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Spain Park had 14 senior athletes sign to join colleges on Wednesday, Feb. 6, as they'll each get to continue playing the sport they love. (Reporter photo/Keith McCoy)

Abbie Kleckley

Anna Brunner

Brady Moulton

Braxton Hall

Cameron Young

Caroline Kendrick

Cedric Tooson

Davis Brown

Jalen Henderson

Jasmine Greene

Maddie Majors

Matt Stuart

Victoria Hunter

William Mote

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Sports Editor

HOOVER – The Spain Park Jaguars had one of the strongest group of athletes sign their letters of intent to join college programs on Wednesday, Feb. 6, with 14 total athletes signing in front of family, friends and coaches.

And while that’s impressive for the school, as athletic director Patrick Kellogg says every year, it’s not about that, it’s about the athletes and one of the biggest accomplishments of their life.

“This is all about you today,” Kellogg said. “We’re here to celebrate these athletes and all of the hard work they’ve put in. Probably since they could start walking, they’ve been playing the sport they love. I always think it’s very special when our young people get to go off to college and continue playing the sport they love to play. That’s very, very special.”

Kellogg also thanked the parents for the incredible job they did in molding each of the athletes into such special young people, and did the same for the coaches that poured so much time into helping them grown and reach their potential in their respective sports.

He then gave the athletes a list of three things to remember moving forward from Spain Park: Speak well of your alma mater, visit your alma mater and lastly remember that you are always a Jaguar.

That was followed by the introduction of a strong group of high-character seniors that surely won’t have any problem with those three suggestions, as each athlete stepped to the stage to sign and take a picture with family.

The Jags had five athletes sign to play football, three sign to play soccer, two sign to play softball, two sign to play golf, one sign to play basketball and one sign to play lacrosse.

All five of the athletes who signed to play football were members of the 2018 All-County football team as well with Cedric Tooson, Jalen Henderson, Braxton Hall, William Mote and Cameron Young all signing to extend their playing days to the collegiate level.

Tooson, who signed to Holmes Community College in Goodman, Mississippi, is one of the best defensive linemen in the area and made the All-County team each of the last two years. He finished his senior season with 72 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss and six sacks.

Henderson made big news recently when he announced that he was heading to Auburn as a preferred walk-on, which is what he stuck with on signing day.

The running back was one of the best in the state during 2018, posting 1,010 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, which was the most of any running back in Shelby County, while also adding 484 receiving yards to earn a spot on the All-County First Team along with Tooson.

Mote also accepted a preferred walk-on offer to an SEC school, but will be headed a state away by joining the Georgia Bulldogs. Mote earned a second-team nod on the All-County team during his senior season for his long-snapping ability. He was also a strong offensive lineman who posted 20 pancake blocks.

Hall ended up being one of the best defensive backs during his senior season and is now headed to Mississippi College to continue his career. He posted 36 tackles, two sacks and one interception during his senior season.

The final football player to sign was Young, who really had a strong senior season on the offensive line grading 82 percent while posting 26 pancake blocks.

Spain Park’s girls soccer team also had strong representation on signing day with Jasmine Greene, Anna Brunner and Abbie Kleckley all signing.

Greene, who was the 2018 Alabama Gatorade Girls Soccer Player of the Year last season, posted 28 goals and 15 assists as a junior to earn a spot on the All-County First Team for the second year in a row, will be headed to Furman University. She has a combined 58 goals and 21 assists in the last two years.

Brunner will remain a Jaguar, as she is headed to South Alabama to continue her playing days. She is an impressive player, that will not only play a key part on this year’s team, but at USA as well.

The last of the soccer players to sign was Kleckley, who is headed to Sewanee: The University of the South, located in Sewanee, Tennessee, where she’ll continue to play the sport she loves.

Softball and golf each had two signees as Maddie Majors and Caroline Kendrick each signed for softball, and Matt Stuart and Davis Brown each signed for golf.

Majors is one of the top softball players in the state, and has been for quite some time. She will be headed to Auburn University after completing her last season at Spain Park.

She made was named an honorable mention member of the 2016 All-County softball team, before making the first team each of the last two years.

Kendrick will be headed to Hofstra University, a private university in New York, which is no small feat. She has been a trustworthy member of the softball team on the field, as well as a leader in the classroom.

Both of those players will look to get the Jags back to the finals of the state tournament in 2019.

In golf, Stuart is regarded as one of the best golfers in the state, and is now headed to continue his playing days at Memphis where he’ll join former teammate Landon Carner.

Brown will also be staying close to home as he heads to Central Alabama Community College to continue his career.

Both of those guys were key in leading the Jags to the state tournament last year and will look to help bring home a title during their senior seasons.

The other two athletes to sign were Hunter for girls basketball and Brady Moulton for lacrosse.

Hunter, who has had to miss her senior season due to a torn ACL, will follow in her dad’s footsteps as she will be joining the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers after a stellar career that started at Hoover High School.

Moulton is headed to Huntingdon College to continue his lacrosse playing days after helping lead the Jaguars to a state championship appearance last year. He’ll ow hope to help the Jags avenge a heartbreaking loss in that game this season by going out with a title.

Photos available at Shelbycountyphotos.com.

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