Sweeney wins state title

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Sports

OAKVILLE — Two outcomes seemed close to certain entering the Class 7A boys race at Saturday’s AHSAA state cross-country meet.

Vestavia Hills High School senior James Sweeney appeared primed to run away with the individual title, and he did. Sweeney led from the gun en route to a 12-second victory.

He crossed the 5K finish line at Oakville Indian Mounds Park in 15 minutes, 38 seconds.

“It felt good,” he said. “I did what I wanted to. I just went out fast and hung in there.”

Similarly, the Huntsville High boys team appeared as if it was prepared to post a championship-caliber performance. The Panthers had asserted themselves as the squad to beat in 7A since the beginning of the season.

But Mountain Brook stopped them in their tracks.

Led by a runner-up finish from senior Charlie Slaughter, the Spartans nipped Huntsville, 74-78, to capture their first state title since 2011. Mountain Brook celebrated by dousing head coach Michael McGovern with a cooler full of iced-down blue Gatorade.

The color choice was appropriate, as the Spartans hoisted a blue trophy no more than 30 minutes after the triumphant cooldown.

“They put the work in, and they deserved it,” McGovern said. “I never gave up faith in them that they were going to get it done against Huntsville.”

Mountain Brook had recorded runner-up finishes at the past two state meets by a combined 18 points.

The shortcomings, however, made this year’s breakthrough that much sweeter. The result was especially gratifying for Slaughter, who underwent surgery in May to repair the torn labrum in his right hip. Doctors told him before the operation that he would most likely miss his final high school cross-country season.

On Saturday, he set a personal-best 15:50.

“It means the world,” Slaughter said. “Senior year, to come out on top like that and to do it with this team — I love those guys to death — I can’t put into words how grateful [I am] and exciting it is.”

Slaughter outkicked a crowded chase pack that also included Hoover’s John McCrackin and Mountain Brook teammate Hunter Harwell. McCrackin dipped under the 16-minute barrier for the first time in his career, nabbing a sixth-place finish in 15:58. Harwell placed eighth in 16:02.

“I gave it everything, man,” McCrackin said.

Spain Park’s Jacob Warner (11th, 16:11) and Vestavia Hills’ Bryce Hutchinson (12th, 16:14) rounded out the local list of All-State performers. Mountain Brook’s Joseph Pitard (16th, 16:19) and Gram Denning (17th, 16:21) missed narrowly, as the top 15 finishers earn All-State recognition.

Both of their times represented sizeable season bests.

“I told them last night, 'we’re going to run our best race tomorrow,'” McGovern said of his pre-meet speech, “and they did.”

Together, Sweeney and Hutchinson paced the Rebels to a third-place team finish. They totaled 97 points, 16 ahead of fourth-place Hoover’s 113. The Buccaneers were not projected to advance to state but came on strong in the season’s closing weeks.

“Three months ago I didn’t think we’d be here, and here we are fourth place,” Hoover head coach Devon Hind said.

The Mountain Brook girls also emerged as the top local team in the 7A standings, as the Spartans finished third with 62 points. Auburn (40) and Huntsville (57) claimed the top two positions.

Seventh-grader Reagan Riley paced Mountain Brook with a fourth-place showing in 18:33. Riley attends Mountain Brook Junior High and spent most of the season competing at the middle school level. But she didn’t shy away from the high school stage.

“Pretty crazy for a seventh-grader,” McGovern said.

The Spartans’ Lily Hulsey and Anna Balzli joined Riley as All-State performers. Hulsey, a sophomore, placed seventh in 18:40. Balzli placed 12th in 19:03.

Spain Park’s MacKenzie Culpepper (10th, 18:51), an eighth-grader at Berry Middle School, and Hoover’s Sydney Steely (13th, 19:07) also garnered All-State honors.

Steely’s teammate Ava Hayes Weems finished one spot out of All-State contention, placing 16th in 19:12. The Hoover girls finished fourth in the team standings with 89 points.

“It’s not like we ran horrible,” Hind said. “We just didn’t run great, and at state you have to run great.”