Who Is Mountain Brook's Most Famous Athlete?

MOUNTAIN BROOK, AL - The Mountain Brook Spartans have won more state sports championships - 119 and counting - than any other high school in Alabama, and has had a plethora of athletes go on to compete on the collegiate level after their years as Spartans. A handful have also gone on to play professional sports or coach on the collegiate or professional level.

With current basketball standout Trendon Watford poised to make waves at the next level when he graduates in the spring, and recent grad Harold Joiner on his way to Auburn to play running back for the Tigers in the fall, Mountain Brook continues its rich athletic tradition.

With so many great former Spartan athletes to choose from, who stands out as Mountain Brook's most accomplished and best known?

Here is a list of 10 MBHS athletes that likely come to mind when considering that question:

Nathan Bland, '93 (Baseball)

Bland turned down a scholarship at Vanderbilt after he was selected in the 4th round of the 1993 MLB draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Bland played in the Dodgers organization until 1998 before playing in the Padres, Cubs, Mets and Angels minor league systems. He was then picked up by the Houston Astros, for whom he played in the 2003 season. Bland remains to date the only MBHS alumnus to play on a major league sports team.

Lizzie Barnes '90 (Tennis)

Barnes, now Lizzie Jeffcoat, was an All-State tennis player at MBHS, and was part of the Spartans 1988 AHSAA state championship team. She went on to play tennis at Ole Miss, where she was an academic All-SEC player, and part of the Rebels team that made it to the SEC Tournament finals, only to lose to top-ranked Florida. During her years at Ole Miss, the Rebels were ranked in the top 15 for three straight seasons. She is currently the head tennis pro at Old Overton County Club.

Tyrus Boswell '97 (Basketball)

Boswell was an All-State selection as a junior and senior for the Spartans basketball team, and a Mr. Basketball nominee his senior year. He signed to play with Mississippi State and played three seasons in the SEC, playing 61 games, and averaging 4.8 points per game. He transferred his senior year to Kentucky Wesleyan, and entered the NBA draft, but went undrafted. He played professionally overseas in Turkey for one season, scoring 416 points. He was also a member of the famous Harlem Globetrotters for three years.

Trevor Holder '05 (Baseball)

Holder, a pitcher for the Spartans, accepted a scholarship to play baseball at the University of Georgia. He posted a 7-5 record with a 4.48 ERA in 2009 and finished his career tied with Cris Carpenter for fourth all-time at Georgia with 22 career wins. Holder, who was drafted in the 10th round by the Florida Marlins in 2006, was 8-4 for the 2008 SEC Championship team that finished with a No. 2 national ranking. He was an All-SEC pick in 2008 and was named to the SEC All-Defensive Team in 2009. Drafted in the second round by the Washington Nationals in 2009, Holder played five season in the Nationals farm system.

Mailon Kent '97 (Baseball)

Kent was a star on the baseball diamond and the gridiron for the Spartans, leading Mountain Brook to the state championship game in 1996. Kent played baseball at Auburn, where he was an All-SEC outfielder, and was named the College World Series Regional MVP in 1999. Kent was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2000 MLB draft but did not sign. He was then drafted in the 12th round by the Atlanta Braves in the 2001 draft. He played two seasons in the Braves minor league system, posting a .310 batting average for Jamestown in his first minor league season.

Major Ogilvie, '76 (Football)

Ogilvie was a high school All-American and the star of MBHS' state championship teams of 1974 and 1975. He went on to play for Bear Bryant's Alabama teams that won national championships in 1978 and 1979. He was an All-SEC First Team performer in 1979 and Second Team ALL-SEC in 1980. The MVP of the 1980 Sugar Bowl, Ogilvie also holds the distinction of being the only player to score a touchdown in four New Year's Day bowl games. He was a 2014 inductee into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

Garret Osborn '03 (Golf)

Osborn never played on the MBHS golf team, as he was busy leading the Spartans to a 13-1 record as a senior quarterback for the football team. He was also an All-State selection as a catcher for the baseball team. However, Osborn opted to play golf collegiately at UAB. As a Blazer, he was an All-American selection and a top-10 individual NCAA player. He holds UAB's all-time lowest round - a 62 at the Jerry Pate National - and rose to a No. 2 national ranking his junior year. He qualified for the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills, and currently competes on the Web.com Tour.

Tribble Reese '04 (Football)

Reese was an All-State quarterback for the Spartans, where he was ranked in 2004 as the 15th dual-threat quarterback in the nation by Rivals.com. Reese was named the MVP of the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game his senior season as well. Reese went on to play for Dabo Swinney at Clemson, before transferring as a graduate transfer to Charleston-Southern. He finished his college career with 21 touchdowns, 1,961 yards passing, and a 133.5 quarterback efficiency rating. He played professionally with the Carolina Speed of the Arena Football League in 2009, and again in 2014 for the Elmshorn Fighting Pirates - a second division team in Germany.

Emeel Salem '03 (Baseball)

Salem was an All-State outfielder for the Spartans, and went on to play for the University of Alabama where he was an All-American his junior and senior seasons. He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles after his junior season at the Capstone, but opted to return to Tuscaloosa for his senior season. He was then taken by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 6th round in the 2007 MLB draft. Salem was a New York – Penn League All-Star while with the Single-A Hudson Valley Renegades, and eventually made it to the AAA Durham Bulls.

William Vlachos, '07 (Football)

Vlachos was an All-State player for the Spartans, and was ranked as the 19th best offensive lineman in the country coming out of high school. As a center for the University of Alabama, Vlachos started for Nick Saban's 2009 and 2011 national championship teams. He was an All-SEC selection in 2011, a finalist for the Remington Trophy, given to the nation's best center, and signed a free agent contract with the Tennessee Titans before being released and joining Saban's coaching staff at Alabama. Vlachos is now an assistant coach with the NFL's Buffalo Bills.

Photo courtesy of Tribble Reese