Photo courtesy of Trey Lee
The Chelsea High School girls track and field team won the Class 6A state outdoor meet on Saturday, May 3, 2025. Photo courtesy of Trey Lee.
Chelsea High School’s girls track and field team made history over the weekend, capturing the Class 6A state championship for the first time at the state meet in Gulf Shores. The Hornets tallied 87 points to edge out three-time reigning state champ Mountain Brook. Chelsea continues to build on the program's momentum, as the Hornets won the state indoor title in February as well.
Athletes from Briarwood, Oak Mountain, and Spain Park also turned in strong performances in the 6A and 7A competitions.
Chelsea was led by junior Ty Cason, who won the 400-meter dash (57.49), 800-meter race (2:11.34), and placed fifth in the 1,600 meters (5:07.54).
Sophomore Mia Dunavant was runner-up in both the 400 (57.85) and 800 (2:13.47). Senior Tamarah Rice swept the horizontal jumps, winning both the long jump (18 feet, 0.75 inches) and triple jump (38-1), and also competed in the 100 meters. Sophomore Kamryn Hudson placed seventh in the 200 and competed in the 100 as well. Senior Addison Foster finished fifth in the 100-meter hurdles and ran the 300 hurdles.
Seniors Juliette Edwards (ninth in 3,200) and Hannah Quick (ninth in 800), along with freshman Emily Davis (17th in 3,200), provided valuable performances. The girls 4x100-meter relay team placed fourth, while the 4x400 team took first in 3:56.91 and the 4x800 squad finished fourth.
In the field events, Sydney Carroll (eighth in javelin), Olivia Pryor (11th in javelin), Mallory Crawley (11th in long jump), Caroline Thornbrough (13th in long jump), and Emma Raines McGough (22nd in high jump) rounded out scoring and participation.
Junior Layla Robidoux competed in the pole vault (22nd), and the boys team saw strong showings from Gabe Pendley, who won the boys 6A javelin with a mark of 184 feet, and Niles Cummings, who won the triple jump and placed eighth in the long jump. Senior Conner Campbell placed 7th in both the 1,600 and 3,200 and ran 19th in the 800. Hudson Williams was 18th in the 1,600 and 9th in the 3,200. Additional boys competitors included Jacob Adeema (13th in high jump), Jordan Bennett (22nd in triple jump), and pole vaulters Wyatt Irvin (10th) and Jonathan Ludwig (15th). The boys 4x800 team finished 10th.
Briarwood’s girls team, which finished seventh in 6A, was anchored by senior Mary Grace Parker, who finished second in the 3,200 (10:55.29), fourth in the 1,600 (5:00.51), and seventh in the 800 (2:20.40). Sophomore Allie Hale scored with a seventh-place finish in the 3,200 and also placed in the top 10 in the 800 and 1,600.
Junior Emma Kerley contributed across the board, finishing fifth in the triple jump, seventh in the long jump, 10th in the 300 hurdles, and 10th in the high jump. Eighth-grader Olivia Jones (18th in 300 hurdles), junior Livi Reebals (12th in 100 hurdles, 10th in 300 hurdles), and junior Ava Doss (22nd in 400, 16th in long jump) rounded out the sprint and field contributions. Lena Anne Parker placed 18th in the 3,200.
In the throws, junior Ava Wagar placed 20th in discus and sophomore Sarah Travis was 21st in javelin. The pole vault group featured Blakeley Margene (15th) and Kate Jones (19th). The girls 4x800 relay team placed third, while the 4x400 team finished 12th.
On the boys side, sophomore John Campbell turned in a standout performance, placing third in the 200 meters (21.69). Senior Gavin Gurtis finished 9th in the 400.
Oak Mountain senior John Shoemaker had one of the weekend’s most impressive performances as the Eagles finished sixth in 7A, sweeping the 1,600 (4:08.46) and 3,200 (9:10.32), while finishing 18th in the 800. Junior Cooper Jeffcoat also starred, winning the 800 (1:53.95), taking third in the 1,600 (4:12.93) and sixth in the 400. Senior Whitt Kilgore placed 13th in the 3,200 and 19th in the 1,600.
In the girls’ distance races, senior Ava Fields won the 1,600 (4:57.31) and placed fifth in the 800, while junior Catarina Williams took second in the 800 and 10th in the 1,600. Seniors Hayley Datema and Faith Scardino were 13th and 18th in the 3,200, respectively.
In ambulatory events, sophomore Chase Lovell swept the 100, 200, 400 and javelin, scoring in each. Junior Chrislyn Gray competed in the 100 (15th) and 200 (19th), while sophomore Riley Leckemby placed 18th in the 300 hurdles. Senior Blake Harry contributed across three field events: 13th in the high jump, 9th in the javelin, and 15th in the long jump. Freshman Oliver Griffin took 7th in the pole vault, and junior Samiah Jones placed 8th in the triple jump and 21st in the long jump. Sophomore Harper Richey placed 11th in the girls pole vault.
The Oak Mountain girls 4x800 relay team placed fourth, and the 4x400 team took seventh. The boys relays included 13th in the 4x800 and 12th in the 4x400. The girls 4x100 also competed, placing 12th in prelims.
Spain Park in 6A was led by junior Zachary Erickson, who placed second in the boys discus (159-9) and also competed in the shot put (23rd). Sophomore Jonathan Fonbah placed third in the high jump (6-4), and junior Isaac Battles scored with a sixth-place finish in the 400 (49.71). Junior Brody Ahlemeyer ran a PR in the 3,200, finishing 12th. Senior Aden Walker was 17th in shot put, and freshman James Thompson placed 20th in the long jump. On the girls side, senior Sydney Baker placed 14th in the 400, and senior Madison Harvey finished 11th in the 3,200. Senior Laila Sibley competed in the discus but fouled all attempts. The Spain Park girls 4x800 relay team finished 9th, and the boys 4x100 team placed 11th in prelims.
Soccer teams moving on to Huntsville
A few high school soccer teams are still alive after the weekend of play.
The Briarwood girls soccer team advanced to the 6A semifinals after knocking off Northridge 2-0 on Saturday.
Chelsea's boys are back to the state final four for the first time since 2011 after a 3-0 victory over Calera on Saturday night.
Oak Mountain's boys are still unbeaten and will look to defeat Prattville on Monday at 1 p.m. in the quarterfinals.
Briarwood's girls will face Spanish Fort on Thursday at 1 p.m. at John Hunt Park in Huntsville in the 6A semifinals. Chelsea's boys also play Spanish Fort, at 3 p.m. Thursday in the semifinals.
Hornets hang on to win Game 3
The Chelsea baseball team is rolling along in the Class 6A playoffs, edging Calera in a decisive third game Saturday to claim the quarterfinal series.
Weather interrupted the series multiple times, but the Hornets rallied from a Game 1 loss to win the next two games.
Chelsea was in good shape through five innings of the first game, but Calera erased a 4-0 deficit and scored five runs over the final two frames to take a 5-4 win. For the Hornets, Aiden Hughes pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) and striking out eight. He also had two hits and registered his team's only extra base knock of the game with a double. Logan Carson was 2-for-2 with two runs batted in, while Bryant Wisdom had two hits and an RBI.
The Hornets got it together and rolled to a 16-0 win in the second game. They scored seven in the first and never looked back, finishing off the game in five innings.
Paxton Stallings hit a grand slam in the contest, while Aiden Craven also drove in four runs. Luke Neill tallied three hits and two RBIs, while Carson drove in a pair of runs.
Jackson Price threw five no-hit innings, striking out eight.
Chelsea held on for a 6-4 victory in the third game. The Hornets scored twice in the first inning, then broke a 2-2 tie with crooked numbers in the third and fourth innings.
Chase Lackey led the Chelsea offense with three hits and a run driven in. Cade Mims, Mack Breazeale, Craven and Stallings all drove in a run as well. Stallings threw threw the last four innings to close the door on the series.
Chelsea will host Stanhope Elmore later this week in the 6A semifinals. A doubleheader will begin at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, with a third game Friday if necessary.
