By BARTON PERKINS | Staff Writer

Mayors from all across Shelby County recently signed a statement, which vocalizes their support for the nation of Israel in the wake of the war crimes committed by Hamas.

“We recognize the brutality of war and the death and destruction it wreaks; however, the battle for justice against injustice and good versus evil must prevail to protect the innocent and ensure liberty,” the statement reads. “We pray for a speedy end to hostilities and a lasting peace.”

The statement goes on to condemn Hamas attacks on civilian populations on Oct. 7, Israel’s sovereign right to defend itself against terrorist forces and demands the immediate release of all hostages currently held by Hamas. 

The document itself cements the mayors of Shelby County as being firmly on the side of Israel, and focuses heavily on the crimes Hamas has committed against the Israeli people. However, the document neglects to mention many of the war crimes also perpetuated by Israel itself on its Islamic population and citizens in Gaza which include the violation of medical neutrality.

The letter was signed by the following local politicians:

• Tony Picklesimer, mayor of Chelsea
• Scott Brakefield, mayor of Alabaster
• Theoangelo Perkins, mayor of Harpersville
• Frank Brocato, mayor of Hoover
• Rusty Nix, mayor of Montevallo
• James Latimer, mayor of Vincent
• Ricky Ray Morris, mayor of Wilsonville
• David Mitchell, mayor of Columbiana
• Jon Graham, mayor of Calera
• Brian Puckett, mayor of Helena
• Brenda Bell-Guercio, mayor of Indian Springs
• Gary Waters, mayor of Pelham
• Larry Riggins, mayor of Westover
• Deborah Wilson, mayor of Wilton

The post Mayors of Shelby County speak out in support of Israel appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By JOSH BOUTWELL | Special to the Reporter

TROY – It’s been a long road, but Alabama’s very first legal bourbon whiskey distillery attraction, Conecuh Ridge Distillery, is planning for a May 2024 opening as the complex in Troy nears completion.

Conecuh Ridge Distillery will produce the official state spirit of Alabama, Clyde May’s Alabama Style Whiskey. The moonshine whiskey was made famous by former moonshiner Clyde May, a native of Alabama.

After proudly serving his country in the Army’s 77th Infantry in World War II – earning a Bronze Star and Purple Heart – Clyde May returned home to Alabama and became known as one of the “most wanted” moonshiners in the state. His original still was set up close to Pike County in nearby Bullock County.

While Clyde May passed away in 1990, his son, Kenny May, launched the legal Clyde May’s Alabama Style Whiskey in 2001 and it became the official state spirit of Alabama in 2004.

While Conecuh Ridge Distillery has bottled and produced its products outside of Clyde May’s home state of Alabama over the years, it will now return to Troy, Ala., when it opens in 2024.

Conecuh Ridge Distillery will produce numerous products, including Clyde May’s Alabama Style Whiskey, Clyde May’s Straight Bourbon, Clyde May’s Cask Strength, Clyde May’s Straight Rye Whiskey and Clyde May’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

The facility will feature not only the distillery but also a bottling plant, a restaurant and bar, tasting rooms, a retail shop and a barrelhouse to age barrels of whiskey.  All of that will be part of tours that will be featured at Conecuh Ridge Distillery.

The distillery will create approximately 50 new jobs in Pike County once it is fully operational and up to capacity.

Steve May (no relation to Clyde May) serves as vice president and general manager of the Conecuh Ridge Distillery. Prior to joining Conecuh Ridge, May served as director of marketing operations for the Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Tennessee.

During his tenure there, he oversaw significant growth in the distillery’s retail sales and annual guest count, which grew from 191,000 to over 300,000 annually. That growth also added to the economic growth of the area. During his tenure, the Jack Daniel’s Distillery invested more than $25 million in capital improvements at the site, as well.

“I was responsible for marketing operations for the Jack Daniel’s Distillery, one of the largest tourist attractions in Tennessee,” May said. “Before the pandemic, we had over 300,000 people a year taking tours there and 190 employees just in marketing. It had an enormous economic impact on the area and it’s our hope that we can do similar things in Troy.”

The distillery will offer five different types of tours when it opens with prices ranging from $20 to $45. Tours will begin at the Clyde 240, Clyde May’s original moonshine still, which was named so because it took $240 worth of copper to make the still. After learning the history of May and Conecuh Ridge Distillery, tourists will get to tour the entire distillery facility and process.

“We will be very family friendly. If you bring your children you can take a tour that doesn’t include any alcohol,” May said. “We have a little bit of everything going on here. We are not just a tourist attraction but a full-fledged distillery with a bottling plant that will produce Clyde May’s whiskey and Conecuh Ridge whiskey.”

“We’ll be buying local grain grown in Alabama,” May said. “Our corn will come from farms right here in this area.  We’ll sell our spent grain, which is very nutritious, to local cattle farmers.”

Troy Mayor Jason Reeves said that he believed the distillery would bring a unique tourist experience to Troy.

“The Conecuh Ridge Distillery will provide a quality tourism destination and investment on the north side of Troy,” Reeves said. “It will be a unique opportunity for those traveling through Troy as well as those within a few hours who would like to take a weekend or even a day trip to see our community and the Clyde May brands’ process. I have no doubt it will be a distinctly fun experience.”

Steve May said that the distillery is planning for a May 2024 opening, but weather and other issues may push that back. Regardless, Summer 2024 looks like it will see the opening of Alabama’s first whiskey distillery that will be located off Highway 231 where 3 million cars travel annually.

The post Alabama’s first bourbon distillery experience to open in 2024 appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By BARTON PERKINS | Staff Writer

HOOVER –  The Alabama Civic Chorale has announced that they will be putting on their 76th annual presentation of Handel’s “Messiah on Sunday, Nov. 19 at 3 p.m. at Riverchase United Methodist Church.

Handel’s “Messiah” was composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel. “Messiah”’s structure is similar to that of an opera, however instead of relying on character and narrative structure like a traditional opera does “Messiah” is more a meditation on Jesus as the Messiah called Christ. 

Today, Handel’s “Messiah” is one of the most well-known and performed pieces of music in the Western world. 

The Alabama Civic Chorale has been putting on annual performances of “Messiah” since the 1950s at Riverchase United Methodist and has used the event as a way to both contribute to Birmingham’s music scene and to give back to the less fortunate.

The Chorale was founded by Earl and Frances Clark in 1951, following a trip with their high school and youth choirs to Ridgecrest Music Conference where they sang “Messiah.” Both Clarks were longtime musicians and churchgoers and were inspired to try and combine their group into a cohesive chorus.

Over the past decades, the Alabama Civic Chorale has expanded to include a hundred standing members and has performed all over the state.

The final rehearsal for the 76th annual “Messiah” performance took place on Monday, Nov. 13.

“We’ve worked hard and hope that you will come to fill the glorious sanctuary at Riverchase United Methodist Church this Sunday, November 19th, at 3 p.m.,” The Alabama Civic Chorale said on Facebook. “What a wonderful way for you to begin the holiday season by attending the performance.”

“Messiah” will be open to the public and childcare will be provided. Additionally, guests are encouraged to bring an item of non-perishable food to be placed in one of the BHN barrels located at Riverchase to provide food for Grace Klein’s distribution program.

“If you are bringing food to the concert then you can trust that food is going to be delivered to members of the community that really needs it,” said Grace Klein founder Jenny Waltman. “It’s especially helpful to families this year during Thanksgiving.”

The post The Alabama Civic Chorale plans 76th annual performance of Handel’s “Messiah” appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By SASHA JOHNS | Special to the Reporter

Shelby County Schools is on the lookout for new school bus drivers to meet the ongoing needs and growth of the county’s school transportation system.

Currently, there are available driver positions all over the county, but there is also a great need for substitute drivers, particularly in the Helena and Oak Mountain school systems.

Wanda Adams, who works out of the main Bus Shop in Columbiana, wants potential drivers to know that there are benefits to both having a regular route and being a substitute driver and that each offers attributes that may appeal to different kinds of candidates.

“The obvious benefit to taking on a regular route is the county benefits like health insurance and retirement, but substitute drivers have more flexibility in their schedules and can choose which days they want to work,” Adams said. “And of course, there (is no working on) weekends or holidays for drivers.”

There are also available opportunities for drivers to pick up extra work, such as driving for field trips and transporting students and teams for games.

Bus driving is a great job for retirees and stay at home parents, but often entrepreneurs find that it works well with their schedules too, and it presents a viable route to receive benefits.

The Bus Shop will accept a new class of trainees on Thursday, Jan. 4, but wants interested parties to know there are a few things that candidates need to accomplish to qualify for the class. Most importantly, those interested need to acquire a CDL Learners Permit and must submit to a background check as well as a few other prerequisites.

One new driver, Connor Preston, is one of several new additions to the roster who completed the most recent class this past fall and did so in a search to acquire insurance. Preston, who is also a children’s minister at a local church, is currently working as a substitute driver in Columbiana.

“When I first started the classes, I didn’t realize all the things I’d have to learn when it came to the safety checks you have to memorize for the pre-trip and it was a little intimidating,” Preston said. “Austin Shifflet, one of the bus mechanics, was a great trainer though and it ended up being a lot easier than I thought it would be.”

Interested candidates can hear more information about the qualifications and prerequisites needed to join the January bus class by visiting the Shelby County Board of Education website under the Transportation tab or by calling the Bus Shop at 205-682-7130.

The post Shelby County Schools seeks new bus drivers appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By BARTON PERKINS | Staff Writer

A hazy smoke fills the air, forcing cars to a stop as police close one of the busiest highways between Columbiana and Alabaster on Friday, Nov. 3 as local firefighters tried to control a fire spreading across the dry grass and leaves along County Road 26.

This has been a common theme recently with seven brush fires occurring in Shelby County during the past 30 days, while 393 have been spurred across the state with more than 3,000 acres burning.

“It’s definitely very dry,” said Chelsea Fire Chief Joe Lee, who recently had his department battling a brush fire near U.S. 280. “We haven’t had significant rain in a couple of months now.”

A fire requires only three specific things in order to occur which are fuel, the right weather conditions and a single spark. At the moment, Alabama is dangerously abundant with all three.

Fuel

In Alabama, the months of October, November and December are marked by a steady dryness and lack of humidity. Weeks can and do go by without a drop of rain, rivers and streams run lower and lower and combustibles, such as dead leaves and dry grass,  gather on the forest floor. For the last 60 days there has not been any rain in the entirety of Alabama, and Gov. Kay Ivey has officially declared both a statewide “no burn order” and a “drought emergency.” 

“We haven’t gotten a lot of rain recently,” said Dave Holley of the Alabama Forestry Commission. “When you combine that with other weather conditions like relative humidity that dries out the leaves, the grass and just everything else. You can hear it when you walk through the forest. Everything just goes ‘crunch, crunch, crunch.’”

Similar to starting a campfire, a forest fire begins with small combustibles being set aflame. The fire then rapidly builds from there, spreading out and consuming sticks then logs and then finally larger materials, such as trees and buildings

“The number of wildland or grass fires has increased this year,” Calera Fire Department Deputy Chief Shane Stoudenmire said. “Nothing has been really big yet, and we’ve been significantly blessed for that.”

To some people, the obvious answer to the problem of having this degree of kindling lying around and simply waiting to start a massive fire is to just have a series of controlled burns. But this is not viable for a couple of reasons.

“Population density plays a big role in that, because of air quality,” Stoudenmire said. “When you start burning off all the underbrush in rural areas some of it will start to settle in the nearby urban areas and create all sorts of issues with air quality.”

Stoudenmire noted that the way the winds have been working the last few months plays a big factor in this, both in how they push smoke into more populated areas and how they can help wildfires spread quickly.

Correct weather conditions

In addition to a fuel source, fire also requires the presence of oxygen and active winds help flames grow and spread. This leads to wildfires finding purchase in more of the dry grass and kudzu that covers much of the county.

“Windy days are when you’re at your highest risk when you burn, because the wind is gonna push these embers in the direction of the land,” Stoudenmire said.

Higher wind speeds and drought are both major contributors to wildfire risk, and both have also been linked to global warming and climate change.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, has stated that increased temperature has resulted in a severe lack of moisture in potential fire fuels such as trees, shrubs and forest debris. Studies have also shown that this has in turn more than doubled the rate of large wildfires in the US since 1984.

The current weather conditions may be providing the perfect environment for wildfires, but ultimately a fire cannot be started without a source. While wildfires do naturally occur, brought about by lightning and other natural phenomena, more often than not they are brought about through human action and error.

The spark

When the Saginaw Fire Department reported that six acres of land was burned in a brush fire near County Road 26 on Friday, Nov. 3, they were able to determine that the fire’s origin stemmed from a single bottle rocket.

When conditions are as primed and prepared for fire as Alabama is currently witnessing, something as small as a bottle rocket can lead to a wildfire that can potentially consume countless acres. It was only thanks to the immediate action and reaction from firefighters that this latest fire only spread across six acres.

According to Stoudenmire, the incident was hardly an outlier, saying he has been called to multiple scenes where fires have been started from something as small as someone tossing a smoking cigarette out of their window while driving down the highway.

“Luckily those fires are usually small, but if you get a good windy day, they can quickly get hard to control,”  Stoudenmire said.

Similar to the Smokey Bear saying, “Only you can prevent wildfires,” local fire departments across Shelby County are asking for the help of the public to make sure residents aren’t put into those dangerous situations.

“The best thing that people living in the community can do is just refrain from outdoor burning of all types,” Lee said. “If they can just hold out until this winter when we have plenty of rain, then it’ll be fine. But this isn’t the right time of year to have fires outside.”

The Dangers of fighting fires

When fighting a wildfire, it’s less about putting the fire out and more about just keeping the flames contained and preventing the spread of destruction.

“Depending on the terrain and where the fire’s at, we sometimes just can’t get water up there,” Cahaba Valley Fire Chief Buddy Wilks said. “A lot of times, it just gets into a position where we’re just trying to contain it by clear-cutting lines into the ground.”

Wilks noted that fire departments often call in the local forestry commission to aid in wildfire containment efforts by using tractors to dig trenches around the fire. 

“It’s a lot,” Wilks said. “It’s a very strenuous activity because we are just basically using rakes, hoes and chainsaws to cut down trees and to monitor things.”

Alarmingly, these wildfires can continue on for days. Wilks went so far as to comment that several fire departments in Shelby County have been fighting the same fires for days on end at the time of this writing.

“It’s a very difficult operation we go through and very manpower intensive,” Wilks said. “Just rotating companies around and working with the forestry commission to keep things contained.”

Sometimes, though, the environment gets ahead of the firefighters. The wind may start blowing the other direction, or a stray ember may jump over the trenches and into a fresh batch of dead leaves. That’s when things get truly dangerous.

“There comes a point that you just have to let it go because you can’t get can’t get ahead of it,” Wilks said. “Then it’s all just trying to protect houses and doing your best.”

Luckily, there have been no recorded fatalities in Shelby County from any of the recent wildfires, and all of the firefighters across the assorted departments in the county have expressed their dedication to continuing fighting fires and keeping people safe. They all stressed the importance of abiding by the burn ban as long as it lasts.

“The rain this weekend, if we get it, will probably help the fires that are burning right now,” Wilks said. “But it’s not going to change the drought conditions enough to keep fires from starting elsewhere. It’ll help a little bit, but we’ve got a long period of time for us to get out of real danger.”

The post Battling the blaze: Local fire departments combat wildfires during recent drought appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

After another strong season from teams around Shelby County, many of the top players in the area received All-State honors.

Players from Thompson, Chelsea, Spain Park and Pelham received spots on the All-State teams from the Alabama High School Volleyball Coaches Association on Tuesday, Nov. 6.

In Class 7A, Thompson’s Olivia Kelly and Chloe Mittelstadt earned First Team honors, while Anne Shelby made the Second Team.

Kelly surpassed the 1,000-assist mark for the season by earning 1,004 assists along with 53 kills, 227 digs, 34 blocks and 62 aces. Mittelstadt also had a strong season with 458 kills, .320% attacking percentage, 68 aces, 54 blocks and 251 digs.

Both Kelly and Mittelstadt earned All-American honors as well, with Kelly making the All-American Third Team and Mittelstadt earning an honorable mention.

Chelsea’s Lauren Buchanan made the 7A First Team as well, with Cara Belcher and Kaleigh Hall making the honorable mentions list.

For the Spain Park Jaguars, Megan Ingersoll earned a place on the Second Team, while Cailyn Kyes and Reagan Gilbert took home honorable mentions for their role on Spain Park’s Elite 8 team.

Ingersoll was the Class 7A kill leader with 536 kills, and the outside hitter also earned 286 digs, 57 aces and 30 blocks. Kyes earned 865 assists, 153 digs and 52 aces from the setter spot, and Gilber, has 316 kills, 264 digs, 91 aces and 14 blocks.

In Class 6A, Camryn McMinn of the Pelham Panthers earned a spot on the First Team. The junior outside hitter earned 372 kills, 282 digs, 43 aces and 38 blocks during the 2023 season.

In addition, Panthers setter Kylee Hester and outside hitter Londyn Wynn both made the 6A Second Team. Hester earned 917 assists and 323 digs along with 73 kills, 54 aces and 29 blocks, while Wynn had 305 kills, 260 digs, 63 aces and 38 blocks.

The post Thompson, Spain Park, Chelsea, Pelham players earn All-State volleyball honors appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – During a span of two days, youth leaders from across Shelby County participated in a special kickoff event at the Alabama 4H Center in Columbiana along the banks of Lay Lake.

The group of carefully selected leaders are members of the Youth Leadership Shelby County Class of 2024 and were hand selected by a committee.

The class of 33 were picked from more than 100 applications to participate in the prestigious program and took part in the opening retreat Nov. 5-6.

The retreat kicked off a special start to a journey that will last throughout the school year with the students participating set to take part in different class days that will occur each month.

Throughout the year, the participants will also join together in different groups to work on projects that will help make a difference in the community by picking a non-profit or organization in need of help.

The students will use their different leadership skills and personalities to come together and make a difference in their community as juniors in high school.

Throughout the opening retreat, they got their first taste of what to expect throughout the months long venture that will culminate with a graduation near the end of the school year.

Activities included going through the ropes course at the 4H Center and working together as teams, personality assessments, a round table with Youth Leadership Shelby County alumni to learn what to take advantage of during the class, a class introduction featuring the participants introducing each other in unique skits and many more icebreakers.

“The Youth Leadership Shelby County Opening Retreat opened my mind up to so many different possibilities and ideas I had never thought of before,” said class member Abby Nave of Shelby County High School. “I got to meet so many wonderful, remarkable, and truly inspiring people, who I can’t wait to continue this journey with. The Class of 2024 is definitely the best class yet!”

The event, however, was centered around the goal of the class, which is learning about each other as leaders in the community.

Students, who range from high schools around the county, got to hear from Alabama Teacher of the Year Jeff Norris, motivational speaker Timothy Alexander and many more throughout the two days, showcasing the true definition of what it takes to be a selfless leader and leave your impact.

“The professionals we had the opportunity to learn from at the retreat provided great insights on how to successfully apply leadership qualities to life endeavors outside of school,” Pelham student Brenna Vickery said.

The opening retreat helped build bonds and friendships, while bring together young leaders in the community who all make a difference in their own way.

Now, they’ll work together the next few months to bring their leadership skills together to make a difference.

This year’s class includes:

-Grant Blakely, Chelsea High School

-Belle Casey, Oak Mountain High School

-Sofia Contreras, Spain Park High School

-Ella Fields, Vincent High School

-Sasha Gann, Thompson High School

-Andrew George, Chelsea High School

-Addison Grigsby, Shelby County High School

-Ava Horn, Calera High School

-Abe Ivey, Oak Mountain High School

-Mia Kendrick, Evangel Christian Classical School

-Addie Knight, Pelham High School

-Patrick Maddox, Chelsea High School

-Camdyn Martin, Pelham High School

-Ali Mims, Chelsea High School

-Halle Morris, Evangel Christian School

-Abby Nave, Shelby County High School

-Will O’Dell, Oak Mountain High School

-Lissy O’Kelley, Oak Mountain High School

-Abby Olsen, Briarwood Christian School

-Jake Parker, Evangel Christian School

-John Will Peterson, Oak Mountain High School

-Aiden Poe, Vincent High School

-Alyson Ragland, Helena High School

-Anjali Reed, Helena High School

-Kailyn Reynolds, Thompson High School

-Jarret Scott, Helena High School

-Maddie Shebs, Pelham High School

-Madi Claire Sims, Chelsea High School

-Thomas Starkey, Calera High School

-Mallory Venable, Shelby County High School

-Brenna Vickery, Pelham High School

-Sydney Williams, Calera High School

The post Youth Leadership Shelby County celebrates new class at opening retreat appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

HOOVER – A big night in all facets of the game helped the Spain Park Jaguars finish off the 2023 high school football season with a fifth consecutive win in a 39-0 shutout victory against county foe Pelham on Thursday, Nov. 2.

The Jaguars used two big pass plays from Brock Bradley to Jonathan Bibbs in the first half to gain control and then pulled away steadily from there with an explosive night after a scoreless opening quarter.

Spain Park head coach Tim Vakakes was grateful to his senior class for the effort they poured in during the second half of the season to move the program in the right direction with a 7-3 season.

“Thank you,” Vakakes said of his message to the seniors. “These seniors, for the past three years combined, got nine wins at Spain Park. And in their final year, they got seven in one year. I thank them for caring about Spain Park and caring about each other.” 

Vakakes said the team built off of last year’s senior class to help move into a positive direction, but this year’s group has taken the next step.

“I think last year’s senior class set the foundation on what it takes, but I think this senior class moved the needle,” he said. “We talked all year about moving the needle. They’ll always go down as the group that moved the needle. I love them and I’ll miss them.”

And the team played like they were trying to move the needle with a passionate and physical mindset from start to finish.

Early in the game, however, the two teams looked like two that were playing their first cold game of the season as both struggled to find their footing offensively in the chilly weather.

It led to five straight punts to open the game, but Spain Park showed early hope with a strong drive that was eventually halted by a personal foul leading to one of the punts.

After forcing Pelham’s third punt of the half, however, the Jags got the ball back and the connection of Bradley and Bibbs took off.

On the ensuing drive, Bradley hit Bibbs for a 75-yard touchdown strike that put Spain Park in front 7-0 early in the second quarter after a scoreless opening quarter.

The Jags then forced a turnover on downs to get the ball back near midfield, which led to a big 32-yard run from Derick Shanks to set up first-and-goal.

Spain Park looked poised to add to the lead, but the Panthers stepped up with a goal line stand at the 2-inch line on fourth-and-goal, leading to a turnover on downs.

On third-and-7, Pelham freshman quarterback Dylan Smith hit CJ Tolbert for a 94-yard pass that set up the Panthers with first-and-goal from the Spain Park 3-yard line.

Needing an answer, the Panthers went backward on the first two plays and then fumbled on third down, leading to an eventual recovery by Spain Park.

That, to Vakakes, was the key moment of the first half that showed the effort and fight his team came into the game with.

“Right before the half, when they hit that fade on us, our kid didn’t quit,” Vakakes said of the deep pass play. “He got beat, but he got up and chased him down. We held them out of the end zone and then got the ball back. That shows the fight of our kids. It meant something to him to get up and chase to keep them off the scoreboard. He got beat, but he didn’t give up. Little things like that shows us and our community that we’re moving this thing forward.”

The Jags wasted no time capitalizing on getting the ball back, as Bradley hit Bibbs for an 81-yard touchdown pass a play later, giving that duo their second touchdown strike of 75 yards or more in the half and the Jaguars a 13-0 lead going into the half after the missed PAT.

With that momentum leading into the second half, the Jags were able to steadily pull away as Pelham never could get anything going offensively.

Spain Park capitalized on a failed fake punt early in the third quarter, which eventually led to a 3-yard touchdown run from Shanks to make it 19-0 with 6:09 left in the third.

Shortly after, the Jags got the ball back and scored on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Bradley to Reggie Jackson, who spun out of two tackles and powered his way to the end zone for a 26-0 lead late in the third quarter.

The Jaguars then intercepted a pass on the ensuing drive and Shanks quickly reeled off a 50-yard run that ultimately set up a short touchdown run from Dakarai Shanks to make it 32-0 with 10:45 to play.

Spain Park then capped off the scoring with 4:09 left when freshman running back CJ Cowley went 14 yards to the end zone to cap off a special drive and cement the 39-0 shutout victory.

Bradley finished with 245 yards and three touchdowns passing for the Jaguars, while Derick Shanks totaled 150 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Vakakes said the end to the season has set up a positive offseason for the Jags leading up to the 2024 season.

“It’s bright,” he said of the future. “We got to seven wins this year, that doesn’t mean next year we start at seven and try to get eight, we have to redo it. We’re just going to have to keep being consistent. Our kids and parents are responding well and we’re going to keep pushing the needle and win championships here.”

Vakakes added that this year’s players and their leadership is what has changed the culture for the future of the program.

The post Spain Park downs Pelham to end 2023 season with 5th straight win appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

BIRMINGHAM – In the fifth set of the Class 7A state volleyball quarterfinals with the season on the line, the Spain Park Jaguars were in all-out-effort mode inside the Birmingham CrossPlex, diving for every ball, narrowly reaching several, as they looked to continue a remarkable postseason run.

The Jags held a 2-0 lead in the match with hopes of advancing to the semifinals, but No. 2 Enterprise had stormed back with two consecutive set wins and was leading throughout the tiebreak.

Ultimately, the Wildcats went on to win the fifth-set tiebreaker 15-11 to close out the match and end Spain Park’s season, but the consistent fight the Jaguars showed throughout the fifth set is exactly what earned them a spot back in the state tournament for the first time since winning the title two years ago.

The Jaguars, who were sub-.500 by several games for parts of the season, clawed their way back to being a .500 team heading into the area tournament, which they  went on to win thanks to a sweep of Chelsea and a five-set win over host Oak Mountain.

That earned the Jags a chance against James Clemens in the regional tournament, which they capitalized on with another thrilling five-set victory to cement a spot at state.

And while Spain Park ended up losing 3-2 (10-25, 17-25, 25-17, 25-23, 15-11) to Enterprise in the championship, it was that growth head coach Kellye Bowen was proud of after the emotional loss.

“In my 13 years of coaching, it’s been by far the biggest growth,” she said proudly after the match. “The whole thing about a team is making them believe, and they believe they can play with whoever. At some point, this Cinderella hour comes to an end, but I thought we did well enough to win it. We just made some mistakes and they capitalized on it.”

Bowen added that this was a team over the past three weeks that dug deep and found a different gear because of their determination.

“A lot of people would’ve counted us out three weeks ago,” she said. “It’s a gritty team. They’re talented, we just ran out of gas.”

Bowen credited the team for buying in, and thanked the seniors for their efforts in helping finish the season strong, including one of the team’s leaders Grace Devlin, who was a vocal leader throughout the postseason.

“They did a lot,” Bowen said of the senior class. “A lot of people didn’t think they could do a whole lot. We graduated eight last year, five the year before with three All-Americans.”

In the match, Spain Park got off to a dominant start, and, for a while, the Jags looked as if they were going to coast to a straight-set victory.

The Jaguars easily pulled away with a statement in the first set, jumping out to a double-digit lead and never looking back on their way to a 25-10 first set win.

Enterprise settled in slightly during the second set, leading to a back-and-forth stretch up to a 10-9 Spain Park lead.

The Jags, however, were still getting clean looks at the net, which led to a 4-0 run that created some separation.

At that point, Spain Park had gained full control of the momentum and pulled away for a 25-17 victory in the second set, taking a 2-0 advantage in the match.

The third set is where the Wildcats shifted into a different mode.

For a while, it was a similar battle to the early portion of the second set, but Enterprise held the slight edge this time around, as the Jags struggled to string together points.

Unable to get the same clean sets for easy looks at the net, Enterprise earned a two-point lead at 16-14 and went on a run from there to pull away for a 25-17 set victory.

Spain Park, however, still needed just one set to close out the match, and the Jags came out rejuvenated in the fourth.

Continuing the tight battle, the Jags overcame an early 6-4 deficit and fought in front for a 12-9 lead to regain momentum.

Enterprise, however, continued keeping the ball alive defensively, which allowed the Wildcats to put together a 5-0 run that put them back in front 14-12.

Spain Park answered with a big run of its own shortly after to retake the lead at 18-16.

With that, the Jags had put themselves in position to close out the match and led by two as late as 22-20 and by one as late as 23-22.

The Wildcats, however, responded.

Trailing by one, Enterprise scored the next three points in a row to not only erase the deficit but storm back to take the set and even the match at 2-2.

That led to one final and decisive thrilling set between the two, as both came out and went toe-to-toe in the fifth set.

Spain Park took a 1-0 lead, but the Jags quickly fell behind by three points at 5-2 and 6-3.

They battled back to within one point on three different occasions all the way up to 9-8, but Enterprise created some separation at 12-9 and didn’t allow the Jags back to within two points en route to a 15-11 fifth-set victory.

With the loss, Spain Park finished the season 21-20 overall with an area tournament championship and a run to the quarterfinals of the state tournament.

Megan Ingersoll led the Jags with 27 kills, while Caily Kyes added 40 assists. Spain Park’s top contributors, aside from Devlin, are set to return next year, giving the team a strong finish to the season to build off of.

“I hope the whole team can return,” Bowen said of the potential for next season. “It depends on how their attitude and everything is toward the offseason. They did a great job. Again, nobody counted us here.”

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By DONALD MOTTERN | Staff Writer

VESTAVIA HILLS – The Megan Montgomery Foundation is readying to hold their second annual Gingerbread Jam on Saturday, Dec. 9.

Set to take place at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center at 1090 Montgomery Highway, the event holds its origins in a family tradition that stretches back more than 4 decades. For Susann Montgomery-Clark, building gingerbread houses was always a special and distinct family tradition that saw herself, her two daughters Meredith and Megan, family members and a long list of friends gather together in the spirit of the season.

Following the tragic murder of her daughter, Megan, on Dec. 1, 2019 and the founding of MMF in April 2021, that family festivity is being continued with the added vestige of raising awareness.

“It’s a way to carry on the tradition that our family and friends loved for many years and now a new generation can participate as they build their own houses to enter,” Montgomery-Clark said, “The most fun will be viewing and voting for your favorite houses through the People’s Choice Awards and bidding in the silent auction for beautiful gingerbread houses made by professional bakers in the culinary division.”

MMF’s Gingerbread Jam currently holds the distinction of being the only gingerbread house competition of its kind in the Birmingham metro area. Returning after its support of the inaugural event, Edgar’s Bakery will once again serve as the signature sponsor of the event.

“This event is a fun way to raise funds for implementing healthy relationship education for men and women,” said Meredith Montgomery-Price, Megan’s sister and executive director of the Megan Montgomery Foundation.

In accordance with the foundation’s goal of ending domestic violence before it begins, this year’s theme for the Gingerbread Jam is, “every home should be a happy home.”

The Gingerbread Jam will be free and open to the public for viewing the gingerbread houses from 9 a.m. to noon. Children of all ages are also invited to visit and take part in the kid’s corner which will offer a host of craft activities for their enjoyment. Kids will also have the chance to meet and have their picture taken with Santa, who will also be in attendance.

A $5 admission fee applies for those seeking to submit a gingerbread house of their own. Those who choose to do so are asked to design, build and decorate their houses at home and then drop them off at the Vestavia Civic Center the day prior to the event, Friday Dec. 8.

Those who are interested in submitting a gingerbread house for the competition are encouraged to submit their application and view more details on the event’s website at Gingerbreadjam.swell.gives.

All proceeds from the event will benefit The Megan Montgomery Foundation which provides grants to high schools, colleges and non-profits in order to bring about age-appropriate healthy relationship education, help young adults recognize unhealthy behaviors and stop relationship violence before it starts.

More information regarding MMF and their mission can be located at Megansfoundation.org.

For more information about the event, please contact Kim McAdams at 205-837-4649.

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