The Thompson Warriors, Helena Huskies and Briarwood Lions will all gear up for big second-round playoff matchups this week, while the Cornerstone Chargers will take on Springwood in the AISA 8-man State Championship Thursday. We break it all down on this week’s show!

0:00 Highlights

1:26 Show intro

7:37 Thompson vs. Vestavia Hills

15:47 Helena at Hillcrest Tuscaloosa

26:48 Briarwood vs. Saraland

34:18 Cornerstone vs. Springwood

39:13 SCR Stars of the Week

44:40 Show close

The post Shelby County Football Show: Playoffs Week 2 appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

The Helena Huskies took down Wetumpka in the opening round of the playoffs behind seven touchdowns from Jordan Washington and more than 600 yards of offense.

The post WATCH: Helena wins playoff game behind Washington’s 7 TDs appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

FROM STAFF REPORTS

A former Briarwood Christian School administrator and educator, Kelly Mooney has officially announced her next steps in impacting education after officially qualifying to run for the Alabama State Board of Education.

Mooney, the wife of current State Rep. Arnold Mooney, served as an admin at Briarwood for 15 years and is now set to run for the District 3 seat to represent Shelby County and others on the state’s BOE.

“I am eager to represent the families and children in District 3,” she said enthusiastically. “The education of our children is of utmost importance, and I strongly believe parents must have the strongest voice in the room for their children’s education. Our parents, families, students, schools, and teachers must be well-equipped and resourced to produce the best next generation leaders. I am ready to bring my experience in education and as a mother to ensure this happens.”

Kelly said she is an advocate for parents in education, while she also serves as a member of the Republican Women of Shelby County.

District 3 represents all or significant parts of Shelby, Jefferson, Montgomery, Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Elmore, and Talladega counties.

The seat is currently held by Stephanie Bell, who has served in the role since 1995. Bell’s 28 years have included eight consecutive terms, the next of which will be up during this election cycle. Bell has not announced plans to run for reelection.

Kelly said she is a long-time champion of quality education and looks forward to championing the interests of families, students and teachers throughout the district.

Kelly and Arnold have been married for 41 years and have three children and 11 grandchildren together.

She said because of that and her years in education, she understands the value of a strong education system in nurturing the next generation of leaders.

Her goal is to be dedicated to providing quality education and show her belief in empowering parents to play an active role in their children’s educational journey.

“I look forward to connecting with the families in District 3 to earn their vote at the Republican Primary on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, and to understand their desires and needs as they raise their children and partner with the education system.” she said.

She hopes to build strong partnerships between parents, educations and the community to ensure educational opportunities for all students in the district.

The post Kelly Mooney running for Alabama State BOE District 3 appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor 

HELENA – The Helena Huskies dusted off a two-game losing streak entering the postseason and looked like the team that was 8-0 just three weeks ago thanks to a dominant night from Jordan Washington on Thursday, Nov. 9.

The senior running back put together a historic performance for the Huskies, totaling seven touchdowns and more than 400 all-purpose yards to lead Helena to a dominant 58-28 victory over Wetumpka.

Washington’s night included six touchdowns on the ground and one passing touchdown to help spark an impressive performance that sent the Huskies to the second round for the first time since 2020.

“It was pretty special. We’ve seen that a lot over the last three years. I don’t know how there is a better back in this state,” head coach Richie Busby said. “He’s on none of the lists, but I think he plays with a chip on his shoulder every game. The last person on my team that did that was a kid named Ardarius Stewart had seven touchdowns one night. To do it at this level is special.”

Busby credited the offensive line and the health of the team for the dominant opening-round win, saying they came into the game ready to get back on track after the two losses to end the season snapped their eight-game winning streak to start the season.

“I thought our O-Line was tremendous,” he said. “Everybody tried to kick dirt on us those last two losses we had and we had a lot of injuries. Nobody wants to hear that, but when you have Torrey Ward and Hunter (Hale) healthy, it makes our O-line and Jordan’s jobs so much easier.”

That was evident early in the game, but it was a big defensive play that sparked the offensive success and set the tone for the night.

The Huskies were backed into a corner early in the game as Wetumpka put together an opening drive that got down inside the Helena 10-yard line.

After a third-and-8 pass went deep into Helena territory, the Huskies turned a page defensively that set the tone for the night when Brock Wise intercepted a pass on third-and-5 from the 8-yard line.

“We had a fast start with Brock Wise having that pick down there, it gave us some momentum and set up the offense for a big night early,” Busby said.

That not only gave Helena the ball for the first time and prevented an early deficit, but it set up an 87-yard scoring drive.

Starting at their own 7-yard line, Helena converted a third-and-8 from its own 9-yard line with a 37-yard pass up the sideline to Washington, who then escaped shortly after for 45-yard touchdown run on third-and-1 to give Helena a 6-0 advantage after the missed PAT.

The Huskies then forced a bad punt on Wetumpka’s ensuing drive, giving the ball right back to the offense, eventually setting up a 1-yard touchdown run from Washington, who had a 44-yard run earlier in the drive called back due to a hold.

His running and the running of Dom Santiago, however, was too much for the Wetumpka defense to overcome, as Washington’s touchdown run was followed by a 2-point conversion pass from Carson Acker to Nate Jones to make it 14-0 at the end of the opening quarter

Wetumpka started the next drive with good field position due to a personal foul, but the Huskies quickly got a ball back after forcing another punt.

This time, they capitalized with a 28-yard Austin Lewis field goal to make it 17-0.

A minute-and-a-half later, Helena struck again.

After forcing a three-and-out and punt from the Indians, Washington added his third score of the half with a one-play drive, going 38 yards to the house to extend the lead to 24-0.

Wetumpka finally showed some magic with a kickoff return of 90 yards on the ensuing kickoff to make it 24-7 with 5:30 left in the half.

After the two teams traded punts, Helena got one last crack on offense with 1:20 left and a midfield start to the drive.

Hunter Hale, who had been quiet to that point, made his impact felt in a big way in the final minute, catching a first down pass of 32 yards with 29 seconds left, which set up a 13-yard touchdown strike from Acker to Hale three plays later on third down to send Helena into the half with a 31-7 lead.

That, however, was just the beginning.

One play into the second half, Washington got right back into the end zone with a 71-yard touchdown on the first play of the half to extend the lead to 38-7.

“Senior year, I just had to lock in,” Washington said of his mindset entering the game. “It couldn’t be our last game on our home field. We had a great week of practice and it motivated us to go out and be better. After a two-game losing streak, we knew we couldn’t lose another one. I give big credit to my offensive line tonight. They were really good and had a great week of practice too.”

Wetumpka did come out and find offensive success in the second half, scoring 21 points with an athletic group, but the Indians had no answer defensively for Washington.

He added his fifth rushing touchdown of the night on a 20-yard run on Helena’s second possession of the half, his sixth total touchdown on a 23-yard touchdown pass to Hale and his seventh and final touchdown with is sixth TD on the ground from 30 yards out to help create the 58-28 final score.

Washington finished the game with 34 carries for 347 yards, two receptions for 60 yards and one pass for 23 yards and a touchdown to total 430 yards of offense.

“I had so much fun,” Washington said after the game. “Football is a very fun sport, physical, but fun at the same time, having fun with my teammates, having a great time.”

Acker also had a big game passing with 201 yards and one touchdown on 10-of-17 passing, while Jones was the leading receiver with 86 yards on four receptions. Hale finished with 68 yards and two scores on three receptions.

Busby was proud, not only of Washington, but the team for how they responded to start the playoffs.

“We told them we need to get our swagger back,” he said. “We were an 8-0 football team and lost to two really good football teams. It’s hard mentally to get over that though. I thought they did exactly what we asked them to do. They practiced well this week. I could tell before the game they were ready, and they showed it tonight.”

Helena will now travel to either Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa or St. Paul’s in the second round of the playoffs for a challenging matchup.

The post Rising to the occasion: Washington’s 7 TDs lead Helena to playoff win over Wetumpka appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

By Rebecca Brooks| Staff Writer (Special to the Reporter for freelancers) 

COLUMBIANA – Columbiana United Methodist Church’s long-standing tradition of the Skillet Bird Christmas Project is returning for the Christmas season.

The Skillet Bird Christmas Project began with its eponym, Skillet Bird—a beloved Columbiana man who often spent his time collecting money to help provide Christmas gifts for families in need.

In his honor, the Luther Fowler Sunday School class started the Skillet Bird Christmas project after his passing in 2002. The program works with local Columbiana, Wilsonville and Shelby County schools to identify families in need for the holiday season.

“Our program directly impacts children in our community,” said Samantha Foster, the Christmas fund organizer. “Many of our families do not know how they will provide Christmas for their children without the assistance of Skillet Bird. The church is able to continue outreach in our community through the project.”

The Skillet Bird Christmas project is a year-long fundraiser, working toward the goal of earning monetary donations to provide shoppers with gift cards that help purchase Christmas gifts for families chosen.

Shoppers are members of Columbiana United Methodist Church and are provided with special wish lists from each child.

As the outreach continues through the year, donations are collected at schools, and pledges are given by church members.

“CUMC believes that community outreach is a vital part of our church’s mission, and this project is one way to do that,” Foster said of the church’s initiative to help in the community.

Skillet Bird’s act of kindness started a program that has made considerable impact on families in need.

“Christmas is my favorite time of year and being able to help provide Christmas joy to other families is one of my favorite things about the holiday season,” Foster said. “I love to see how willing people are to shop for families in need. It’s such a blessing to be a part of this organization.”

Last year, Columbiana United Methodist served 56 families, and more than 130 children.

For those looking to donate, the church accepts checks to CUMC with Skillet Bird noted on the check.

Those looking to volunteer or assist the church during program Christmas hours, can email Foster at skilletbird@columbianaumc.com. The Skillet Bird Christmas Fund is an annual fundraiser, and Columbiana United Methodist Church hopes to continue to inspire and assist families in Skillet Bird’s honor.

The post Columbiana United Methodist spreading Christmas cheer with Skillet Bird drive appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.

It’s the opening round of the playoffs with a busy week of six games, including five on Thursday night. We break down all of the games on a playoff edition of the Shelby County Football Show.

0:00 Highlights

1:29 Intro

6:45 Thompson vs. Florence

12:12 Helena vs. Wetumpka

19:03 Briarwood at Carver-Montgomery

25:11 Shelby County at Eufaula

30:34 Vincent at Clarke County

37:08 Cornerstone vs. Evangel Montgomery

41:40 SCR Stars of the Week

45:51 Show close

The post Shelby County Football Show: Playoffs Round 1 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.

Columbiana Main Street turned into Halloween central on Tuesday, Oct. 31 as kids walked the streets in their best costumes to trick-or-treat from local businesses.

The post WATCH: Columbiana hosts 2023 Monster Walk 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 

VESTAVIA HILLS – The Helena Huskies dropped their second straight game to end the regular season following an 8-0 start to the season after going on the road and falling to the Vestavia Hills Rebels on Thursday, Nov. 2.

The Rebels pulled away for a 44-0 shutout victory, as Helena finished the regular season with an 8-2 record ahead of a first-round playoff matchup with Wetumpka on Friday, Nov. 10.

It marked Helena’s second straight loss to end the regular season after falling 20-17 to Benjamin Russell a week earlier for their first loss of the season in what ultimately decided the region champion.

Vestavia Hills came out early in the game and was able to build a two-score advantage in the opening quarter that set the tone for the night.

Quarterback John Paul Head was a big reason for that fast start for the Rebels, as he powered his way into the end zone for a short rushing touchdown to get the scoring started with 6:53 left in the first quarter.

Then, after it looked like Helena might have an opening-quarter answer, the Huskies had a field goal blocked on their next drive.

Vestavia Hills responded when Head hit Chase Webb for a 54-yard touchdown pass that made the score 14-0 going to the second quarter.

Despite the score, Helena’s offense put itself in position to score, but the Huskies never could capitalize.

With the struggles, Vestavia Hills took advantage.

The Rebels added a field goal midway through the second quarter and then a touchdown run from Caden Taylor in the final two minutes of the half to take a 24-0 lead into the break.

In a deep halftime hole, Helena needed a fast start to the second half, but instead, Head added the back-breaking score with 8:57 to play in the third quarter on a short run that made it 31-0.

The Rebels went on to add one more score in the third quarter and then put up the final touchdown of the night with a long run midway through the final quarter that created the 44-0 shutout.

Helena will now take on Wetumpka, who has been playing well down the stretch of the season with five wins in the last six games ahead of their regular-season finale on Nov. 3.

The post Helena drops regular-season finale to Vestavia Hills ahead of playoffs appeared first on Shelby County Reporter.