The Reset: Lions soccer sets state record

March 17, 2019 9:05 PM

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Photo courtesy of Todd Kwarcinski

Over the course of the year, 280 Living will keep you up to date on the various local high school athletic teams. For previous weekly updates, click here.

BASEBALL

Briarwood

Oak Mountain scored a 4-1 win over Briarwood’s baseball team on Tuesday evening, as Luke Percer drove in a pair of runs for the Eagles. Caleb Ragland notched three hits for the Eagles as well. Kimbrell was lights out on the mound, throwing a complete game with 16 strikeouts. He allowed just three hits and a lone run. Sam Hamner notched an RBI single for Briarwood in the first inning.

The same two teams faced off again Thursday, with Oak Mountain winning a rain-shortened 1-0 decision over Briarwood. Oak Mountain’s Turner Hughes did not allow a hit over 5 2/3 innings before the game was called. Oak Mountain got its lone run on a Jake Rivers RBI single in the fourth.

Mountain Brook defeated Briarwood on consecutive days over Friday and Saturday. On Friday, Mountain Brook yielded seven runs in the third inning but came back to win 10-8. Harrison Ware helped lead the charge offensively for the Spartans, as he went 3-for-3 with a double, home run and four RBIs. Wesley Helms notched four hits for Briarwood and drove in a pair of runs. David Stone helped stem the tide on the mound, as he pitched four innings of one-hit, scoreless relief for Mountain Brook to earn the win.

In Saturday’s contest, Mountain Brook was forced to rally once again and picked up a 7-3 win. Briarwood held a 2-1 lead entering the seventh inning before the Spartans put up five runs to go ahead. John Marks put his team ahead for good with a two-run triple to begin the inning’s scoring. Beau Hubbard also knocked in a pair of runs for the Spartans. Clark Griffin pitched the final two innings in scoreless fashion to earn the win.

Chelsea

Last Monday, the Oak Mountain baseball team swept a doubleheader against Chelsea, with the Eagles winning 7-4 and 9-5. In the first game, Chelsea got all four of its runs in a big third inning, highlighted by Bennett Horton’s two-run single. That lead held until the seventh inning, when Oak Mountain rallied to put up seven runs on the board and steal the win. Turner Hughes got the scoring started with an RBI double, and Jack Wilson followed with a sacrifice fly. Jackson Kimbrell tied the game two batters later with a two-run double, and Dylan Fraser capped the inning with another two-run double.

Both starting pitchers performed well in the contest, as Oak Mountain starter Hansen McCown didn’t give up much outside of the third inning. He went the full seven innings, allowing just four hits and striking out seven. Chelsea starter Connor Ball allowed two hits and struck out nine in 5 1/3 scoreless innings.

Chelsea grabbed an early lead in the second game as well, but the Eagles took the lead for good with a five-run fifth inning. Kimbrell had three hits and three RBIs for Oak Mountain, and Cole Sester drove in a pair. Sester also earned the win, going five innings. Nolan Forehand and Joel Sams notched two RBIs apiece for the Hornets.

Chelsea fared much better in a Saturday doubleheader, as the Hornets posted back-to-back shutouts against John Carroll, 10-0 and 14-0. In the first game, Carter Frederick led the way, as he went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. Horton and Jacob Tinnell each drove in two as well. Ball, Tinnell and Hayden Hutcheson combined to allow just two hits. In the second contest, Brock Hill and JT McGregor combined to throw a two-hitter, while Jacob Boyle, Horton, Frederick and Austin Frye all had two RBIs.

Oak Mountain

Oak Mountain scored a 4-1 win over Briarwood on Tuesday evening, as Luke Percer drove in a pair of runs for the Eagles. Caleb Ragland notched three hits for the Eagles as well. Kimbrell was lights out on the mound, throwing a complete game with 16 strikeouts. He allowed just three hits and a lone run. Sam Hamner notched an RBI single for Briarwood in the first inning.

Oak Mountain made it eight wins in a row on Saturday, as the Eagles swept a doubleheader with Jasper and Sacred Heart of Jesus (Tenn.). In a 10-0 win over Jasper, Rivers allowed just two hits over six scoreless innings, while striking out nine. Kimbrell homered and drove in two, and Ragland went 3-for-3 with three RBIs.

The Eagles scored single runs in the fifth and sixth to beat Sacred Heart 6-4. Hunter Hall earned the save for Oak Mountain, as he hurled the final two innings in hitless fashion and struck out four batters.

SOFTBALL

Briarwood

The Briarwood softball team fell to Helena 7-0 last Tuesday, as the Lions notched just three hits in the game.

Chelsea

The Chelsea softball team began last week with a big 2-1 win over Pelham on Tuesday. Karson Rich’s run-scoring single in the seventh inning put the Hornets ahead and proved to be the game-winner. Meleah Craft drove in Chelsea’s first run in the fourth inning, but Pelham evened the game in its next at-bat. Chelsea got a great game in the circle from Tyler Erwin, who allowed just two hits and a run while striking out seven in the complete game.

Chelsea picked up a 7-0 win over Helena on Wednesday, as the Hornets struck for three runs in the first and never looked back. Camryn Smith’s sacrifice fly was followed by a two-run home run from Brooke Burback to get the Hornets on the board. Smith drove in three in the ball game, and Abigail Bryars was lights out in the circle, allowing six hits and no runs with six strikeouts.

Chelsea participated in the Oxford Spring Sting tournament over the weekend and advanced all the way to the semifinals with a string of wins. On Friday, the Hornets picked up a pair of wins beginning with a 4-0 victory over Lincoln. Erwin allowed just three hits and struck out 10 in the win. Chelsea put up 11 runs in the first and cruised to a 14-2 win over Handley in the second game of the day. Burback went 3-for-3 with a homer and four RBIs.

On Saturday, the Hornets fell to Hoover 6-0 but rallied to beat Lawrence County 11-6. Chelsea scored in all four innings, and five players notched two RBIs each. One of those players was Erwin, who homered and also pitched the entirety of the contest. The Hornets then rallied to beat Sylvania 3-2. After Sylvania took the lead in the top of the seventh, Chelsea scored twice in the bottom half, walking off winners after Skylar Baker’s RBI single.

Chelsea avenged the loss earlier in the day in the quarterfinals, knocking off Hoover 3-1 behind a strong performance in the circle from Erwin, who allowed an unearned run on three hits in five innings. The Hornets' day ended in heartbreaking fashion in the semifinals, as they fell to Central-Phenix City 5-4 in 10 innings. The game was scoreless until each team tallied a run in the seventh. Both teams scored again in the ninth, and Chelsea once again took the lead with two runs in the 10th, but was unable to hang on.

Oak Mountain

The Oak Mountain softball team saw its only action last week in Prattville Christian Academy’s tournament over the weekend. On Friday, Oak Mountain split its two games. In the first contest, the Eagles dispatched Horseshoe Bend 8-0. Grace Hummer homered for the Eagles and Julia Tucker drove in three runs, while Hannah Atwood allowed just one hit and struck out seven in the complete game. Oak Mountain fell to Prattville Christian 6-0 in the second game. The Eagles’ tournament run ended on Saturday in a 2-1 loss to Marbury, as their only offense came from a M’Kiyah Mitchell home run.

SOCCER

The Briarwood boys soccer team defeated Pelham 1-0 on Monday in its first game of the Birmingham Metro Tournament. On Wednesday, the Lions drew Thompson 0-0. The result marked their 10th consecutive shutout, which set a state record. On Saturday, Briarwood (10-1-2) lost its first game of the season to Albertville 1-0.

This week, the Lions will play at Calera on Tuesday.

The Briarwood girls soccer team (1-7) fell to Spain Park 5-2 on Friday. It will play at Thompson on Tuesday.

Chelsea

The Chelsea boys soccer team fell to John Carroll 3-2 on Monday its first game of the Birmingham Metro Tournament. Lando Nichols scored both of the Hornets’ goals. Later in the week, Chelsea (7-7) fell to Thompson 4-3 and Hoover 4-0.

This week, the Hornets will play at Chilton County on Monday and at Pelham on Thursday.

The Chelsea girls soccer team suffered its first loss of the season on Tuesday to Oak Mountain, 5-3. Kailey Littleford recorded a hat trick for the Hornets in the defeat. This week, the Chelsea(8-1) will play at Chilton County on Monday before hosting Pelham on Tuesday and Gadsden City on Thursday.

Oak Mountain

The Oak Mountain boys soccer team earned a 1-0 win over Pelham on Tuesday in its first game of the Birmingham Metro Tournament. Cody Wells scored the winning goal on a header late in regulation. On Wednesday, the Eagles beat Spain Park 1-0 in their second game of the Metro Tournament. Wells came through again with the winning goal.

This week, Oak Mountain (8-3) will host Fort Payne on Tuesday and play at Mountain Brook on Thursday.

The Oak Mountain girls soccer team defeated Chelsea 5-3 on Tuesday behind four goals from Danielle Retief. On Friday, the Eagles downed Hoover 2-1. Retief and Kaitlin Maynard each scored in the win.

Oak Mountain is now 12-0 on the season. It will play another undefeated opponent, Vestavia Hills, on Tuesday before hosting the Westminster School at Oak Mountain on Thursday.

TRACK AND FIELD

The Briarwood, Chelsea and Oak Mountain track and field teams competed on Saturday at the Homewood Invitational.

Briarwood’s Jake Nunn joined Oak Mountain’s Nicole Payne and Harrison Dimick as individual event winners. Nunn won the boys 400 meters in 49.65 seconds; Payne won the girls 200 meters in 24.5 seconds, and Dimick won the discus with a throw of 159 feet, 2 inches.

The Eagles also won the boys 4x100-meter relay.

TENNIS

The Briarwood tennis teams were in action last week, as both the boys and girls teams defeated Benjamin Russell 9-0 on Tuesday. The following day, the girls suffered a tight 5-4 loss to Hewitt-Trussville. Over the weekend, the Lions traveled to Chattanooga, Tenn., for the DecoTurf High School Championships tournament. The boys team competed in Division A and lost to eventual tournament champion Montverde (Fla.) 7-2, knocked off DuPont Manuel (Ky.) 7-2 and beat Brookwood (Ga.) 7-2.

The girls competed in Division D and lost to Dobyns-Bennett (Tenn.) 8-1, beat Morgantown (W.Va.) 5-4 and lost to Assumption (Ky.) 5-4.

— What else would you like to see mentioned? For any suggestions, feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnespublishing.com.