Brothers turn backyard rivalry into athletic success stories

Brothers Jacob and Zachary Carroll have fond memories of summer days spent playing sports in the backyard. Those backyard games soon transitioned to varsity games, and both boys quickly became standout athletes. Recent MBHS graduate Jacob is headed to Windsor, Connecticut, to play football and complete a post graduate year at prestigious Loomis Chaffee preparatory school, while Zachary, a junior, recently committed to play lacrosse for the 2015 NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse championship team at the University of Denver.

Jacob, the starting quarterback for the Spartans for the 2012-2014 seasons, has been invited to showcase his talents at several major events. As a sophomore, he was a finalist in the David Cutcliffe QB College Competition at Duke. The following year, he was named QB MVP, Top Performer and Best of the Best at the NUC Combine in Albany, Georgia. Those honors also earned him spots on the 2013 All Combine Team and the 2013 All American Watch List and invitations to the NUC Super 25, Rivals 100 and Elite 11 competitions in California and Georgia. Carroll’s senior year afforded him the opportunity to represent our state at the annual Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic.

Despite his successes, accolades and scholarship offers, Jacob said he didn’t find the right collegiate fit after graduation. “Loomis Chaffee gave me the best opportunity to reach my ultimate goal of playing football at a top academic university. Loomis was just a great fit for me,” he said. 

Younger brother Zachary found a love for lacrosse in the fourth grade, playing first for a community-based team. He soon grew to be a starter for the highly competitive Bamalax and Atlanta Higher Game lacrosse travel teams and garnered invitations to play in numerous all-star lacrosse tournaments across the country. Bamalax coaches Matt Aiken and Casey Kear, who also is the lacrosse coach at Birmingham-Southern, first guided Carroll in the college recruitment process, and Higher Game Atlanta coach Jason Breyo put him on the radar screen of coaches at the University of Denver. “It’s just a unique program, and I think [Denver] is the best fit for me overall,” Zachary said.

While the brothers say they are looking forward to working with Coach Chuck Reid at Loomis Chaffee and Coach Bill Tierney at the University of Denver, they note the invaluable lessons and support they received from their Mountain Brook coaches. 

“[Retired Mountain Brook Junior High] Coach Morrow made us work hard,” Zachary said. “He whipped us into shape and set the tone for the rest of our athletic career.” Jacob had similarly complimentary things to say about MBHS head football coach Chris Yeager: “He’s truly a player’s coach who will do anything to help you. I’m thankful to have played underneath him for three years.”

The brothers also are grateful for the fraternal rivalry that came from those many backyard games. They agree that the rivalry has made them the competitive players they are today and greatly attributed to their success on the field. Jacob also was quick to mention, “We may be each other’s biggest rivals, but we’re also best friends.”