Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain’s Elizabeth Zaleski (22) makes contact during an at-bat in a game against the Rebels at Oak Mountain High School on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
Here's a look back at the last week in Briarwood, Chelsea and Oak Mountain high school sports.
BASEBALL
The Chelsea baseball team began last week with a 5-1 win over Pelham on Monday. Jackson Morgan hit a home run for the Hornets and drove in a pair of runs. Cody Fortenberry and Walker Thomas each drove in a run as well, with Thomas registering a pair of hits in the game. Kaleb Hester doubled as well. Logan Moller got the win on the mound, going 4 scoreless innings, allowing 2 hits and recording 6 strikeouts.
Briarwood shut out Leeds 6-0 on Monday. Jake Souders, Sam Hoff, Jackson Adams and Andrew McAdams all tallied a run batted in during the game. Souders hit a double and Adams scored twice as well. Matthew Jones got the start, going 3 scoreless innings and allowing just a pair of hits. Brady Waugh threw 3 2/3 scoreless frames, allowing 2 hits with 4 strikeouts.
Briarwood suffered a 6-5 loss to Homewood on Tuesday. The Patriots got runs batted in from JB Sain, Jackson Warren, Jack Ross and Jeremiah Gary in the win. Warren was 3-for-3 with a double as well. Levi Nickoli earned the win, throwing the final 2 innings and allowing no runs on 2 hits with 4 strikeouts. For Briarwood, Brady Waugh and Jake Souders hit doubles, while Sam Hoff registered the team’s only RBI in the game. Jackson Adams threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings.
Oak Mountain beat Shelby County 8-0 on Tuesday. Matt Heiberger knocked in a pair of runs for the Eagles, while Liam English, Josh Hart and Xander Hughes all had a pair of hits and an RBI. Owen Edwards also knocked in a run. Nick McCord got the start and threw 6 scoreless innings, surrendering just 2 hits with 6 strikeouts.
Oak Mountain swept a doubleheader against Brookwood on Wednesday, winning 10-1 and 8-1. In the first game, English racked up 3 hits, with a double, a triple and 2 RBIs. Carter Kimbrell had a standout game as well, going 2-for-4 with a double and 3 RBIs. Heiberger drove in a run and pitched 4 innings, surrendering a run on 3 hits with 4 strikeouts. Hart and Alex Harrison knocked in a run each as well. Erik Oxford threw 3 scoreless innings. In the second game, McCord was 2-for-2 with 3 RBIs, while Hart drove in a pair. Heiberger, Kevin Jasinski and Boyd Dela Vega each knocked home a run. John Romei threw 5 innings, allowing a run on 2 hits with 7 strikeouts. Owen Edwards threw 2 scoreless frames.
Chelsea began play in the Perfect Game HS Showdown on Thursday, falling to Cartersville 1-0. Morgan hit a triple, while Kaden Heatherly threw 6 innings, allowing an unearned run on 3 hits with 10 strikeouts.
Chelsea earned a win Friday, beating G.W. Long 5-0. Aiden Hughes was 3-for-3 with an RBI, while Morgan, Fortenberry, Cade Mims and Jason Neal all knocked in a run each. Hester hit a triple and Paxton Stallings hit a double. Chris McNeill registered a couple hits as well. Bryson Mormon had a strong performance on the mound, going 6 scoreless innings, striking out 8 and allowing just 4 hits.
Chelsea wrapped up the event Saturday with a 16-3 loss to North Broward and a 7-3 loss to Norcross. Against North Broward, Fortenberry, Thomas and Stallings knocked in runs, while Neal and Fortenberry registered 2 hits. In the Norcross game, Hester doubled in a run, Morgan and Neal doubled, and McNeill hit a triple.
Oak Mountain split a doubleheader Saturday, beating Mobile Christian 3-1 and falling to Tuscaloosa County 17-1. In the win, English drove in a run, McCord was 2-for-2 with a pair of triples and Brooks Braswell was 2-for-2. Jasinski went 4 innings on the mound, not allowing a run and striking out 6.
Briarwood swept a doubleheader Saturday, beating Muscle Shoals 11-1 and 15-5. In the first game, Casen Heaps hit a home run and drove in 3 runs. Souders hit a pair of doubles and drove in 4 runs himself. Waugh was 2-for-2 with a double and 3 RBIs. That support was plenty for Drake Meeks, who allowed an unearned run in 4 hitless innings, with 7 strikeouts. In the second game, Waugh was 3-for-3 with a homer and 3 RBIs. Adams and Parker Daniels knocked in a pair, while Heaps, Hoff, Will Clark, Souders and Jackson Barnes each registered an RBI. Matthew Jones threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing 2 hits with 5 strikeouts.
SOFTBALL
The Chelsea softball team began play last week on Tuesday with a 15-4 loss to Helena. Baylor McCluney had a pair of hits and knocked in a run, while Sydney Carroll drove in a couple runs for the Hornets.
Oak Mountain fell to Thompson 8-1 on Tuesday as well.
Briarwood fell to Mountain Brook 13-3 on Tuesday. Emma Stearns had a big game for the Spartans offense, as she went 3-for-4 at the plate with a double, a home run and a pair of runs batted in. Marianna Murray racked up 4 hits, including a double, and 3 RBIs. Patty Ann Frierson knocked in a run, Annie Gregory hit a double and scored 3 times, and Marrison Kearse had an RBI, 3 runs and 2 stolen bases. Ellie Pitts allowed just a single hit, a 3-run homer to Briarwood’s Meredith Kellum. Pitts struck out 13 in 5 innings of work.
Briarwood took down Homewood 18-10 in a slugfest Wednesday. For the Lions, Callie Mann went 4-for-4 with a home run and 3 RBIs. Kellum had a pair of doubles and knocked in 2 runs as well. Stella Meeks hit a double, driving in 3 runs, while Anna Grace Hatfield had 2 RBIs and Kate Atkinson drove in a run. For Homewood, Kate Jourdan as 3-for-4 with a double, a homer and 2 RBIs. Abigail Box was 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs. Allie Stuman and Kloeanne also knocked in a run.
Vestavia Hills took down Chelsea 8-3 on Wednesday. Tait Davidson and Miah Simmons each had strong games at the plate and in the circle. Both knocked in 2 runs, with Simmons allowing 3 runs (1 earned) in 5 innings and Davidson throwing 2 hitless innings with 5 strikeouts. Chelsea’s Kathryn Bryars was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Chelsea competed in the Hewitt Invitational in Trussville over the weekend. On Friday, the Hornets knocked off Gardendale 4-2. Bryars led the way for the Hornets, going 3-for-4 with a triple and 2 RBIs. Julie Amacher was solid in the circle, throwing 5 1/3 innings, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits with 7 strikeouts. Sophie Gant hit a homer and knocked in Gardendale’s runs, while also throwing 5 2/3 innings.
Oak Mountain played a game in the Sidney Cooper Round Robin on Saturday, an event hosted by Central-Phenix City at Jacksonville State University. The Eagles fell to Central 9-6. Anna DuBose racked up 3 hits, including a home run and 2 RBIs. Alea Rye had a pair of doubles and runs driven in as well. Khloe Broadwater homered for the Red Devils, while Gerritt Griggs hit an inside-the-park homer. Bradie Bush knocked in a pair of runs as well.
Chelsea played three more games Saturday, beating Haleyville 4-3, falling to Chelsea 7-3 and losing to Tuscaloosa County 4-0. In the Haleyville win, Katie Hopson had a pair of hits and knocked in a pair of runs. Bryars was 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Maia Harris gave up 3 runs (2 earned) in 4 1/3 innings. Against Athens, McCluney was 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Hopson knocked in 2 more. In the County loss, Claire Purkey threw 2 scoreless innings.
SOCCER
The Oak Mountain boys and girls soccer teams hosted Tuscaloosa Academy last Monday, each winning in dominant fashion. The girls won 5-0 and the boys won 7-0. Chelsea’s girls were also in action, shutting out Northridge 4-0.
Oak Mountain’s girls took down Cullman 9-0 on Tuesday, while Briarwood’s boys and girls played a couple tight games. The Briarwood boys beat Chelsea 4-3 and the girls fell to Homewood 4-3.
Briarwood’s girls beat Pelham 10-0 on Thursday.
On Friday, Oak Mountain’s boys beat Chelsea 4-1, Oak Mountain’s girls beat Chelsea 4-0 and Briarwood’s boys fell to Pelham 1-0 on penalty kicks.
GOLF
The Briarwood boys golf team won its first match of the season last Tuesday, beating John Carroll 165-173. Luke Philley shot a low round of 37.
TRACK AND FIELD
The Oak Mountain outdoor track and field team competed in the Husky Classic at Hewitt-Trussville over the weekend.
Samantha Bennett finished third in the 100-meter dash and the girls 4x400-meter relay team placed third, to reach the podium.
BOWLING
The high school bowling all-state teams were released last week. Oak Mountain’s Emma Hawkins was named overall first team all-state, while Grace Smith was second team. Hawkins and Smith were also named 6A-7A girls first team all-state. JoJo Smith was named 6A-7A honorable mention.
Want to see something else mentioned? Feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnesmedia.com.