Jaguars close season with wins but miss out on playoffs

A promising season that saw Spain Park ranked as high as No. 3 in the state turned sour, and the Jaguars were left needing help from other teams to get into the Class 7A playoffs.

The Jaguars managed to tie for the fourth and final playoff spot in Class 7A, Region 3 by beating Mountain Brook 19-0 on Oct. 24 in the final region game of this season. But a 64-63 four-overtime loss to Hewitt-Trussville in the fifth game proved to be the tiebreaker that broke the Jags’ hearts.

In fact, after starting out 3-0, the Jags hit a three-game losing skid before winning three of the last four to finish 6-4. It was certainly respectable, but not what Spain Park hoped for after winning its region last year ad such a good start to this season.

Against Mountain Brook, quarterback Mason Duke passed for 208 yards and touchdowns to Owen Carr, and Bridge Suber and Wade Streeter rushed for 91 yards on 23 carries. 

“We played a complete game, and that’s probably the first time we’ve done that this season,” Jaguars coach Shawn Raney said. “Our defense was outstanding all night.”

The Jaguars closed with a 30-7 win at Class 6A Bessemer City in the final regular-season game. The Jaguars defense played well for the second week in a row after shutting out Mountain Brook, intercepting two passes and stopping the Tigers on downs three times. A.J. Smiley had a sack and an interception.

Streeter rushed for 126 yards and two touchdowns. Duke threw touchdown passes to Larry Wooden and Trent Harper.

“I feel like we are just starting to play our best football,” Raney said. “I told them it’s important to send these seniors out with a win and they did.”