march 26, 2008

Chelsea Middle:


Twelve seventh-graders were chosen as winners in the "What Is An American" Essay Contest sponsored by the Cahaba Valley Elks Lodge. Winners in Kathleen Collins' class were Carter Weis. His essay was chosen as a Central District winner and will be in the state competition. Other winners were Amanda Mock, Conor Plyler, Alexis Bahr, Kylie Dutton, Jordan Ney and Lauren Saint. Winners from Katie Hazard's class were Zac Smith, Cami Yow, Cara Morris, Ali Junkins and Danielle Norris.

Chelsea named Tree City town

By SAMANTHA HURST / Staff Writer / Posted: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 3:46 PM CDT

CHELSEA - For almost a decade now, Chelsea has received national acknowledgment for its efforts to educate the public about the importance of protecting trees, and this year is no different.

This is the ninth time the Arbor Day Foundation has named Chelsea a Tree City USA community.

Judy Cain, tree commission member, said Arbor Day is bigger and better each year.

"You know, we grow as we go," Cain said. "I've always believed in taking care of our environment, and this is one way we can do that."

The city held its annual Arbor Day celebration Feb. 23 ,where the Tree Commission gave away 800 seedlings of more than six varieties of trees.

The commission also provided information on how to care for those trees.

To receive the designation as a Tree City, a community must meet four standards: It must have a tree board, a tree care ordinance and a community forestry program as well as observe Arbor Day.

"Trees in our cities and towns help clean the air, conserve soil and water, moderate temperature and bring nature into our daily lives," John Rosenow, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation, said in a release. "A community and its citizens that recognize these benefits deserves recognition and thanks."

The Chelsea Tree Commission includes members Jim Harper, Katie Griffith, Mavis Efferson, Sharon Johnson and Cain.

march 25, 2008

Chelsea looks for metro repeat


By CHRIS MEGGINSON / Sports Editor / Posted: Tuesday, March 25, 2008 2:29 PM CDT

CHELSEA - Zac Yow and the Chelsea Hornets are out to prove that last year's boys' soccer Metro Tournament Division B Championship was not a fluke.

"A lot of teams are going to be surprised, especially Homewood," said Yow of the 6A team that drops down from Division A in this year's tournament, which begins Wednesday. "They're coming in telling people that they've got this. They're saying we're all little schools that don't know how to play soccer and that they're going to run this tournament, but I don't think they will."

Chelsea senior forward and captain Zac Yow fends off a Brairwood Christian defender as he attacks the goal in the Hornets' final game before Spring Break. (Special Photo/Cari Dean)

Yow, who leads the Hornets in scoring this season, netted the golden goal in overtime to lift Chelsea past Clay-Chalkville in last year's Division B final and is now looking for a repeat.

"They're saying we barely got in last year because of the wild card. A lot of teams are going to be surprised [by us this year], especially Homewood," Yow said.

The Hornets, like all of the teams in the tournament, return to the field tonight for their first game since spring break, but while that has meant sluggish performance for some teams in the past, Chelsea head coach Lee Miller feels good about his team's conditioning.

"I've coached teams in the past that when you come back off of Spring Break they come back out of shape and lack focus, and I didn't' see that (Monday)," Miller said.

That's because when Yow and a few teammates were vacationing in Panama City Beach, Fla., they hit the beach every evening to run and condition.

"We knew that if we didn't do anything and goofed off, we'd get killed at Metros," said Yow, who wants to repeat the title just as bad as he wants a win over rival Briarwood Christian.

Chelsea lost its final game before the break to Briarwood, but the two teams will meet again April 15. Chelsea faces off against Miller's former team, Hewitt-Trussville, Wednesday at 5 p.m. in the tournament opener.

Tournament Schedule:

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26

Division A
7 p.m. - Hoover vs. Mountain Brook at Hoover High School
Vestavia vs. John Carroll at Vestavia Hills High School
7 p.m. - Oak Mountain vs. Spain Park at Spain Park High School

Division B
Game 1 - 7 p.m. - Pelham vs. Ramsay at Oak Mountain High School
Game 2 - 5 p.m. - Pinson vs. Pleasant Grove at Vestavia Hills High School
Game 3 - 5 p.m. - Homewood vs. Shades Valley at Oak Mountain High School
Game 4 - 5 p.m. - Thompson vs. Gardendale at Hoover High School
Game 5 - 5 p.m. - Chelsea vs. Hewitt at Spain Park High School

THURSDAY, MARCH 27

Division A
7 p.m. - Mountain Brook vs. Briarwood at Oak Mountain
7 p.m. - Vestavia vs. John Carroll at Vestavia
7 p.m. - Spain Park vs. Indian Springs at Spain Park

Division B
Game 6 - 5 p.m. - Winner of B1 vs. B2 at Oak Mountain
Game 7 - 7 p.m. - Winner of B3 vs. Winner of B4 at Hoover
Game 8 - 5 p.m. - Winner B5 vs. Loser B1 at Hoover
Game 9 - 5 p.m. - Loser B2 vs. Loser B5 at Vestavia
Game 10 - 5 pm. - Loser B3 vs. Loser B4 at Spain Park

FRIDAY, MARCH 28

Division A
7 p.m. - Hoover vs. Briarwood at Hoover
7 p.m. - Oak Mountain vs. Indian Springs at Oak Mountain
Vestavia vs. John Carroll at Vestavia

Division B
Game 11 - 7 p.m. - Winner B6 vs. Winner B10 at Spain Park
Game 12 - 5 p.m. - Winner B7 vs. Winner B8 at Hoover
Game 13 - 5 p.m. - Winner B 9 vs. Loser B7 at Oak Mountain
Game 14 - 5 p.m. - Loser 6 vs. Loser 10
Game 15 - 5 p.m. - Loser B8 vs. Loser B9.

SATURDAY, MARCH 29

Division A
9 a.m. - Group A2 Winner vs. Group A3 Winner at Spain Park
9 a.m. - Group A1 Winner vs. Wildcard at Oak Mountain
11 a.m. - A No. 5 vs. A No. 8 at Oak Mountain
11 a.m. - A No. 6 vs. A No. 7 at Spain Park
5 p.m. - A Division Final

Division B
Game 17 - 9 a.m. - Winner B13 vs. Loser B11 at Vestavia
Game 18 - 11 a.m. - Winner B14 vs. Winner B15 at Vestavia
Game 19 - 9 a.m. - Loser B14 vs. Loser B15 at Hoover
Game 20 - 11 a.m. - Loser B12 vs. Loser B13 at Hoover
Final - 3 p.m. - Winner B11 vs. Winner B12