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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Mountain Brook’s Langston Lilly (23) reacts after scoring a goal for the Spartans in a match against Vestavia Hills at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ Addison Mizerany (6) in a match between the Spartans and Rebels at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Mountain Brook’s Martha Mae Smith (13) smiles after scoring for the Spartans in a match against Vestavia Hills at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Mountain Brook’s Sophie Hicks (16) dribbles the ball downfield in a match against Vestavia Hills at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Mountain Brook’s Langston Lilly (23) heads the ball in a match between the Spartans and Rebels at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Mountain Brook’s Gabby Lamontagne (6) kicks the ball guarded by Vestavia Hills’ Addison Mizerany (6) in a match between the Spartans and Rebels at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ Katie Llewellyn (7) and Mountain Brook’s Lorelai Wei (5) go for the ball in a match between the Spartans and Rebels at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Mountain Brook’s Sophie Hicks (16) dribbles the ball downfield in a match against Vestavia Hills at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ Kendall Roberts (1) dribbles the ball guarded by a Mountain Brook defender in a match between the Spartans and Rebels at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ Katie Llewellyn (7) and Mountain Brook’s Langston Lilly (23) battle for possession of the ball in a match between the Spartans and Rebels at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Mountain Brook’s Sophie Hicks (16) guarded by Vestavia Hills’ Addison Mizerany (6) in a match between the Spartans and Rebels at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ Elizabeth Nailen (9) passes the ball in a match against Mountain Brook at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ Bella Wood (0) blocks a shot at the goal in a match against Mountain Brook at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ Mia Kent (13) passes the ball from the backfield in a match against Mountain Brook at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Mountain Brook’s Langston Lilly (23) dribbles the ball downfield guarded by Vestavia Hills’ (6) in a match between the Spartans and Rebels at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ Kendall Roberts (1) passes the ball guarded by Mountain Brook’s Gabby Lamontagne (6) in a match between the Rebels and Spartans at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ River Riley (19) dribbles the ball guarded by Mountain Brook’s Sydney Martin (14) in a match between the Rebels and Spartans at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ Mia Kent (13) passes the ball guarded by Mountain Brook’s Heidi Hollingsworth (15) in a match between the Rebels and Spartans at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ Kendall Roberts (1) passes the ball guarded by Mountain Brook’s Virginia Poe (17) in a match between the Rebels and Spartans at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ Mackenzie Bridgwaters (11) looks to pass the ball guarded by Mountain Brook’s Gabby Lamontagne (6) in a match between the Rebels and Spartans at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Mountain Brook’s Sophie Hicks (16) kicks the ball downfield guarded by Vestavia Hills’ Anna Claire Black (10) in a match between the Spartans and Rebels at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Mountain Brook’s Laine Methvin (12) dribbles the ball guarded by Vestavia Hills’ Cameron Dickerson (18) in a match between the Spartans and Rebels at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Mountain Brook’s Langston Lilly (23) and the Spartans celebrate Lilly’s goal in a match against Vestavia Hills at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ Bella Wood (0) blocks a shot at the goal in a match between the Spartans and Rebels at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ Maddie Crawford (15) passes the ball guarded by Mountain Brook’s Laine Methvin (12) in a match between the Rebels and Spartans at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ River Riley (19) takes a shot at the goal in a match against Mountain Brook at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Mountain Brook’s Laine Minich (1) kicks the ball into play during a match between the Spartans and Rebels at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ River Riley (19) dribbles the ball downfield in a match between the Spartans and Rebels at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ Anna Claire Black (10) passes the ball guarded by a Mountain Brook defender in a match between the Spartans and Rebels at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Mountain Brook’s Gabby Lamontagne (6) passes the ball in a match between the Spartans and Rebels at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Mountain Brook’s Laine Minich (1) blocks a shot at the goal during a match between the Spartans and Rebels at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Mountain Brook’s Laine Minich (1) blocks a shot at the goal during a match between the Spartans and Rebels at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ River Riley (19) kicks the ball downfield in a match against Mountain Brook at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ Elizabeth Nailen (9) kicks the ball downfield in a match against Mountain Brook at Mountain Brook High School on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Martha Mae Smith and Langston Lilly each scored goals, goalkeeper Laine Minich recorded a clean sheet, and the Mountain Brook High School girls soccer team beat Vestavia Hills 2-0 last Thursday night.
The Spartans’ victory was their first over the Rebels since the 2014-15 season.
Entering the night, Vestavia sported an 11-3 record and was ranked third in Class 7A in the coaches poll. The Rebels had claimed seven consecutive rivalry matches against Mountain Brook, winning each game by an average of nearly three goals.
Despite their eagerness to break the losing streak, the Spartans’ preparation was no different than it would be for any game, Mountain Brook head coach Adam Johnson said.
“The challenge that we gave the girls was the same challenge we’ve given them all season, which is that we don’t compete against another team, we just compete against ourselves. We take where we left off the day before and we compete against that version of ourselves,” he said.
“The second challenge we gave the girls was to stay focused on their job and executing the game,” Johnson added. “With spring break looming and everybody feeling the need for a break, could they stay focused?”
Backed by its home crowd, Mountain Brook was aggressive from the opening whistle. Just five minutes into the game, Smith found the back of the net on a tap-in. Fifteen minutes later, Lilly doubled the lead. A long shot whistled off the left goalpost after the halftime break, keeping pressure on the Rebels.
“What we’ve noticed is that it usually takes us about 20 minutes, 25 minutes to really get moving,” said Johnson. “We told them, ‘Here we are. We have to make one last push to get through the first leg of the season. You have to come out full speed and you have to start at match tempo.’ We were dialed in and going from the start, and it made the difference.”
Mountain Brook’s defense, which has not allowed a goal since March 5, recorded its fourth consecutive shutout. Vestavia, despite fielding one of the state’s most prolific offenses, was unable to make a dent in the Spartans’ back line.
Johnson pegged defensive excellence as the catalyst for Mountain Brook’s aggression.
“Our defense is absolutely dialed in. They're so composed. I don’t know if you ever see our defenders get rattled,” said Johnson. “They stay organized — composure is the best way to say it. It starts with [Minich], our goalie. She gives incredible direction in the back and she keeps them sharp and she’s able to organize them and they respond well to her. Knowing that it’s going to take your best game for you to get a goal on us allows us to really go full speed up front.”
Mountain Brook now boasts a record of 8-2-2, a rivalry win, and an area championship. Despite these achievements, the Spartans continue to be hungry and ambitious, says Johnson.
“We have nothing to prove and we have a lot to accomplish. Tonight we gave ourselves that extra bit of accomplishment that just proved to ourselves we know what we’re doing,” he said.
Both teams will continue their seasons after spring break. Mountain Brook will play at Gadsden City on April 4, while Vestavia will visit Chelsea on April 5.
