Photo courtesy of Erik Harris
John Carroll's William Gignilliat (24) pitches in a first round playoff game against West Point on Friday, April 22, 2022.
Over the course of the year, The Homewood Star will keep you up to date on the various Homewood and John Carroll high school athletic teams. For previous weekly updates, click here.
BASEBALL
The John Carroll baseball team capped off the regular season with an 11-1 win over Leeds last Tuesday. Three Cavaliers pitchers combined for the no-hitter, with Tyler Black, Gabe Wilbur and Hayden Dupre all pitching. Aden Malpass led the offense by going 2-for-4 with a double and 3 runs batted in, while Carson McFadden was 3-for-4 with a double and 3 RBIs as well.
Spain Park notched a 10-6 win over Homewood on Wednesday evening, as Homewood celebrated its 11 seniors in the season-ending game. Michael Glick, Myles Morgan and Ward Hunter each led the way for the Jags by driving in 2 runs each. Josh Harrington notched 3 hits and scored 3 runs, while Wesley Blackmon and Jack Kendrick drove in a run each. Six Spain Park pitchers combined to throw the 7 innings. For Homewood, Charlie Teel knocked in a pair of runs.
John Carroll won its Class 5A first round playoff series, as the Cavaliers outlasted West Point in three games over the weekend. The two teams split on Friday, as West Point won the first game 3-1 before John Carroll rallied to win the second game 2-1. In the third game of the series, on Saturday, the Cavs broke out the bats in a 10-5 win.
This week, John Carroll travels to Alexandria for the second round of the playoffs. A Friday doubleheader is set to start at 4:30 p.m., with an if-necessary game set for Saturday afternoon.
SOFTBALL
The Mountain Brook softball team notched a big 9-5 win over area rival Homewood last Tuesday. Edith Kaplan hit the go-ahead home run for the Spartans and finished with 3 runs batted in on the night. Reagan Rape knocked in a pair of runs, Chloe Hontzas went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI, and Claire Robinett had 2 hits and a run batted in as well. Kara Leigh Whitaker pitched well in the circle, going 5 innings and allowing a single run on 3 hits. For Homewood, Katherine Howell and Zoe Couch homered, with Couch finishing with 3 hits and 3 RBIs. Susanna Sheehan finished a home run shy of the cycle and knocked in a run.
John Carroll survived a fight from Pleasant Grove on Tuesday, outlasting the Spartans 8-7 in eight innings. Mallory Ogle hit a 2-run single to plate the go-ahead runs in the eighth inning to help the Cavs win. Charlotte Phillips homered for the Cavaliers, also hitting a triple and driving in a pair of runs in the game. Kayla Coley-Drayton also knocked in 2 runs, while Maggie Mackin and MC Golab knocked a run home as well.
Homewood defeated Briarwood 11-1 on Thursday to wrap up area play. Howell and Eva White each knocked in a pair of runs to lead the Patriots offense. Sheehan and Emily Dunn notched RBIs in the win as well. Ella Walker pitched the game in the circle, going 5 innings and allowing the lone run on 7 hits.
John Carroll got back on track Thursday, taking care of Pleasant Grove 16-6 in the final area game. Mackin hit a home run for the Cavs, while Gracie Mills led the way with 4 hits and 4 RBIs. Phillips had 3 hits and 3 RBIs, while Coley-Drayton and Emily Williams each tallied 2 RBIs.
John Carroll played in the Hoover Classic over the weekend, compiling a 2-1-1 record against stout competition. The Cavs tied Hatton 5-5 and beat Vestavia Hills 5-1 on Friday evening. In the Hatton game, Golab had 2 RBIs, with Phillips, Coley-Drayton and Annie Gregory tallying an RBI each. Ogle had 3 hits at the plate and pitched 5 innings. Gregory threw a great game in the win over Vestavia, allowing an unearned run on 5 hits over 7 innings. Phillips drove in a pair of runs, with Mills and Coley-Drayton adding RBIs.
On Saturday, the Cavs lost to Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa 3-0 before beating Cherokee County 13-1. In the loss to Hillcrest, Gregory was the bright spot, as she allowed 3 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits in 6 innings. The Cavs got the bats going again in their final game of the weekend. Coley-Drayton went 3-for-3 with a double, a triple and a home run, driving in 5 runs to lead the way. Phillips had 3 hits with 4 RBIs, with Mills and Ogle also tallying 3 hits. Gregory knocked in a pair of runs, with Golab and Avery Seidenfaden adding RBIs as well. Ogle allowed only an unearned run over 5 innings of work.
Homewood and John Carroll will finish out the regular season this week before area tournament play.
SOCCER
Last Tuesday, the Homewood girls soccer team earned a 2-0 area win over Chelsea. John Carroll swept Altamont, the boys winning 9-0 and the girls winning 8-2. In the girls win, Belle Buckner scored a whopping five goals. Anna Grace Fuller, Mia Wos and Marlee Banks also contributed to the goal-scoring efforts. Seniors Ruby Thornton and Haley Nguyen also played great defense in the game.
Homewood’s boys knocked off Oak Mountain 1-0 on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the John Carroll boys and girls teams beat Ramsay, 10-0 and 6-0, respectively. John Carroll’s girls traveled to Hoover on Friday, falling 3-2.
TENNIS
The Homewood and John Carroll tennis teams qualified for and competed in the state tournament last week. Check back with the Homewood Star later this week for a full recap on the tournament.
GOLF
The John Carroll boys golf claimed victory over Sylacauga and Lincoln last week by posting a season-best score of 160. Josh Awbrey led the way with a round of 38, followed Sudishan Varadan’s 39, Jack Carlisle’s round of 41 and a 42 from Preston Dowling.
TRACK AND FIELD
The Homewood outdoor track and field team competed in the Hewitt-Trussville Invitational last Friday, with the boys finishing third. Julia Mitchell won the long jump, with a leap of 15 feet, 9.75 inches.
Emma Brooke Levering finished second in the 1,600-meter run, Magi Williams was third in the triple jump, Brooke Walden was second in pole vault, Naeemah Gamble was third in shot put, Robert Fowlkes finished third in the 400, Ben Murray was third in the 1,600, Spenser Lamb placed second in the 110-meter hurdles, Slate Rohrer and Lamb were second and third in the 300 hurdles and Hunter Drake finished second in triple jump.
— What else would you like to see mentioned? For any suggestions, feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnesmedia.com.
