'The Heave' Keeps Spartans In Top 5 Going Into Crucial Week

MOUNTAIN BROOK, AL — On paper, Mountain Brook's last score in its game last week against Hewitt-Trussville will just be listed as a two-point conversion. But to those who were there, and those who have seen it, it will forever be known as "The Heave."

Down 10-3 with 13 seconds remaining in the game, Mountain Brook quarterback Strother Gibbs hot Jake Thompson with a touchdown pass, bringing the score to 10-9. Instead of kicking an extra point to send the game into overtime, head coach Chris Yeager opted to go for the win in regulation with a two-point conversion.

Although originally designed as a reverse pass, the play was blown up by the Huskies, resulting in a fumble that bounced 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage. That is where Paulson Wright picked up the ball and, literally, heaved it into the end zone — right into Thompson's hands for the score and an 11-10 win.

Mountain Brook hopes to have some more heroics left for the season, as this week, the Spartans travel to Alabaster to take on top-ranked Thompson.

The undefeated Spartans remained at no. 5 in the Alabama Sports Writers Association poll this week. But that is obviously going to change one way or another after Mountain Brook's game against the Warriors.

Here is this week's ASWA 7A top 10:

1. Thompson (19); 7-0; 262
2. McGill-Toolen (3); 7-0; 212
3. Central-Phenix City (1); 7-1; 187
4. Hoover; 6-1; 167
5. Mountain Brook; 7-0; 137
6. Sparkman; 7-0; 114
7. Prattville; 6-1; 78
8. Theodore; 6-1; 62
9. Austin; 6-1; 59
10. James Clemens; 5-2; 16