The schools large field house, while several years old, is one of the best around in terms of space and potential. RELATED: John Beverly resigns at St. Luke's in Mobile. Junior Camden Myers will hold down the center position. In the 11-on-11 competition, Shades Valley defeated Spain Park and dropped two close contests to the Golden Gophers, led by former Mountie QB Earl Woods, and the Huskies. It is a cliche, but the most significant improvement for a football team is between weeks one and two. Mahand, who had a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown against Huffman, wants to be remembered as being humble and for having the most picks in one season.. The transition to Tuscaloosa County was a good one for the long-time coach. The assistants are: Jamiah Edwards, Adaishya Turner, Rokehria Tarver, Kynedy Odom, Tremarion Jones, and Lauren Nelson. Things didnt go as we all hoped, but we saw a lot of positive things this year. Region 6 is possibly the most challenging region in the state, with the region teams winning five consecutive state titles. The Mounties got off to a fast start with a thunderous dunk by senior Kendarius Irvin, 10 points, and 4 rebounds. I chose academics over sports, he said. The guys have done everything we have asked them to, and weve had some tough, rigorous practice to try to end this losing streak, said Mountie head coach Audwin Howard. The Shades Valley girls defeated the Clay-Chalkville girls 54-51 earlier in the evening. When the old man visited the gifted center at his home in Birmingham, Tamburello thanked Bryant with all his heart, and said it was a dream of his to shake the great mans hand and have the opportunity to go to Alabama and play football. He had other choices in the Birmingham area but ultimately chose Shades Valley because of the schools potential and history. The Mounties travel to Pinson Valley next week for a huge Region 6 matchup. While the Mounties were not able to get the passing game on track, Coach Nelson was pleased with the overall performance of his receivers. The Shades Valley football program is in the process of growing. He currently has interest from UCF, Austin Peay, Shorter, and Faulkner. User Agreement (updated 5/25/18) and The Mounties led 28-9 with 3:19 in the third quarter. Our kids benefited from playing those opponentsit was a brutal gauntlet of games to play, but mentally I believe we have come out on the other side, he said. We understood playing as a team, and most of our guys played both ways, he said. Sophomore Lauren Lindsey led the Mounties. They have two or three other guys on defense with multiple offers that just havent committed yet, said Mitchell. Coach Robert Higginbotham, Mounties Gaining Valuable Experience This Summer, Mounties Close Spring Camp With Win Over Springville, Mounties Eye Playoffs After Critical Region Win, https://svmounties.com/2021/10/13/from-el-salvador-to-irondale-a-kickers-journey/, From El Salvador To Irondale: A Kickers Journey, http://www.ahsfhs.org/teams2/teampage.asp?Team=Shades%20Valley, Mounties Look To Lions After Loss To Gardendale, Mounties Fall To Mountain Brook In Region Game, Mounties Face Tough Challenge In Spartans. One thing I learned through the injury is unexpected things happen sometimes, he said. The Mounties took the opening kickoff but could not pick up the first down and had to punt. Im proud of them, but we have just got to get better.. Week after week, our defense is making stops, and we are creating turnovers. An interesting non-region scheduling note is that the Mounties will not face the Vestavia Hills Rebels for the first time since 1974. The 6A #4 ranked Spartans rolled up 366 yards of total offense. Orlando Lowman is slated to start in Prices spot. Hes a class act. Senior cornerback Marlen Sewell and junior safety Cameron Harris continued their strong secondary play by adding two interceptions for the Mountie defense. That's the last time the school posted a better record than Smith's 10-2 season in 2013 or his 9-3 team in 2014. The freshman duo of Williams and Berry scored 9 each. Shades Valley won their first playoff game since 2017 this past Friday night on the road against Cullman. The Shades Valley football program is thankful, too. I think our players played hard last night, he said. He also had a rushing score. He is one of the best defensive backs in the statea hidden gem, said Hannah. Despite all of his success at Mountain Brook, Higginbotham made a surprising career change for the 1976 season. Fairfield went on offense first and scored on 4th down from two yards out. His dream of playing in the nations best rivalry would eventually come true. The growth of the Mountie offense in 2021 has been slow for a multitude of reasons. Junior Christian Thomas led the Mounties with three receptions. The Shades Valley sideline and crowd erupted. See Complete Shades Valley Football Roster . The young Mounties team settled down in the second period and cut the Cougar lead, with the help of the 3-point shooting by freshman Jeremiah Williams, to 13. Since then, there have been multiple injuries and some departures from the group along the front. Devon McKinnon added 11 points and Tiawan Hardy chipped in 9 points and 6 rebounds for Clay. On third down, Carterius Ford got a finger on the ball and forced an incompletion. His mother and his three uncles all played sports at Valley. The application is currently closed for the spring semester. After a steady dose of Pearson on the ground, quarterback JCauis Moore appeared to score on a 42-yard scamper with 2:51 remaining. Improving, moving ahead, getting better, whatever you want to call it, hurts. For Rashad Morris, a starting offensive lineman, the season came to a premature end on September 9th. Coach Bryant always coached from his tower. The senior intercepted a Viking pass and returned it 53 yards for a touchdown. Valley took a 29-13 lead into the locker room. Rashad Bryant was a presence in the paint. All these kids are good. The Mounties lost to Vestavia Hills 17-0 in a hard-fought game at Frank Nix Stadium. He was named Coach of the Year in both states. Senior cornerback Jacob Mahand will lead the secondary from one corner while Erin Callens will man the other corner. Off the field, they have helped numerous players find spots on college rosters. Higginbotham was 15-2 against the school he led to the 1975 state championship. Thomas started on both sides of the ball for the Mounties. Im glad we had an off week and a chance to get all of our players healthy, said Nelson. After graduation he served in the United States Army from 1965-67 with a tour in Vietnam. My personal goals are to have a 100-plus tackle season, 10-plus sacks, 5- plus interceptions, 20-plus tackles for loss, 5- plus touchdowns, and 15-plus receptions. They are a very good team, and it will be a circus atmosphere, he said. The Valley defense held, and the Tigers turned the ball over on downs with 5:31 remaining in the game. I was nervous because of all the pressure from the team and all the people in the stands, he said. This was an opportunity for graduates of the school to come together, said organizer John Goolsby. We did well as a team, and without each other, this wouldnt be possible, he said. Tuscaloosa County High seemed like the perfect fit at that time for the veteran coach, and so for the first time in 23 years, Higginbotham would don colors other than red and black on the sideline. Shades Valley faces the Rebels of Vestavia Hills for the 49th time tonight at Frank Nix Stadium at 7 PM. Senior year is a special time. Mitchell also praised his scout team, those guys did a good job getting us ready for Cullman, said Mitchell. The start of the 2022 season has not been an easy one for Whetstone. Coach Jamie Mitchell is working hard to correct those lapses in execution that have plagued his team. Valleys Clayton Garrison tracked him down and tackled him short of the first down marker, and the Panthers were forced to punt. The two teams met for 48 straight years. Instead, he would choose the Auburn Tiger and don the orange and blue. I gave him about a week and a half at quarterback before I moved him to running back, said Higginbotham. We were very aware that if Huffman won out, and we ended up 3-3, we wouldnt get in, said Mitchell. Logistics is one career he is interested in. As Guerrero looks back, he feels that getting involved with the football team helped his immersion into American culture and accelerated his grasp of a new language. From a state championship at Pinson to a program in transition at Valley last year, Jacari Wedgworth has seen the highs and lows of high school football. Get the latest Shades Valley high school sports news, rankings, schedules, stats, scores, results & athletes info for high school football, soccer, basketball, baseball, and more at al.com. Weve got to get better and get better fast.. The important thing is to stay positive, keep a smile and try to improve your situation., Ford continued to be involved with the team anytime he had the chance. Last playoff appearance: 2014, Alabama7AFootball.com Kordelle Steele, Josh Little, Kevin Lin, Bryan Blackwell, and Teren Moore will start against the Spartans. With the Chelsea win over Huffman, Jamie Mitchells team now controls its own destiny. One new trend in the high school scene seemed to benefit Shades Valley more than others. Steele has loved the game of football ever since he stepped on the little league fields in Center Point. They are taking their lumps, but they are learning how to compete and building character. The Mounties took over on downs with 3:04 remaining in the half. Daytona Beach, FL. The Mounties travel to Fairfield High Prep next Friday night. It was so much bigger than the money, Goolsby said. However, neither team could generate any offense, and the two teams headed to the fourth quarter with the Eagles holding a 36-0 lead. Nelson remains optimistic about his first Mountie team. For the 1972 season, he would serve as an assistant coach on Shorty Whites staff at powerhouse Banks High School on the east side of Birmingham. On first down, the Yellow Jackets scored on a 58-yard touchdown run up the middle. They were absorbing it all, and they were patiently waiting their turn. The coaches didnt get rattled. Beautiful campus, great academics, close to home, Christian school, and I could play early, he said. Before his stint at Ramsay, the Alabama A&M graduate coached at his alma mater, Midfield, for six years. The Mounties have won 543 games, won 13 region/area championships, played in the first-ever playoff game in the state of Alabama (1966), made six semi-final appearances and two state championship game appearances. Offensively, the Mounties hit four three-point shots in the period: a pair by JaMarcus Jackson and one by Jeremiah Williams and Carter Berry. November 1st, 2021 Recap: Shades Valley vs. Vestavia Hills 2021 The Mountie players feel like they are making solid progress as a team. Football is not played at the junior college level in Alabama. The extra point was blocked, and Valley held a 20-14 lead with 11:42 remaining in the game. Darius has been here with the group cheering them on each week, said defensive line coach Robert Nelson, Jr. He was having a good off-season in the weight room before his injury.. He knows that the Spartans will be a big test for his team. Senior Jacob Mahand blocked the Tiger punt, and fellow senior Malique Steele recovered it at Bessemers 26-yard line. The Shades Valley Mounties vs. the Pinson Valley Indians - ScoreStream Shades Valley Mounties 0 Final Pinson Valley Indians 49 27 Cheers! He went to Troy, West Alabama, Mississippi State and UAB for football camps. Shades Valley had not qualified more than three runners in a season since 1997. However, a penalty nullified the play, and the two teams headed to the locker with Shades Valley leading 14-7. On the field, they have played in the league championship game for the last four years. It was so much bigger than the money, Goolsby said. Character counts. I am thankful that the Irondale Chamber of Commerce is willing to partner with the school. Shades Valley alumni hold fundraiser for football program, Area teams compete at MLK Indoor Track Classic, Gadsden man killed in St. Clair County crash, Obituary: Doris Elizabeth Holt Dorman (June 24, 1937 ~ January 14, 2023), Registered sex offender arrested for indecent exposure in Jefferson County, OPINION: Alabama should follow other states in providing permanent tax relief for its citizens, Pinson Valley Arts Council to host Heart & Soul Valentines Dinner and Dance charity, Obituary: Pamela Hodges Pratt (June 28, 1951 ~ January 11, 2023), MortgageRight in Leeds holds grand opening & ribbon cutting, Huskies run out of gas, lose first game of year to Austin, 49-42, Savvy Senior: Daily money managers can help seniors with financial chores, Springville wins key area matchup against Leeds, 50-38. The following year Richardson joined Birmingham Prep, a post-graduate prep football program. Anything can be taken in an instant, he said. Going from A.G. Gaston to Valley was a significant change in Moores life. I go down and help her once or twice a week, he said. The next time you are at a Mountie football game, take a look up high in the stands. I think we are going to have a great future here. On Vestavias next possession, the Rebels broke a 62-yard run down to the Mounties two-yard line. It all started with Shades Valley and Coach Higginbotham. Shades Valley will face Mountain Brook, Woodlawn, and Pell City in Area 10 play. I cant say enough about Marlon Compton. I am the head football coach, and I have to find a way to put points on the board, Nelson said. Davin Bostock also had twenty carries in the game. The contest remained a scoreless, hard-hitting affair the rest of the way. Former astronaut visits Chalkville Elementary School, Jefferson Co. Board of Ed. It feels good to be able to do it. Under his leadership, the program won the 2017 state championship. The Mounties will have to lean heavily on a stable of young but talented, running backs to have the success that Mitchell is accustomed to. I thank the Lord for it all, Brown said. I made some mistakes as a head coach, but Shades Valley will fight.. In 1996, the new Shades Valley was ready to house more than two thousand students and teachers. We just cant continue to give up big playsweve got to get eleven men to the football, and thats something we are going to continue to work on in practice, Nelson said. Shades Valley moved the ball to the Chelsea goal line. I wouldnt be here if I didnt think we could win, said Mitchell. He was a star defensive back for the Eagles during the 1991 and 1992 seasons. Please use CTRL-C (or CMD-C on Mac) to copy to your clipboard. The Mounties are in Region 6 in 6A this season. The biggest challenge has been getting the kids to buy in, Nelson said. The early growing pains the team went through and its ongoing improvement are nothing new to a veteran coach like Mitchell. I look back at all the football and things Ive experienced, and I always tip my hat to Coach Higginbotham. Moore credits Head Coach Robert Higginbotham and Defensive Coordinator Owen Butts for his success in high school and helping to get him to the next level. Craig helped indeed. While Moore was known as a nice guy off the field, he played football as his Mountie position coach, Danny Foster, asked him to play: as a reckless abandon tackler. The mental aspect of the game is something Steele worked on as well, as he has benefited from the experience of former head coach Chris Mahand. Against Huffman, Guerrero was five out of five on PATs, averaged 39 yards on five punts and two touchbacks on kickoffs. One of the busiest players on the field Friday night was Christian Thomas. It took his lineman some time to adjust to the move away from a zone blocking scheme to a new power blocking one. Despite playing the toughest schedule in 6A (#2 Clay-Chalkville, #6 Mountain Brook, and #8 Pinson Valley) and the early challenges of the season, Coach Nelson is thankful for the support received from those who care about the program. Clay held a 33-20 lead at the break. The coaching staff is optimistic that they will continue to develop the much-needed depth on defense and are encouraged to see their players staying motivated. Shades Valley was one of the early adopters in the state. When speaking of his past experience with re-building teams he said, It has usually been a five to six game window anywhere I have ever been. Tyree Hines continues to play exceptional football in the secondary for the Mounties. The Spartans of Mountain Brook (5-0) marched into Frank Nix Stadium and handed Shades Valley a 31-0 Region 5 loss. The Mounties are looking to bounce back from last years 3-7 season. Even though it was a tough call to make, he knew it was something he had to do. Tyler Addie made the biggest defensive play of the night. Mountie Head coach Rueben Nelson Photo credit: marvingentry.com. In my opinion, the business community has failed to support their local school. Nelson comes to Shades Valley, which has not enjoyed a winning record since 2017. The road warriors, as they were known, advanced to the semi-finals. I think the kids are starting to understand the magnitude of where we are, said Head Coach Jamie Mitchell. Mario Byrd returned the opening kickoff for 88 yards to start the scoring for Clay. Unfortunately, he sprained an ankle in the first half of the opening game and has been on the sideline since the injury. Nix embodied the true spirit of the Mounties. The Homecoming win keeps Valleys playoff hopes alive. We want to make sure the kids have a great experience through sports at Shades Valley., The late Frank Nix did so much for Shades Valley sports programs over the years, Goolsby said. Kim Steele was a standout player on the Shades Valley varsity basketball team for four years. Brown also rushed for 103 yards on 8 carries. Its just going to take a little time, Nelson said. Two plays later, Bessemer completed a 16-yard pass to the Valley four-yard line. He lived down the street from me in Altadena, and I would take him home. This was the first step in mobilizing the alumni base, possibly the largest in the city, to support Coach Nelsons program. Higginbotham continued on the path to being a head coach by joining another famous Alabama high school coach. Frank Nixs love for the Shades Valley family (and baseball) was great. Nickname: Mounties Dates: Friday, October 21, 2022. The kids didnt get rattled. The Valley lead was cut to 35-20 on a five-yard quarterback keeper and successful two-point conversion with 3:13 remaining. Micah has become one of the leaders behind the scenes, said offensive coordinator Baniko Harley. One of the most disappointing things for a player is losing their senior year. While the two close losses in the championship games at Legion Field were extremely disappointing to him, Higginbotham says, just getting to the games were highlights for me at Shades Valley., Higginbotham had numerous assistant coaches over the years. Barbara Tolbert penned a short poem that sums up the years of hard work and the excitement of the future for her son: Engineer bound is his choice of career.Striving for excellence is all you will hear; look out, Alabama, because hes coming next year. Be a big test for his team twice a week, said organizer John Goolsby in a hard-fought game Frank. Help her once or twice a week, he would choose the Auburn Tiger and don the orange and.... 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