SPORTS

Bringing out the Best John Carroll’s Langley setting sights on state cross-country title Page 30 SPORTS

Thursday, September 22, 2022 ❖ OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL

Homewood, Mountain Brook and John Carroll Catholic celebrate Homecoming Page 30.

Sydney Humes

Intense Energy

Homewood’s Humes Can’t Hide Her Enthusiasm on the Volleyball Court

By RuBin E. GRant

Homewood senior libero Sydney Humes plays volley- ‘Sydney is a ball with unbridled enthusi- special player and sonality. asm, which befits her per- special person.’

“My whole family is kind of out HOMEWOOD COACH there,” Humes said. “We’re loud. We ANDIE FREEDMAN like to talk. So, when the other team misses a serve and we get the point, or we score a point, or I make a dig, I believe it should be celebrated.

“I love this game so much and I get excited on the court. I think that’s a very positive thing.”

Homewood coach Andie Freedman doesn’t mind the Patriots’ 5-foot-5 bundle of energy expressing herself on the court.

See HUMES, page 31

NO FEAR

Spartans’ Sanderson Making Plays Like His Old Man

By RuBin E. GRant

Mountain Brook football coach Chris Yeager calls junior receiver Clark Sanderson one of the most fearless players he’s ever been around.

To illustrate his point, Yeager pointed to a daring play Sanderson made on a punt return against James Clemens early in the third quarter of the Spartans’ second game of the season.

The Jets’ punter dropped the snap and barely got off a punt that didn’t travel far. Sanderson yelled, “Peter, Peter,” the signal for teammates to get out of the way of the bouncing ball. But Sanderson noticed the James Clemens players also peeled off and alertly fielded the ball and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown.

“He’s so quick on his feet when it comes to thinking about what he needs to do,” Yeager said.

“I just wanted to make a play,” Sanderson said. “I saw a bunch of grass and no one around the ball. My mind was racing. I couldn’t think. I just picked it up and ran.”

Sanderson’s derring-do allowed the Spartans to pull away for a 42-21 victory.

At the midway point of the season, Sanderson is the Spartans’ sec-

Clark Sanderson

‘He’s a person of few words, but his actions on the field speak volumes. He’s an incredible leader. He leads by example.’

See SANDERSON, page 31

Bucs Take Down Huskies to Clear Another Hurdle in Waldrop’s First Season

By RuBin E. GRant

Before the 2022 high school football season kicked off, first-year Hoover head coach Wade Waldrop said he welcomed the challenge of competing in Class 7A, Region 3.

“As a coach, who doesn’t want to be in and play in the best region around and play against the best competition?” Waldrop said.

Midway through the season, Waldrop and the Bucs have more than met the challenge head-on.

They scored their most impressive victory yet, traveling to HewittTrussville last Friday and prevailing 17-7.

Using a stout defense that has become their calling card, the sixthranked Bucs (4-1, 3-0) held the fifthranked Huskies (3-2, 2-1) to only 215 total yards. Hewitt entered the contest averaging 49 points per game during its previous three games.

“I really thought we’d be good defensively this season,” Waldrop said. “Even in January and February, I could

FOOTBALL RECAP

Journal photo by Jordan Wald

William Tonsmeire rushed for 108 yards on 14 carries and scored on a 51-yard run in the fourth quarter in the Rebels convincing 36-7 road victory over Spain Park.