebels, was selected for the North-South girls soccer game. Denton’s Vestavia soccer team advanced to the Class 7A semifinals in the spring. The Lady Rebels posted an 18-3 record on the year.
Pierce Hanna is part of a Rebels baseball team that posted a 21-10 record this spring and was named to the North-South baseball game. Hanna was also a second team outfielder on the Starnes Media All-South Metro team.
Emma Smith will take part in the North-South girls basketball game. She is the top scorer for the Lady Rebels basketball team, already surpassing 1,000 points in her career. Last season, she posted 15 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. The team won 30 games, the Class 7A, Area 6 championship and advanced to the Northeast Regional final. They lost four games in the season by a combined 10 points.
Photos by Erin Nelson.
Hoover’s Jay Udeh (10) dribbles the ball downfield guarded by Vestavia Hills’ Mitchell Register (15) in a first-round Class 7A playoff game at Hoover High School on April 27. The Bucs defeated the Rebels 1-0.
Crawford West was named to the North-South cross-country competition, adding another accolade to a stellar season. West already won the Gatorade Alabama Cross-Country Player of the Year. She won the Jesse Owens Classic in the fall as well in 17:34.29, which ranked as the fastest 5K time in the state during the 2020 campaign. West also won the Southern Showcase, the Section 3 championship and the Tiger Classic.
During the track and field season, West swept top prize in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs in the Class 7A state indoor meet. At state outdoor, West won the 1,600 and 3,200 races.
On the softball diamond, Rebels catcher Gwynnie Hornibrook was named honorable mention on the Alabama Sports Writers Association 7A all-state team. She hit six home runs and drove in 34 runs on the year, helping lead Vestavia to the state tournament for the first time since 2016.
Several Vestavia soccer players made postseason lists as well. The all-state teams were voted on by the coaches, with Mitchell Register on the boys side and Grace Ellis and Riley Vicinanzo on the girls side earned first team super all-state honors. The super all-state teams pool the top players in the state regardless of classification. Denton and Kaylee Dressback were each named to the super all-state team as second teamers. All five of those players were named to the 7A first team.
Madeline Bunch was named to the second team of the 7A all-state list.