Stellar spring seasons lead to many accolades
Plenty of high school student-athletes across the 280 Living coverage area were honored as a result of their stellar performances throughout the spring season.
Two baseball players from the area were named to the Alabama Sports Writers Association all-state team. Briarwood’s Brady Waugh was named honorable mention Class 6A as an infielder. Proving himself as one of the top hitters in the region, he hit for a .464 batting average with a .525 on-base percentage.
In 7A, Cole Edwards of Spain Park made the second team as an infielder. He was a corner infielder for the Jags, hitting .421 with a .537 on-base percentage. He hit four home runs and drove in 32 runs as well.
Chelsea’s Kaden Heatherly was named to the North-South All-Star Game. The all-star week showcases the top rising seniors in the state across all sports. Heatherly had a strong junior season for the Hornets, posting a 7-1 record with a 1.79 earned run average.
Four Spain Park softball players were mentioned as part of the all-state team. Catcher Maggie Daniel and shortstop Katie Flannery were first-teamers, while pitcher Ella Reed made the second team. Daniel was one of the top home run hitters in the state, slugging 14 homers and driving in 53 runs on the year. Flannery hit 10 homeruns and knocked in 50 runs. Reed won 20 games, posted a 1.97 ERA and struck out 208 batters on the year.
Outfielder Emma Hawkins was listed honorable mention, as she hit .391 for the season with a .500 on-base percentage.
Flannery was also selected to play in the North-South All-Star Game in July.
Several local soccer players were named to the all-state teams as well. On the girls side, Oak Mountain forward Lane Hope, Spain Park midfielder Sydney Soehn, Oak Mountain midfielder Kierson McDonald, Spain Park midfielder Tatum Ahlemeyer and Spain Park defender Maddie McNulty were all named to super all-state and Class 7A first teams. Oak Mountain defender Aubrey Gaut and goalkeeper Kate Murray were selected second team super all-state and first team in 7A.
Spain Park’s Robert Starr was named the large school coach of the year after leading the Jags to the 7A state championship.
Making the super all-state first team on the boys side was Briarwood midfielder Matthias Leib. Ending up on the second team were Oak Mountain defender Garrett Murphy and goalkeeper Adam Alemond.
Murphy and Alemond also were named first team in Class 7A, along with Oak Mountain forward Nate Joiner, midfielder Om Shrestha and defender Corbitt Grundhoefer.
Leib was a first team selection in 6A, along with Chelsea eighth grader Luke Miller. Chelsea midfielder Kaleb Bass was a 6A second-teamer, as was Briarwood senior Daniel Scharf.
Briarwood’s Dylan Morman and Charlie Ray and Chelsea’s Isaac Tindall and Brock Marlow were named honorable mention.
A handful of players were named to the North-South All-Star Game. In soccer, Spain Park’s Maddie Davis, Briarwood’s Abigail Hoaglund and Oak Mountain’s McDonald and Murphy were each selected to represent the North teams.
Spain Park’s Brenton Cate will play in the tennis all-star event, and coach Keat Litton will coach in the golf event.