PEOPLE

Mountain Brook Student to Represent Alabama in the National Distinguished Young Women Competition

Julianne Abenoja, a senior at Mountain Brook High School, was named Distinguished Young Woman of Alabama 2022 during a recent weekend of competition in Montgomery.

“The entire night felt like a whirlwind,” Abenoja said in an interview with Alabama News Network. “I was running on pure adrenaline in the last performance, and it was just such a dream.”

Abenoja, who was named Distinguished Young Woman of Jefferson County in July, was one of 45 contestants from across the state who competed in the event, according to a press release from Mountain Brook schools.

She won the talent, fitness, scholastic and interview portions of DYW of Alabama. She will represent Alabama at the National DYW competition June 23-25 in Mobile.

Julianne received $6,000 in scholarships for her wins, and several colleges in the state award full renewable tuition scholarships to the winner, as well.

“She was very well-loved by the other participants, the committee that puts

on the program and other participants’ families,” DYW of Jefferson County Chairman Eddie Macksoud said. “Every mom and dad want their darling to win, but she deserved to win.” Abenoja is the third Mountain Brook High School student to earn the DYW of Alabama recognition, previously named Alabama’s Junior Miss, since 1985. She joins Christa Carns Lidikay, 1985, and Kathryn Tully Oelsner, 2009. “Julianne is an amazing young woman and an incredible student. She works incredibly hard both in the classroom and in her interests outside of school,” Mountain Brook High School Principal Philip Holley said. “Julianne embodies everything that we believe in Julianne Abenoja at Mountain Brook High School.” Mountain Brook Schools Superintendent Dicky Barlow said he’s excited Abenoja will be representing Mountain Brook. “It is no surprise to those who know Julianne that she has been named Distinguished Young Woman of Alabama for 2022,” he said. “We’re so excited that she gets to represent our community and state at the national level with her talent and personal character. We wish her the best and are very proud of her continued success.”

Jackie O’Neal Dancer Landed 1st Runner Up at National Competition

Emma Carter from the Jackie O’Neal School of Dance was 1st runner up to Miss Dance of America during national competition this past summer in Dallas.

She won the ballet and jazz auditions and had the highest-scoring lyrical piece in the competition, “Honest,” which was choreographed by her teacher Nealey Towns Alonso.

She represented Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee at nationals after winning the regional title of Miss Dance Chapter 33 last year.

Carter was set to give up her regional title, crown the new titleholder and perform a solo during this year’s competition Feb. 5 in Montgomery.

She has studied at Jackie O’Neal School of Dance since the age of 5 and has been a company dancer on a competitive level for the past seven years.

Carter is the daughter of Dr. Scott and Hayden Appell of Mountain Brook and a 2021 graduate of Valleydale Christian Academy.

She recently moved to California, where she was accepted in the elite pre-professional program called The Launch Training Program at The Space in Orange County.

Emma Carter

Homewood’s Morales Earns Eagle Rank

Hunter C. Morales, a Homewood resident and a member of Boy Scout Troop 79 at All Saints’ Episcopal Church, has earned the rank of Eagle Scout for the class of 2020 from the Vulcan District Eagle Board.

During his years in scouting, Morales earned 24 merit badges; was inducted into the Order of the Arrow, scouting’s national honor society; and held the leadership roles of assistant senior patrol leader, assistant patrol leader and den chief.

He has gone on multiple adventure trips and campouts, including white water rafting on the Ocoee River and the 2019 Seabase high adventure trip in Islamorada, Florida. The Seabase expedition included seven days of sailing, snorkeling and fishing off the Florida Keys.

Morales’ Eagle project was at Homewood High School, where he designed, planned and constructed a teaching platform stage for the outdoor classroom. The stage provides a space for teachers to conduct sessions outside the traditional classroom. Not only has this addition been a benefit during the pandemic, it will be an asset for the school for years to come.

Morales is a senior at Homewood High School, where he is SGA executive vice president and a member of Patriot Pride Ambassadors, Beta Club and National Honor Society. He also is a member of All Saints’ Episcopal Church. He is the son of Stacey and Scott Morales of Homewood. Hunter C. Morales

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Vestavia Hills’ West Earns Second Straight Gatorade Cross-Country Award

By RuBin E. GRant

Vestavia Hills senior Crawford West has been named the 2021-22 Gatorade Alabama Girls Cross Country Player of the Year.

It’s the second consecutive year West has received the honor, but this time it’s particularly sweet.

“I would definitely say it is more special this year since it is my final year,” West said. “It’s always special to win on your last year.

“I’m thankful for everything I’ve been able to experience this year and for my amazing team for supporting me.”

West won the Class 7A individual state championship last fall with a time of 17:06.33, leading the Rebels to a second-place finish as a team. West’s time was the second-fastest in AHSAA girl cross-country history and only three seconds off the state record time of 17:03.04, set in 2014 by Montgomery Catholic’s Amaris Tyynismaa.

West also won the Jesse Owens Classic Gold Race and the Chickasaw Trails Invitational Large School title and placed sixth at the Eastbay South Regional Championships.

“Crawford West is the textbook definition of grit,” Vestavia Hills assistant coach Katherine Terino said. “Her sheer will to work and go the extra mile was a driving force not only in her individual success, but in the success of the team.”

The Gatorade award recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field.

West has maintained a 4.09 GPA in the classroom and has signed a track scholarship with Alabama. A devoted member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, West has volunteered locally as a mentor for elementary school students and has raised funds to benefit the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center.

She joins former Homewood runner Lainey Phelps (2016-17, 20192020) as recent two-time Gatorade state girls cross-country Player of the Year winners.

West is a finalist for the Gatorade national Player of the Year award to be announced in February.

Journal photo by Jordan Wald

West won the Class 7A individual state championship last fall with a time of 17:06.33. From page 28

In the boys competition, Hoover’s Jay Avery won the long jump with a leap of 22-00.25 and the triple jump, going 48-08.75. The Bucs’ Collin Pate and Carter Ellis each cleared 15-03 in the pole vault competition, with Pate winning a jump-off to claim the title.

The 4x800 relay team of Sam Kilgore, Matthew Harden, Cannon Peters and Elijah Joseph also won, finishing in 7:58.

DJ Black was second in the 60-meter dash, Joseph was second in the 1,600, Avery was second in the high jump and Bradley Shaw was third in shot put.

Vestavia Hills Solid

Vestavia’s boys shined in the running events. Alex Leath won the 800 (1:53.65) and 1,600 (4:22.98). John Stephens won the 400 in 49.42 seconds, edging Rebels teammate Matthew Rainer, who crossed just 1/10th of a second later at 49.52.

The Rebels also claimed the top spots in the 4x200 and 4x400 relays. Stephens, Rainer, Colin Robinson and Wyatt Raley ran the 200, with Rainer, Leath, Stephens and Bo Webb running the 400.

Webb finished second in 60 hurdles, Rainer was second in the 400, Will Jordan was second in the 3,200, and the 4x800 team was second.

On the girls side, Vestavia Hills senior distance runner Crawford West turned in another stellar performance. She clocked 4:58.68 to win the Class 7A 1,600 meters, breaking the AHSAA Class 7A indoor state meet record (4:59.58) she set last year.

West set another 7A record in the 3,200 meters, beating the field with a 10:49.48 time – 10 seconds faster than the indoor state meet record (10:58.27) she set in 2021.

The Rebels’ Angelica Vines won the long jump with a leap of 16-11.5, and Kennedy Moreland won the pole vault, clearing 11 feet. Claire Spooner was third in the 1,600, Abbie Richenderfer was third in the pole vault and the 4x800 relay team placed second.

Spain Park’s Mackensie Culpepper ran a blistering time of 2:13.40 to win the girls 800 meters. Her time was just one second off the 7A Indoor State Meet record (2:12.125) set by McGillToolen Catholic’s Claire Frazier Bolton in 2020. Hoover’s Blackledge was second with a 2:14.15 time.

Culpepper also was part of the Jaguars’ 4x400 relay team, along with Sydney Baker, Maddie Davis and Delaney Vickers, that finished second.

Oak Mountain’s Ethan Hammett won the boys high jump, clearing 6-04, while Spain Park’s John Landers finished third in the boys pole vault.

Spartans Fall Short

second straight 6A title. Homewood was third with 70 points.

The Spartans’ Reagan Riley won individual championships in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs. She won the 1,600 in 5:02.68, with teammate Clark Stewart runner-up at 5:08.56. Homewood’s Emma Brooke Levering was third.

In the 3,200 meters, Riley clocked 10:51.57, finishing ahead of Stewart (10:57.97) and Levering (11:41.90).

Riley finished second in the 800 with a time of 2:11.53, just behind Chelsea’s Cady McPhail, who clocked 2:10.72 to win. The Spartans’ Lucy Benton was third with a time of 2:12.45

Mountain Brook’s Camille Gillum finished second in the high jump at 5-04.00. Mountain Brook’s team of Hunter Anderson, Callie Kent, Mary Katherine Malone and Kennedy Hamilton won the 4x800 in 9:43.92. The Spartans’ team of Kent, Malone, Riley and Benton won the 4x400 in 4:04.03. Homewood was second in 4:09.16.

Homewood’s Naeemah Gamble won the shot put with a throw of 39 feet, 2 inches. The Patriots’ Brooke Walden and Jordan Reaves tied for third in the pole vault and 4x400 relay team of Norah Nickoli, Olivia Burczyk, Sarah Derriso and Mary Siena McBride placed second. In the Class 6A boys completion, Homewood’s Spencer Lamb won the 60-meter hurdles in 8.30 seconds and teammate Slate Rohrer finished third in 8.49. Mountain Brook’s Max Baltz finished second in the high jump at 6-00.00. Davis Lee placed third in the 400. The Spartans’ 4x400 team of Spence Morano, Robert Sproule, K.J. Leedy and Lee finished second. The 4x800 team of Harry Clark, Jack Chapman, Bibb Albright and Clayton Collins finished third.

Scottsboro claimed the 6A boys team title with 77 points. Mountain Brook finished fourth (44) and Homewood was fifth (42.5).

Journal photos by Jordan Wald

Hoover’s Daisy Luna won the 400meter dash with a 56.26 time. Vestavia’s John Stephens won the 400 in 49.42 seconds.

The Spartans’ Reagan Riley won individual championships in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs. Riley, left, won the 1,600 in 5:02.68, with teammate Clark Stewart, far left, runner-up at 5:08.56.

Class 1A-3A Girls

Mobile Christian won the Class 1A-3A girls championship with 79.5 points – winning by a slim 4.5 points over runner-up Westminster at Oak Mountain.

Altamont’s Carson Hicks ran 7.95 to win the 60-meter dash and was second in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:00.84.

Altamont’s Merritt Fulmer turned in her top performance of the season with a winning height of 9-09 in the pole vault competition.

Westminster at Oak Mountain’s 4x400 relay team of Vale Richie, Elizabeth Bandura, Cammi Griffith and Madden Sellers finished first with a 4:24.40 time.

Spain Park senior Yasmine Oliveira wasn’t too keen on the idea of wrestling against girls when it became part of high school athletic competitions during her junior year.

She had wrestled against boys since she began grappling in the eighth grade at Berry Middle School, so wrestling against girls took some getting used to.

“At first I was skeptical,” Oliveira said. “I liked having the advantage of being strong enough to wrestle guys. But over time wrestling against girls felt more like fair game.”

During her first season of wrestling against girls, Oliveira finished as the 140-pound runner-up to Weaver’s Lena Johannson in the inaugural Girls State Tournament in 2021 at Hoover High School.

This season, Oliveira was determined not to finish second again. Her determination showed on the mat as she captured the 147pound title during the 2022 state tournament on Jan. 22 at Thompson High School. She finished the season undefeated with a 21-0 record.

“I couldn’t stand the fact that I didn’t do as good as I thought I should have at the state tournament last year,” Oliveira said. “That gave me a lot of motivation. I did a lot of offseason training because I wanted a better outcome. All my hard work paid off.”

Oliveira pinned each of her opponents in the state tournament, beating Spanish Fort’s Sarah Edgar, Catholic-Montgomery’s Charlotte Parker in the semifinals and Sparkman’s Akerah Artis in the final.

Of her 21 wins this season, 19 were by pin. The other two were a major decision and a decision. Of her 19 pins, 18 occurred in the first period.

“Overall, the season was a big success,” Oliveira said, “but it was a learning experience as well.”

Oliveira is only the second wrestler in the history of Spain Park to go undefeated for the season.

“She’s got a great work ethic, she’s real coachable and she’s tough,” Spain Park wrestling coach Ryan Thompson said. “She’s really inspiring and she’s humble.”

SPORTS Unbeatable

Spain Park Girls Wrestler Oliveira Caps

Martial Arts Background

The 5-foot-3 Oliveira gravitated to wrestling from martial arts. She has been training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu since she could walk as well as judo. Her father, Kaliffa Oliveira, participated in judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu and earned national and world rankings in both sports. He owns Gracie Barra Alabama gyms in Pelham and in Greystone, teaching Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo and Muay Thai kickboxing.

Yasmine Oliveira works full time at the Gracie Barra Pelham gym as the program director. She has won American Nationals and international tournaments multiple times in jiu-jitsu.

Her dad encouraged her to take up wrestling in addition to jiu-jitsu and judo.

“He thought it would help me with jiu-jitsu,” Oliveira said. “But it turned out the other way around. I started liking wrestling more.

“Jiu-jitsu has helped me with wrestling. Because of it, I was already aggressive. You also have to train hard in jiu-jitsu and think on your feet, so it was really an easy transition to wrestling.”

Oliveira had some success beating guys when she was in the eighth grade, but that changed during her freshman year at Spain Park.

“The guys I was beating in eighth grade, I couldn’t beat in high school,” she said. “That mentally messed with me. I kind of struggled that year.”

Oliveira decided not to wrestle during her sophomore year. She returned to the mat as a junior and wrestled co-ed before settling in this season competing against girls as the number of girls wrestling in Alabama increased. At the 2021 state tournament, 75 girls competed, but this year there were more than 40 teams.

Oliveira’s younger brother Kyle, a sophomore, also wrestles for Spain Park in the 195pound weight class. The two of them are practice partners, but Yasmine Oliveira has no illusions about beating Kyle in a match.

“I wish, but he’s a big boy,” she said with a laugh.

Yasmine Oliveira is interested in wrestling in college, with her top two choices being King University in Bristol, Tennessee, and North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. She also has wrestling offers from Presbyterian College and Sacred Heart University, becoming the first wrestler at Spain Park to be offered a full NCAA Division I wrestling scholarship.

An excellent student with grade-point average near 4.0, Oliveira also has academic scholarship offers from Presbyterian, King, Friends University, Brewton-Parker College and William Penn University.

“I haven’t decided on which college yet,” she said. “I plan to major in biology and eventually get into sports medicine.”

Photo courtesy

Of Spain Park senior Yasmine Oliveira’s 21 wins this season, 19 were by pin.

JAGS

From page 28 143 for a 4-2 victory in the best-ofseven final series of Baker games.

It was the Jags’ third state title overall but the first since winning con-

secutive titles in 2016 and 2017, the first two years the AHSAA offered bowling as a championship sport.

“I’m really excited because our other two state championships came at the beginning of bowling as a championship sport, and the competition has gotten a lot better since then,” Hobbs said. “To win now you have to put it all together.

“There was a lot of pressure because we were going against Hoover. Their coach is a former student of mine at Spain Park. He’s done a good job.”

Hoover finished as the runner-up for the second straight season.

‘None of these guys had ever been to state before, so for them to come out and bowl like they did, I could not be more proud,”

Photo by Marvin Gentry/ahsaaphotos.com

them.

“None of these guys had ever been to state before, so for them to come out and bowl like they did, I could not be more proud,” he said. “Our two seniors, Cole Henson and Russell Partin didn’t start bowling until last year. They did a good job of leading us. off guy. He starts us off with a strike just about every game.”

Henson was the top medalist with a total score of 683, 20 pins better than Hoover’s Lee. The Bucs’ Hughes was fourth with a three-game total of 621.

Hobbs complimented volunteer assistant Lillian Singleton for her efforts to help the Jags win the crown.

“I need to give a lot of the credit to Lillian,” Hobbs said. “She is there every practice and every match, teaching technique to the kids. Without her, we wouldn’t be state champs.”

In the Class 6A/7A girls competition, both Vestavia Hills and Spain Park were eliminated by Stanhope Elmore, with the Rebels falling in the quarterfinals and Jags in the semifinals.

Stanhope Elmore lost to Sparkman 4-0 in the finals as the Lady Senators won their second consecutive Class 6A/7A title.

Spain Park’s Emma Hawkins placed third among the 6A/7A girls individual medalists with a three-game total of 561, breaking a program record with her 244 in the second game.

This was the Jags’ third state title overall but the first since winning consecutive titles in 2016 and 2017, the first two years the AHSAA offered bowling as a championship sport.