Vance Phillips, the MVP of the state championship game last year has scored 18 goals and has six assists this season.By Rubin E. Grant
As the 2023 high school soccer season enters the homestretch, the Mountain Brook boys team appears poised for a repeat.
The Spartans won the program’s first state championship in 2022, capturing the Class 6A crown in an overtime thriller against Pelham and finishing with a 25-2-2 record.
This season, the Spartans have continued to enjoy success. Before taking off last week for spring break, Mountain Brook won the Smoky Mountain Cup in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, beating Davidson from Mobile 3-1 along with Tennessee teams Fred Page (returning state champion from Franklin) 3-2 and Father Ryan (state runner-up from Nashville) 5-2.
Coach Joe Webb earned career win No. 490 in Tennessee as the Spartans improved to 15-1-4 overall.
Mountain Brook is ranked No. 2 in Class 6A and No. 4 in the Super Poll (all classes). The Spartans have absolutely dominated Area 10 play against Pell City, Shades Valley and Woodlawn, recording five shutouts, four by 10-0 scores. They were scheduled to close area play at Shades Valley Tuesday.
The Spartans’ only loss was 2-1 to Northridge on Feb. 28. Their four ties came against Northgate from Newnan, Georgia, 1-1, Briarwood 3-3, Fort Payne 3-3 and Homewood 0-0.
Returning Players
Mountain Brook returned 11 players from last season, including Jack Heaps, a 5-foot-9 senior midfielder, and 6-4, 220-pound senior goalkeeper Reed Harradine, who is headed to Alabama to play football as a kicking specialist.
Heaps was the 2022 Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year after scoring a school-record 33 goals. He has committed to Georgetown. He had three goals and an assist in the Spartans’ victory against Father Ryan that secured the Smoky Mountain Cup title. He has 23 goals and eight assists this season.
Another key player returning is senior Vance Phillips, the MVP of the state championship game last year. He has scored 18 goals and has six assists.
And then there’s sophomore defender Jude Smith.
“He has a really interesting story,” Mountain Brook coach Joe Webb said. “He was part of the team last year, starting as a freshman as we won the first championship in school history. He was also part of the wrestling team that won its first state title, too.”
In the Class 6A AHSAA Wresting Duals championship match in January, Smith defeated Mortimer Jordan’s Gavin Files at 160 pounds by an 8-2 decision to help the Spartans capture the title by a 32-27 score.
“He’s the first person to win two state championships in two sports in the same calendar year and it happened to be the first championships for the school in both sports,” Webb said.
Webb said the Spartans’ returning players are playing well but have had to shoulder a lot more responsibility this season, despite the presence of 11 seniors on the roster.
“We have a lot younger group in terms of experience,” he said. “It’s not just experience but game knowledge. We’ve got some young talent, but it takes a while for them to know what to do.”
Mountain Brook closes the regular season next week with games at Vestavia Hills and at home against Indian Springs. The playoffs are scheduled to begin April 27 and then the Spartans can begin their quest to repeat in earnest.
“We’re going to have to work hard to defend it, but we’re trying,” Webb said. “We have to get healthy. We’ve had a minimum of 2-3 starters out every game. That makes it tough. If we get back healthy we’ve got a chance.”
English (US)