HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — While winning an Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) state championship can feel like the peak for any member of the program, there is something missing: the rest of the school. The team and coaches get to hoist the trophy, when the clock hits zeroes of the championship itself, but at the AHSAA’s school wide assemblies, it gives the rest of the chance to celebrate together.
Wednesday marked another installment of these presentations, as Hazel Green and Buckhorn high schools held ceremonies for the girls and boys’ 6A champions, respectively.
The Trojans earned their sixth-straight trophy, but their newly-inducted AHSAA Hall of Famer coach - and 10-time state champ overall - Tim Miller said it's important to step back and say, "wow."
“You know, I never thought, when I first started coaching, I'd have 10 state championships, never,” said Miller, who previously won Blue Maps at Montgomery’s Davis in 2006, and Bob Jones in ‘08, ‘09, ‘11. “I never thought I'd win six in a row, you know, but it's a tribute to the girls and the parents here in our culture that we have that goes a long way nowadays, you know, because that's really not normal when parents who allow you to push their kid and coach them hard.”
HGHS beat Huffman 53-40 to earn a state-record sixth-straight title. That had never previously been done by a boys or girls team. The win was the school’s seventh all-time championship.
Over in New Market, Bucks head coach Patrick Harding appreciated the chance to share in the accomplishment with the rest of the student body.
“It was important to me because you don't get to address the student body after a game,” said Harding.
“There's no locker room to go and talk to them. and they were such a big part of our success. in the postseason, in the regular season as well, but especially in the postseason. so it was really cool to give them an opportunity to get to share in this.”
The Bucks claimed the schools’ third all-time boys state championship when they beat Mountain Brook.