Lexi Coon.
Altamont's Anna-Julia Kutsch, bottom, races to the finish of the 100-yard freestyle. Kutsch won the event for Class 1A-5A with a time of 50.39.
Over the course of the year, Village Living will keep you up to date on the various Mountain Brook High School athletic teams. To see previous weekly updates, click here.
BASKETBALL
The Mountain Brook High School basketball teams each continued their strong starts to the season.
The girls won a pair of games last week to improve their mark to 7-1 on the young season. On Monday, the Lady Spartans defeated Helena, 70-47, behind three double-digit scorers. Hannah Bartels led the way with 14 points, followed by Emily Henderson (13) and Lucy Harrison (12).
The Lady Spartans made a trip to Pinson Valley on Thursday and came away with a 64-54 win. Three players also notched double figures, with Bartels scoring 17 points and Lucy Harrison and Lacey Jeffcoat chipping in 12 apiece.
The boys team also ended the week with a 7-1 record, but the Spartans suffered their first loss of the season at Wenonah on Tuesday, as they fell 47-42.
They rebounded on Thursday with an 81-70 victory over Pinson Valley on Thursday, behind 27 points and 14 rebounds from Trendon Watford. Britton Johnson was also a big factor, draining 5-of-6 3-pointers for 17 points. Sean Elmore scored 12, William Lineberry added 10, and point guard Paulie Stramaglia dished out 14 assists.
The girls host Gadsden City on Monday, while both teams travel to Clay-Chalkville on Tuesday and Parker on Friday.
SWIMMING
The Mountain Brook swimming and diving team traveled to Auburn University on Dec. 1-2 for the swimming and diving state meet. There, Mountain Brook had one swimmer place in the top three of both of her individual events.
Senior Lauren Crabtree became the new girls Class 6A-7A 500-yard freestyle state champion with a time of 5:07.28, barely out touching Huntsville High School’s Ryan Barlow by 0.14 seconds. Crabtree also placed third in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 57.76.
Altamont School junior Anna-Julia Kutsch earned a state title, winning the 1A-5A 100-yard freestyle with a time 50.39. This is the second year Kutsch has won the 100-yard freestyle, and the swim resulted in a new class record.
INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
The Mountain Brook track and field teams opened their 2017-18 seasons on Saturday at the Magic City Invitational, which was hosted by the Birmingham CrossPlex.
The Spartans girls and boys captured first-place finishes in the 4x800-meter relay. The girls won in 9 minutes, 51 seconds, and the boys won in 8:21. Mountain Brook actually swept the top two positions in the boys relay, as its ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams gapped the field.
Individually, Anne Carlton Clegg and Sophie Jane Knott notched a pair of standout performances. Clegg placed third in the high jump with a leap of 5 feet, 2 inches, and Knott placed third in the pole vault with a clearance of 10-6.
The Spartans track and field teams will return to action this weekend at the Holiday Invitational, which also will be held at the CrossPlex.
-- Who did we miss? What else would you like to see mentioned? For any suggestions, feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnespublishing.com.
