Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Basketball
Vestavia Hills' Ally Smith (10) shoots during a Blue Devil Holiday Classic game between Vestavia Hills and Gardendale at Mortimer Jordan High School in Kimberly.
Over the course of the year, Vestavia Voice will keep you up to date on the various Vestavia Hills High School athletic teams. For previous weekly updates, click here.
BASKETBALL
The Vestavia Hills boys basketball team played in the Batter Up! Classic at Childersburg the week before Christmas. The Rebels began play in the tournament on Wednesday, Dec. 19, with a 61-40 win over Sacred Heart. Paul Michael Hargrove led the charge with 19 points and seven rebounds, while Coleman Barranco added 14 points and six assists.
The Rebels got past Ramsay with a 58-53 win in the semifinals on Dec. 20. Luke Couch led the charge offensively with 24 points and five rebounds, with Michael Vice adding 15 points and seven rebounds. In the final on Dec. 21, Vestavia Hills fell to Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa 51-49 in triple overtime, as the Patriots hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to win. Couch led the Rebels with 19 points, and Hargrove added 12 points and seven rebounds. Vice posted 10 points and eight rebounds.
The Vestavia Hills boys traveled to Gulfport, Mississippi, following Christmas to play in the Adidas Holiday Classic. On Dec. 27, the Rebels fell to Biloxi (Mississippi) 54-40. Couch led the team with 13 points. The team got back on track the following day with a 69-56 win over Pascagoula (Mississippi), as Couch poured in 32 points. Barranco had a solid all-around game, as he registered 14 points, five assists and four steals.
Vestavia Hills wrapped up the tournament on Dec. 29 with a 53-40 win over Harrison Central (Mississippi). Couch scored 16 points, and Vice added 13. Hargrove posted a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
The boys got back in action on Jan. 4 and picked up a 61-41 win over Calera. Couch paced the Rebels yet again with 21 points, while Hargrove added 11 points and six rebounds.
The girls played in the Wills Valley Shoot-Out at Fort Payne the week before Christmas and began their run in the tournament on Dec. 20 with a 59-41 win over North Jackson. Courtney Milner scored 18 points to lead the team, with Emma Smith adding 15 points and Grace Uldrich scoring 11.
The following day, the Lady Rebels knocked off host Fort Payne 40-35 to advance to the final. Vestavia Hills fell to Scottsboro 39-34 on Dec. 22 to finish as the tournament runner-up.
The Vestavia girls were able to grab a tournament win following Christmas at the Blue Devil Holiday Classic, hosted by Mortimer Jordan. The Lady Rebels began the tournament with a 58-28 win over Gardendale on Dec. 27, as Anna Wood scored 18 points to lead the way. The following day, the Lady Rebels picked up a 53-42 win over Mortimer Jordan. Alison Stubbs scored 14 points to lead the team, with Wood contributing 13 points and Smith scoring 10.
Vestavia Hills won the tournament with a 45-31 victory over Oak Mountain on Dec. 29. It was the Lady Rebels’ second victory of the season over Oak Mountain.
The girls were back in action on Jan. 4 and beat Calera 59-42, as the Lady Rebels have now won seven of their last eight games. Wood scored 16 points in the win over Calera, and Emma Smith added 14.
The girls now have a record of 15-5 on the season, while the boys are 14-7. Class 7A, Area 6 play begins this week, as Vestavia Hills travels to Hewitt-Trussville on Tuesday and hosts Mountain Brook on Friday.
INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
The Vestavia Hills indoor track and field teams competed on Saturday in the Icebreaker Invitational at the Birmingham CrossPlex. The boys team placed sixth with 36 points, and the girls team placed 17th with 10.5 points. Below is a list of top performers from the meet:
Girls
- Angelica Vines: fifth in 60-meter hurdles (9.6 seconds)
Boys
- Jake Haston: won pole vault (14-6)
- Jackson Bryant: second in high jump (6-4)
- Ethan Strand: second in 3,200 meters (9:41.63)
- Bryce Hutchinson: third in 3,200 meters (9:42.06)
- Andrew Precise: fifth in 3,200 meters (9:56.64)
— What else would you like to see mentioned? For any suggestions, feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnespublishing.com.
