Category Archives: Uncategorized

Senior Zayden Leonard has distinguished himself as an outstanding student and athlete at Shades Valley. Leonard, who has a 4.1 GPA and is ranked 10th in his senior class, will pursue a degree in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Pre-Med from Mississippi State University after graduation. Leonard has received $756,000 in scholarship offers, isContinue reading “Zayden Leonard Excels In Classroom”

Gulf Shores-Athletes want to go out on top. Whether it is hitting a game-winning jumper, hitting a walk-off home run, or making a clutch field goal, they want to save their best for last. That’s precisely what Shades Valley’s Reah Degraffenried did. In her last high school meet, she ran personal bests in the 100Continue reading “SHDegraffenried Saves Best For Last”

IRONDALE-Reah Degraffenried walked out of Husky Stadium Saturday with four Sectional titles. Degraffenried’s 40 points powered the Shades Valley Girls to a fifth-place finish at Sectionals. Degraffenried won the 100 Meter Dash, 200 Meter Dash, 100 Meter Hurdles, and 300 Meter Hurdles. Degraffenried ran a personal best in the 200. “I’m very pleased with myContinue reading “Degraffenried Turns In Outstanding Performance At Sectionals”

IRONDALE- The Shades Valley girl’s soccer team rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to defeat Gardendale by a score of 3-2 this past Thursday. The victory ended the regular season on a high note for the Lady Mounties. Valley is currently on a four game win streak. This season marks the third year in aContinue reading “Lady Mounties Advance To 6A Soccer Playoffs”

MOUNTAIN BROOK – Shades Valley’s Reah Degraffenried put together another strong performance this past weekend. Degraffenried’s performance helped the Mounties to a 12th-place finish among 32 teams at the Mountain Brook Invitational. “I definitely enjoyed the meet,” said Degraffenried. “There were a lot of different athletes that I haven’t competed against this season.” Degraffenried wonContinue reading “Mounties’ Degraffenried Continues Strong Season”

With victories over Fultondale and Clay-Chalkville, the Shades Valley Lady Mounties went 3-0 this week to improve their record to 10-9. The Lady Mounties outscored their competition 48-9 and have now won seven of their last nine games. Valley played a doubleheader against Fultondale Tuesday. The Lady Mounties came away with 15-0 and 14-0 wins.Continue reading “Lady Mounties Win Three Straight”

IRONDALE – Shades Valley’s Reah Degraffenried competed at the Mobile Challenge of Champions Invite this past Saturday. Degraffenried, the 2023 6A State Indoor 60 Meter Hurdle Champion, competed against top hurdlers from Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, and Georgia. “This past weekend was exciting,” said the Valley senior. “I got to compete against state champs fromContinue reading “Shades Valley’s Degraffenried Shines In Mobile”

IRONDALE-Shades Valley (8-9) bounced back from a six-game losing streak with two wins over Jackson-Olin 13-3 and Midfield 15-0 Saturday. Mountie head coach Darryl Dunbar said the break helped his team. “We took the week to clear our minds mentally,” he said. “We agreed that this would be the day we turn our season aroundContinue reading “Mounties Get Back On Track”

Birmingham – The Shades Valley Mounties (6-3) squared off with the Jackson-Olin Mustangs (3-6) in the confines of the 113-year-old Rickwood Field Tuesday afternoon. The Mounties’ bats remained hot, pitcher Eli Nelson was sensational on the mound, and Valley walked away with a 14-0 win. Coach Darryl Dunbar had a simple message for his team.Continue reading “Mounties Tame Mustangs”

Irondale- The Mountain Brook Spartans (12-7, 1-1) came into the game against Shades Valley (14-5, 1-1) as the 7th ranked team in 6A and left with a 60-49 loss. Before the game, Angela Williams was honored for scoring 1,000 career points. Before the evening was over, the junior added 21 more points to her total,Continue reading “Lady Mounties Upset Mountain Brook”

Birmingham-Hewitt-Trussville, Shades Valley, Clay-Chalkville, Center Point, Pinson Valley, Springville, and Moody joined 230 plus teams and over 2,000 athletes from Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi, at the Birmingham CrossPlex Monday for one of the south’s biggest indoor track meets. The CossPlex is known as a world-class venue in the world of track and field. There areContinue reading “Area Teams Compete At MLK Indoor Track Classic”

Irondale-The 7th ranked Mountain Brook Spartans (14-6, 2-0) made the short drive down Old Leeds Road and handed the Shades Valley Mounties (8-10, 1-2) a 71-44 region loss. The Spartans got off to a quick start and held a 6-0 lead three minutes into the game. The Mounties battled back and tied the game atContinue reading “Mounties Drop Region Game To Spartans”

Irondale-The Shades Valley Mounties (8-8, 1-0) got a 58-47 win at home over region opponent Woodlawn (3-8, 0-1) Friday night. By: John Goolsby The Mounties jumped out to a 11-5 lead in the first period behind an aggressive defense. Shades Valley’s defense continued their intensity and held the Colonels to 8 points in the secondContinue reading “Mounties Open Region Play With Win”

By John Goolsby Irondale – The Shades Valley girl’s basketball team defeated the visiting Leeds Greenwave girls 68-15 Thursday night. The Mounties raced to an 18-5 lead at the end of the first period and extended their lead to 41-10 at the half. The Valley girls came out with an aggressive defense and held LeedsContinue reading “Mountie Girls Blast Leeds”

By John Goolsby Irondale – Shades Valley held off a second-half comeback by Leeds and escaped with a 55-53 win at home Thursday night. Valley entered the non-region contest with a 5-5 record and a win over Center Point Monday night. The Greenwave came into the game with a 2-5 record and a loss toContinue reading “Mounties Hold Off Greenwave”

By John Goolsby Irondale – Shades Valley (4-4) went into their rematch with Clay-Chalkville (3-5) on a three-game losing streak. From the opening tip, it was apparent this was going to be a different game than the Cougars’ 73-49 win last month. This time the Mounties came away with a 62-59 win at home. “TheContinue reading “Mounties Avenge Loss”

By John Goolsby Fairfield – The Shades Valley Mountie boys basketball team (3-3) took part in the Heritage Thanksgiving Tournament at Fairfield High earlier this week. The Heritage Thanksgiving Tournament features 16 teams from across the state. The Mounties faced off against the Lee Generals of Montgomery Monday. The talented 2020 7A state champions downedContinue reading “Mounties Compete In Heritage Thanksgiving Tournament”

This article also appeared in the Trussville Tribune: https://www.trussvilletribune.com/2022/11/16/shades-valley-alumni-hold-fundraiser-for-football-program/ Irondale-A large number of Shades Valley alumni gathered at Shades Valley this past Saturday for a fundraising barbeque. The goal of the fundraiser was to raise funds for new helmets. “This was an opportunity for graduates of the school to come together,” said organizer John Goolsby.Continue reading “Shades Valley Alumni Hold Fundraiser For Football Program”

By John Goolsby This article also appeared in the Trussville Tribune: https://www.trussvilletribune.com/2022/11/16/cougars-roll-over-mounties-73-49-remain-undefeated/ Clay – The Clay–Chalkville Cougars (3-0) jumped out to a big lead early Tuesday night and cruised to a 73-49 win over Shades Valley (2-1). Junior point guard Kevin Kirk, Jr. led the Cougars with 19 points and 5 rebounds. “He’s the heartContinue reading “Cougars defeat Mounties”

By John Goolsby This article also appeared in the Trussville Tribune: https://www.trussvilletribune.com/2022/11/09/area-teams-compete-at-state-cross-country-meet/ Danville – This past Saturday, runners from 220 Alabama high schools converged on a wet, and muddy Oakville Indian Mounds Education Center for the 2022 AHSAA XC meet. Hewitt-Trussville, Shades Valley, Center Point and Springville had runners to compete at the championship event.Continue reading “Area Teams Compete At State Meet”

By John Goolsby Irondale – Clay-Chalkville rolled up 452 yards of total offense and held Shades Valley to just 80 yards on their way to an undefeated region record. The Mounties lost their starting and backup quarterbacks this week and we’re forced to start Jacari Wedgeworth, a wide receiver, at the position. The Valley offenseContinue reading “Clay-Chalkville Dominate Mounties”

By John Goolsby “Don’t Quit!” is Darius Ford’s mantra said his mom, Areatha Ford. If that mantra ever fit anyone, it is Ford. He was looking forward to playing his senior year. He had been working extremely hard on his conditioning and strength for his second year with the Mounties. Unfortunately, he tore his ACLContinue reading “Senior Spotlight: Darius Ford”

By John Goolsby The quiet and hard working Roderick Craig joined the football team for his senior year. In preparation for the season he attended an HBCU camp and camps at Florida State and Austin Peay. Even though he was new to the game, it didn’t take long for Craig to find a home atContinue reading “Senior Spotlight: Roderick Craig”

By John Goolsby David Hunter, who began playing football when he was five years old at Crestwood, has been a constant on the Shades Valley offensive line this year. “From the spring until now, David made great strides on and off the field,” said defensive line coach Robert Nelson, Jr. “He became one of theContinue reading “Senior Spotlight: David Hunter”

By John Goolsby 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. Wedgworth got his start in football playing little league in the Eastlake league at the age of four. After transferring from Pinson, he played quarterbackContinue reading “Senior Spotlight: Jacari Wedgeworth”

By John Goolsby Like most high school players, Kendarius Irvin started playing football at a young age. “As soon as I was allowed to play at the age of 6, I was playing on 7u teams,” Irvin said. “I played up to my 8th-grade year.” Irvin, a standout basketball player for the Mounties, decided heContinue reading “Senior Spotlight: Kendarius Irvin”

By John Goolsby Some guys are just made for football. Kaleb Tolbert, who started playing football when he was five years old, is one of those guys. “I love the hitting and tackling part the most,” said Tolbert. “There is just something about the contact that I love.” Defensive line coach Robert Nelson, Jr. hasContinue reading “Senior Spotlight: Kaleb Tolbert”

By John Goolsby One of the most disappointing things for a player is losing their senior year. For Rashad Morris, a starting offensive lineman, the season came to a premature end on September 9th. Morris’ vehicle was struck by a drunk driver. Morris sustained a neck injury in the accident that forced him to missContinue reading “Senior Spotlight: Rashad Morris”

By John Goolsby Zayden Leonard is a self-starter that excels on the gridiron and in the classroom. He started playing football at Moody High School, but a torn ACL cost him his sophomore year. After a transfer to Shades Valley, he began focusing on basketball as a junior. Leonard thought his time on the footballContinue reading “Senior Spotlight: Zayden Leonard”

By John Goolsby Caleel Holifield didn’t expect to be on the sideline for the last two games of the year, but an ankle injury against Pell City ended his season early. Even though Holifield won’t be contributing on the field, he’s helping his teammates by reading what the offensive line is doing and helping theContinue reading “Senior Spotlight: Caleel Holifield”

By John Goolsby This article also appeared in the Trussville Tribune. https://www.trussvilletribune.com/2022/10/15/pinson-valley-earns-playoff-berth-with-23-6-win-over-shades-valley/ By John Goolsby Pinson-Pinson Valley overcame four turnovers and a gritty performance by Shades Valley to punch their ticket to the playoffs with a 23-6 win over Shades Valley. The Indians got off to a fast start and scored on their first twoContinue reading “Mounties Drop Region Game”

By John Goolsby The Offensive “Cuff ‘em” Player of the Week award goes to Steve Brown. The junior quarterback had 305 passing yards and 3 passing touchdowns. Brown also rushed for 103 yards on 8 carries. The Defensive “Headhunter” Player of the Week award goes to Clayton Garrison. The junior defensive end had 5 totalContinue reading “Red & Black Players of the Week: Pell City”

By John Goolsby Irondale -Shades Valley (5-2, 2-2) hung on in the 4th quarter to pull out a 35-29 victory over Pell City (0-7, 0-4) in Class 6A, Region 6 play. The Homecoming win keeps Valley’s playoff hopes alive. Running back Micah Thomas scored on a 1-yard run to open the scoring. The Mounties ledContinue reading “Mounties Get Homecoming And Huge Region Win Over Pell City”

By John Goolsby Irondale- The Center Point Eagles went on the road and pulled off a huge 36-20 region win at Shades Valley. With the victory, the Eagles secured a trip to the playoffs in their first year in 6A. The Eagles’ powerful offense was led by senior running back Troy Bruce, Jr. Bruce cameContinue reading “Center Point Secures Playoff Bid With Huge Region Win”

By John Goolsby Senior year is a special time. For Jacob Mahand, his senior football season is extra special. Mahand and his father are getting to experience it together. Chris Mahand, a long-time head coach in the state, retired last year so he would have the opportunity to watch Jacob play his senior year. MahandContinue reading “Senior Spotlight: Jacob Mahand”

The Offensive “Cuff ‘em” Player of the Week award goes to Steve Brown. The junior quarterback had 221 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. Brown scored the game-winning touchdown on an 8-yard run. The Defensive “Headhunter” Player of the Week award goes to Ethan Johnson. The junior linebacker had 14 total tackles (2 tackles forContinue reading “Red & Black Players of the Week: Bessemer City”

By John Goolsby NyDarius Whetstone decided he didn’t want his high school experience to end without giving football a shot. “NyDarius always wanted to play football and decided to go out for his senior year,” said his mom Tiffany Wallace. Sports is nothing new to NyDarius. “He was five years old when he started playingContinue reading “Senior Spotlight: NyDarius Whetstone”

By John Goolsby Bessemer – The Bessemer City Tigers hosted the Shades Valley Mounties in a non-region game Friday night. The first game between the two teams was played in 1921, and the most recent game was played in 2015. The Mounties and Tigers have played 26 times previously, with Bessemer holding a 14-11-1 edgeContinue reading “Mounties Pull Out Road Victory”

By John Goolsby The Offensive “Cuff ‘em” Player of the Week award goes to Christian Thomas. The senior wide receiver had 209 yards rushing on eight carries and four touchdowns. The Defensive “Headhunter” Player of the Week award goes to Jacob Mahand. The senior defensive back returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown andContinue reading “Red & Black Players of the Week: Huffman”

By John Goolsby IRONDALE – Shades Valley hosted Region 6 foe Huffman in the season’s first home game at Frank Nix Stadium. The Mounties defeated the Vikings 35-20. Head coach Rueben Nelson was pleased with the win. “I think our players played hard last night,” he said. “The coaches are pushing, and the players areContinue reading “Mounties Get First Region Win”

By John Goolsby Micah Thomas decided to lace up the football cleats and snap on the chin strap one more time. The senior running back took off his junior year to focus on baseball but decided to make a return to the gridiron. “The team said they needed another running back, so I stepped up,”Continue reading “Senior Spotlight: Micah Thomas”

By John Goolsby OXFORD – The Shades Valley Mounties lost to the Oxford Yellow Jackets on the road 45-13 in Region 6 play. The Mounties came away with no points on three drives inside the Oxford Red Zone as mistakes plagued Valley all night. Oxford returned a Mountie fumble for a touchdown, the special teamsContinue reading “Mounties Drop Region Opener”

By John Goolsby There was never a question that Malique Steele would be a Shades Valley athlete. His mother and his three uncles all played sports at Valley. “It was always in his blood,” said his mother, Kim Steele. Kim Steele was a standout player on the Shades Valley varsity basketball team for four years.Continue reading “Senior Spotlight: Malique Steele”

By John Goolsby Players of the Week have been selected for the Fairfield game. This week’s Offensive “Cuff ‘em” Award goes to: Christian Thomas. Thomas had 97 yards on five receptions, four touchdowns, a two-point conversion, made two PATs, and accounted for 28 of the Mounties’ 34 points. This week’s Defensive “Headhunter” Award goes toContinue reading “Red & Black Players of the Week: Fairfield”

By John Goolsby FAIRFIELD – The Shades Valley Mounties escaped Fairfield with a 34-28 double overtime victory Friday night. For the second week in a row, it took a Mountie defensive stand, and a Christian Thomas score to get the win. “It was a good win and the kids are still learning,” said Mountie headContinue reading “Mounties Pull Out Win In Double OT”

by John Goolsby Players of the Week have been selected for the Stanhope Elmore game. This week’s Offensive “Cuff ‘em” Award goes to two players: Steve Brown and Christian Thomas. Brown completed 17 of 29 passes for 216 yards and one touchdown. He also had a rushing score. Thomas had 124 yards on seven receptionsContinue reading “Red & Black Players of the Week: Stanhope Elmore”

by John Goolsby Christian Thomas may not be the tallest or the biggest player on the field, but there is a very good chance that he is going to be one of the most talented. Thomas’ mother, Sheunna Thomas, says Christian has a saying, “People say I’m too small, but I’m going to show themContinue reading “Senior Spotlight: Christian Thomas”

by John Goolsby The 2022 Shades Valley Mounties open their season Friday night on the road at Stanhope Elmore. The Mounties are looking to bounce back from last year’s 3-7 season. Valley advanced to the second round of the 6A playoffs in 2020, and the Mounties are hungry to get back to postseason play. TheContinue reading “2022 Mountie Season Preview”

by John Goolsby The Shades Valley football team welcomed Midfield and Oxford into Frank Nix Stadium Thursday. The Mounties went 2-1 in 7-on-7 competition with a win over the Patriots and a win over the Bulldogs to avenge a loss earlier in the day to Anniston. The Valley receiving corp continues to improve and isContinue reading “Mounties Gaining Valuable Experience This Summer”

by John Goolsby The 2022 edition of the Shades Valley Mounties got their first taste of competition today. The Mounties traveled to Spain Park to take on the Jags, Hueytown, and Helena. The Mounties went 3-0 in the 7-on-7 competition. In the 11-on-11 competition, Shades Valley defeated Spain Park and dropped two close contests toContinue reading “2022 Mounties Find Success At Spain Park”

by John Goolsby When Richard Richardson stepped off the football field in Mountie Stadium on November 7, 1986, he thought his playing days were over. Little did he know that almost a decade later, he would be playing on the west coast as a University of California Golden Bear. Irondale’s Richardson was an extremely talentedContinue reading “Where Are They Now? Richard Richardson”

by John Goolsby The Shades Valley Mounties saw their season come to an end last Thursday night. The Mounties lost to Vestavia Hills 17-0 in a hard-fought game at Frank Nix Stadium. Valley saw their playoff hopes dashed when Chelsea lost to Calera. A Hornet victory would have sent Shades Valley to the playoffs. WithContinue reading “End Of The Line”

by John Goolsby The Shades Valley football team gave the returning alumni something to celebrate on Homecoming. The Mounties defeated the Woodlawn Colonels 35-14 this past Friday night. The victory gives the Mounties a 3-3 record in Region 5, and they are locked in a three-way tie with Homewood and Chelsea for a playoff spot.Continue reading “Mounties Get Homecoming and Region Win”

by John Goolsby Shades Valley (2-6, 2-3) takes on the Woodlawn Colonels (1-7, 0-5) this Friday night at Frank Nix Stadium. The Mounties are coming off of a disappointing 17-6 loss to region foe Chelsea last Friday night. Coach Rueben Nelson’s squad needs a win to remain in the hunt for a Region 5 playoffContinue reading “Playoffs Still Within Reach For Mounties”

by John Goolsby I stood on the sideline for the Shades Valley football game at Chelsea High School last night. The game was the Mounties’ 1,000th football game and the 100th anniversary of the school’s first football win. While the outcome was not what anyone wanted, and Shades Valley fell 17-6 in a tight regionContinue reading “A View From The Sideline”

by John Goolsby The Shades Valley football team (2-5, 2-2) won a critical 6A, Region 5 game over Homewood (5-2, 3-2) on Senior Night this past Friday. The game remained a scoreless affair until Mountie senior running back Jordan Pearson broke the deadlock with a 65-yard run up the middle with 1:04 remaining in theContinue reading “Mounties Eye Playoffs After Critical Region Win”

by John Goolsby In Frank Nix Stadium last Friday night, on Senior Night of all nights, with ten seconds remaining on the clock and his Mountie team trailing Homewood 8-7, senior kicker Wuilman Guerrero stood and calmly looked at the goal posts. The same goal posts that he had kicked hundreds, if not thousands, ofContinue reading “From El Salvador To Irondale: A Kicker’s Journey”

by John Goolsby Shades Valley fell to the Gardendale Rockets at home 33-0 this past Friday night. The game was a scoreless affair until Gardendale scored before the half. The Rockets scored 26 points in the second half to pull away from the Mounties. The loss dropped Valley to 1-4 on the year. Although theContinue reading “Mounties Look To Lions After Loss To Gardendale”

by John Goolsby The Mounties got an up-close look at one of the best teams in the state last Friday night. The Spartans of Mountain Brook (5-0) marched into Frank Nix Stadium and handed Shades Valley a 31-0 Region 5 loss. The Mounties fell to 1-3, 1-1 in region play on the season. All threeContinue reading “Mounties Fall To Mountain Brook In Region Game”

by John Goolsby The Shades Valley Mounties will make their first appearance at Frank Nix Stadium this Friday night. The Mounties will play host to their long-time rival and current Region 5 foe Mountain Brook. The undefeated Spartans come into the game ranked #5 in the ASWA 6A poll and #10 in the state’s PowerContinue reading “Mounties Face Tough Challenge In Spartans”

by John Goolsby Shades Valley got their first win of the 2021 season this past Friday night. The Mounties beat the Huffman Vikings on the road 41-20. Game report coming early next week. The Mounties are off this week and will host the Mountain Brook Spartans at home on Sept. 17. Will you please considerContinue reading “Mounties Get First Win”

The Red and Black would like to say a very special “thank you” to Gerri Brown. Mrs. Brown graciously donated the video recording system that the Shades Valley football program desperately needed. The donation was made in memory of her son and former Mountie football player Mike Haith. Haith, who passed away in 2019, wasContinue reading “A Very Special Thank You”

by John Goolsby Mountie Nation, Your Shades Valley High School football team desperately needs funds to upgrade its program. As you all know, Valley draws students from different parts of the county and doesn’t necessarily enjoy the community or business support that other schools are blessed with. For over fifty years, Shades Valley was THEContinue reading “Will You Please Consider Helping Mountie Football?”

by John Goolsby Growing doesn’t come without pain. Improving, moving ahead, getting better, whatever you want to call it, hurts. The Shades Valley football program is in the process of growing. The Mounties dropped their second game of the year last Friday night to the 2nd ranked Indians of Pinson Valley. However, Coach Rueben NelsonContinue reading “Mounties Continue To Grow”

By John Goolsby Shades Valley dropped their season opener on the road last Friday night to then 3rd ranked Clay-Chalkville. The Mounties were held scoreless in a 40-0 defeat. Mountie Head Coach Rueben Nelson remains optimistic about his team despite the non-region loss. “You are always disappointed with a loss, but I am pleased withContinue reading “Mounties Drop Season Opener”

by John Goolsby Shades Valley won their first playoff game since 2017 this past Friday night on the road against Cullman. The Mounties defeated the Bearcats 28-14 in a game that was tight until the closing minutes. The win propels the Mounties into the remaining field of 16 teams that are vying for the 6AContinue reading “Still Alive”

John Goolsby The Shades Valley Mounties head to Cullman tonight for their first-round playoff game against the 8-2 Cullman Bearcats. This will be the school’s first appearance in the playoffs since 2017 and only their fifth appearance since 2000. The Mounties dropped a non-region game this past Friday night to long-time rival Vestavia. It wasContinue reading “The Real Season Begins”

by John Goolsby Shades Valley punched their playoff ticket this past Friday night with a 50-0 win over the Woodlawn Colonels. Coach Jamie Mitchell was extremely proud of his team’s performance. It was a game in which the Mounties were able to play a lot of players. “I was really proud of the reserves. TheContinue reading “Playoff Bound!”

by John Goolsby The Shades Valley Mounties took another huge step towards making the playoffs with a 35-12 home win against the Chelsea Hornets. A victory this Friday night over the Woodlawn Colonels will send the Mounties to the playoffs. A Shades Valley win, coupled with a Briarwood win over Homewood, will lock up thirdContinue reading “Mounties Have Playoffs In Sight After Win Against Chelsea”

by John Goolsby The Shades Valley Mounties picked up their first win of the season this past Friday night. The Mounties defeated the Homewood Patriots 34-17 on the road. It was a night of celebration not only for the win, but also because Shades Valley saw their playoff hopes gain new life. With the ChelseaContinue reading “Mounties Now Control Their Playoff Destiny”

by John Goolsby The Mounties dropped a key region game this past Friday night to the Briarwood Christian Lions, 5-2. Shades Valley’s record fell to 0-6. Shades Valley played an impressive 22:13 minute first half, led by a fourteen play opening drive for a touchdown, against Briarwood. The Mountie offense had numerous long drives inContinue reading “Mounties Remain Optimistic Despite Loss To Lions”

By John Goolsby If you have been to Shades Valley High School for an athletic event, you have undoubtedly seen the Frank A. Nix Memorial Athletic Complex. Frank Nix passed away in December of 1996, but his legacy lives on at Shades Valley through the facilities that were named in his memory. Nix embodied theContinue reading “Mr. Shades Valley”

By John Goolsby 0-5. That is not the record that first-year Head Coach Jamie Mitchell thought his Shades Valley team would have after the first five games of the year. Even though the Mounties are still searching for their first win, Coach Mitchell believes he has a good team. The Mounties have played a brutalContinue reading “Mounties Looking For Redemption”

https://www.al.com/sports/2020/08/5-games-to-watch-in-the-birmingham-area-for-week-2.html

2020 Shades Valley Mounties Football Preview By John Goolsby Football at Shades Valley is nothing new. The Mounties kick off their 100th season against Clay-Chalkville this Friday night. What is new is almost everything surrounding the once-proud program. From a new field at Frank Nix Stadium to a new head coach, things are changing atContinue reading “Mounties Looking To Return To Prominence Under Jamie Mitchell”