Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood’s Brady Waugh (7) heads to third in a game against Spain Park at Spain Park High School on Friday, March 24, 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 Briarwood baseball team earned a 5-0 win over Calera last Tuesday. Jake Souders led the Lions with a pair of hits and 3 runs batted in. Brady Waugh knocked in a pair as well. Sam Hoff scored 3 runs and Jonathan Stevens threw 6 shutout innings, allowing only 3 hits and striking out 15 batters.
Oak Mountain earned a pivotal area win over Chelsea on Tuesday, winning 7-3. Josh Hart went 2-for-4 with 3 runs batted in, while Peyton Parkinson went 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs. Matt Heiberger and Nick McCord had good games at the plate and on the mound. Heiberger hit a pair of doubles and pitched 4 innings, allowing an unearned run without allowing a hit. He also struck out 8. McCord hit a double and drove in a run, then threw 3 innings and allowed 2 unearned runs on a hit. For Chelsea, Walker Thomas hit a double and drove in a couple runs. Logan Moller threw 4 innings, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits.
Chelsea earned the split in the series with a 3-1 win over Oak Mountain on Friday. Jackson Morgan hit a solo home run, while Thomas and Aiden Hughes also knocked in a run for the Hornets. Bryson Mormon threw a gem, allowing an unearned run on a single hit over his 6 innings, while striking out 8. For the Eagles, Parkinson hit a double and knocked in a run. Kevin Jasinski threw 5 innings, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits. Nick McCord fired 2 innings, allowing a run on 3 hits.
Briarwood swept a doubleheader of Northridge on Saturday, winning 6-4 and 9-1. In the first game, Parker Daniels knocked in a pair of runs, while Will Clark, Andrew McAdams, Casen Heaps and Jackson Adams knocked in runs. Drake Meeks threw 5 innings, allowing a pair of unearned runs on 4 hits, with 5 strikeouts. In the second game, Clark, Souders and Waugh all homered in the contest, as they combined for 7 RBIs. Daniels knocked in another run, while McAdams and Adams each registered multi-hit games. Brayden Heaps threw 4 innings, allowing an unearned run on a lone hit, with 6 strikeouts. Casen Heaps threw the last 3 innings in scoreless fashion, allowing a single hit.
Chelsea split a doubleheader with Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Saturday. The Hornets broke out the bats in a 6-4 win in the first game. Mormon was 2-for-2 with a double and 2 RBIs to lead the way, while Stallings went 3-for-4 with a double. Thomas also tallied multiple hits, while Aiden Hughes and Kaleb Hester each knocked in a run. Aiden Craven got the start and went 5 innings, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits. In a 13-3 loss, Chris McNeill went 2-for-3, Thomas had 2 RBIs and Cody Fortenberry knocked in a run as well.
SOFTBALL
The Briarwood, Chelsea and Oak Mountain softball teams were back in action last Tuesday. Briarwood fell to Pelham 7-2. Larson Cummings went 3-for-4 for the Lions, hitting a double and driving in a run.
Chelsea took down Oak Mountain 13-9 in an area game. Madeline Epperson was the hero for the Hornets, hitting a grand slam in the sixth inning to give the Hornets the lead. Sydney Carroll and Kathryn Bryars also hit homers for Chelsea, with Carroll driving in a pair and Bryars going 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles and 3 runs batted in. Baylor McCluney and Morgan Brewer each tallied a pair of hits, with McCluney knocking in a run and Brewer scoring 3 runs. For Oak Mountain, Sheridan Andrews led the way with a pair of hits and 3 RBIs. Elizabeth Zaleski and Anna DuBose each drove in a pair of runs.
Chelsea fell to Helena 4-3 on Wednesday, as the Huskies scored in the final inning to earn the win. Brewer was 2-for-3 with a double and 2 RBIs at the plate. Claire Purkey tallied 3 hits and drove in the other run as well. Carroll threw 5 innings, surrendering 2 runs on 3 hits.
Oak Mountain celebrated its seniors Wednesday, and defeated Gardendale 7-4. Andrews hit a double and drove home a couple runs. Zaleski had a strong game, racking up 3 hits and an RBI. Lauren Schuessler was 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs as well. Kristian Carr threw 6 innings, allowing 4 runs (2 earned) on 6 hits. Catey Thomas hit a homer for Gardendale.
Oak Mountain picked up another win Friday, as the Eagles knocked off Mountain Brook 4-1. Emily Mackin was 3-for-4 with a double, a triple and an RBI in the game, while Alea Rye was 2-for-3 with a triple and an RBI. Carr threw the complete game, allowing an unearned run and 4 hits over 7 innings. Ellie Pitts threw the game for the Spartans, allowing 4 unearned runs on 5 hits in 7 innings.
Briarwood fell to Pelham 16-4 on Friday. For the Lions, Meredith Kellum led the way with 2 hits and an RBI.
Chelsea played in the Cullman Pre-State Blowout on Saturday. The Hornets played a pool game in the morning, finishing in a scoreless tie with Scottsboro, the team that went on to win the tournament. In that game, Julie Amacher threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing just a pair of hits. The Hornets fell in their first bracket game to Gardendale, 3-1. Sydney Carroll hit a homer to supply the team’s offense. Hardy Erwin threw 5 innings, giving up 3 runs (1 earned) on 5 hits.
SOCCER
The local soccer teams were back in action last Tuesday. The Oak Mountain boys wrapped up the area title with a 10-0 win over Spain Park. Chelsea’s boys took down Fultondale 5-0, Oak Mountain’s girls beat Spain Park 3-1, Chelsea’s girls fell to Mountain Brook 2-0 and Briarwood’s girls beat Indian Springs 6-1.
Oak Mountain’s girls outlasted Hewitt-Trussville on Friday, winning in a penalty shootout by a 4-3 tally to win the match 1-0. The Oak Mountain boys needed overtime to win as well, edging the Huskies 1-0. Also on Friday, Chelsea’s boys fell to Thompson 3-1 and Briarwood’s girls beat Chelsea 5-0.
TRACK AND FIELD
The Briarwood, Chelsea and Oak Mountain outdoor track and field teams competed in the Mountain Brook Invitational last weekend.
For Briarwood, Bela Doss posted a fifth-place finish in the one mile run and a sixth-place finish in the 800-meter run. Livi Reebals was eighth in the 100-meter hurdles, while the girls 4x100-meter relay team placed 10th.
Chelsea’s Cady McPhail continued her stellar senior season by winning the 800 in 2 minutes, 11 seconds. Lily Rigor was second in the 100 hurdles, while the girls relay teams performed well. The 4x800 team was second, the 4x100 team was fifth and the 4x400 team finished sixth. Gabe Pendley finished sixth in the javelin toss.
For Oak Mountain, Laura Rodgers was eighth in the 1,600, Julia Bueche was sixth in the 300 hurdles, Heidi Street finished fourth and Charleigh Wood was eighth in high jump, Harper Richey was second pole vault and Zarria Smith placed second in shot put and third in discus. On the boys side, Devan Moss was second in the 100, Sam Trammell finished fifth and Jacob Smitherman was ninth in the 1,600, and Oliver Griffin was ninth in pole vault. The Eagles had five of the top 10 in high jump, as Tre Thomas was second, Moss finished third, Paxton Haley was fifth, Eli Zannie finished sixth and Noah Allday placed ninth. The 4x100 relay was fifth, the 4x800 was seventh and the 4x400 finished eighth.
Want to see something else mentioned? Feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnesmedia.com.
