When UMS-Wright and St. Paul’s Episcopal School meet this fall for their Battle of Old Shell Road rivalry game, the matchup will carry more weight than usual. Both programs have spent this July grieving young men connected to their football families, and coaches and players say the losses have reshaped how they are approaching the season.
Former St. Paul’s player Walter Hensley, 19, and former UMS-Wright player Mark “McNeil” Mostellar, 21, died in a hunting camp fire in Evergreen on July 1. Both were students at the University of Alabama. Later in the month, two separate boating accidents claimed the lives of former UMS student James “J-Roe” Hand and UMS alumna and Board of Trustee member Kristen Delaney. Hand had played for coach Sam Williams’ first UMS football team the previous season. The tragedies were the focus of conversation at Mobile County Media Days on Monday, where players and coaches from both private schools reflected on how the deaths have affected their teams.
“I feel like it has not only woken me up in my faith and in my walk, but it has woken the whole community up,” St. Paul’s linebacker Will Abrams said. “Everyone is realizing that anything can happen at any moment, and you should live every moment to the best of your ability. What really truly matters is your relationship with God and your relationship with people.”
Williams reflected on Hand’s death and what it has meant for his program. “I am really careful about saying tragedy brings people together, though it does,” he said. “More than anything, I think it points you back to your purpose and your passion. We lost a young man who was a dear teammate, friend, son, brother. I can tell you that kid lived life to the fullest.”
St. Paul’s coach Ham Barnett offered a similar tribute to Hensley. “Walter was very special to me,” Barnett said. “He was one of those guys I just had a special relationship with and his family as well. I coached all three brothers. We wanted to honor Walter in some way. There was some talk about maybe retiring his number, but Walter would laugh at that.”
Instead of retiring the jersey, St. Paul’s decided to pass down the No. 12 Hensley wore as a senior to the player who best embodies his character, with the team voting each year. This season, strong safety Bo Ladner will wear the number. “I’m really excited for it,” Ladner said. “I thought I was going to be 0, and coach Ham brought up the voting for No. 12. I thought Hayden Fincher would have been great to have it, but I’m excited to have it and excited to play this year.”
Abrams, who played alongside Hensley, called Ladner a fitting choice. “He was always a very infectious guy, always high energy. I never saw him have a bad day,” Abrams said. “You wouldn’t find anybody on this earth who would ever say anything bad about Walter Hensley. That is why we have chosen to honor him in this way.”
Williams said the losses have left his team with a deeper appreciation for time spent together. “Hug your brother every day,” he said. “Don’t take these days for granted. I told our guys it was 249 days since we last played a game. How many of those days did we take for granted? I do think we have a little greater appreciation of the limited time we have together.”
The rivalry game will also look different this year for a reason unrelated to the tragedies. With the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s separation of public and private schools, the UMS-Wright versus St. Paul’s matchup is now a region game in Double-A, adding stakes to the Oct. 16 contest at St. Paul’s. Both coaches said they intend to honor the players and alumni lost this summer when that night arrives.
For Barnett, July has prompted personal reflection as well. “Maybe I got too comfortable in my walk, and it takes something like this to reset everything,” he said. “I just know the most important thing is a relationship with Jesus and a relationship with people. I feel like I’m awakened. It’s a newness, and I want our kids to experience it.”
Mobile County Media Days continued Tuesday, with coaches and players from other area high schools previewing the upcoming season. The event is sponsored by Greer’s Markets, the Mobile Sports Authority and iHeartRadio.