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Photo by Todd Lester
Briarwood linebacker Luke Reynolds (8) looks to tackle Spain Park running back Dakarai Shanks (20) during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park wide receiver Jaxon Haygood (9) tackles Briarwood quarterback Josh Thompson (7) during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
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Photo by Todd Lester
A Briarwood band member performs during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park defensive lineman Nik Alston (3d) sacks Briarwood quarterback Josh Thompson (7) during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
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Photo by Todd Lester
Briarwood wide receiver John Paul Harbor (17) eyes in a pass as Spain Park defensive back Arnold Bush (7) looks to make a tackle during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
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Photo by Todd Lester
Briarwood wide receiver Grey Reebals (23) returns a kickoff during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
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Photo by Todd Lester
Briarwood quarterback Josh Thompson (7) attempts a pass during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
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Photo by Todd Lester
Briarwood students cheer on the Lions during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park linebacker John Higginbotham (14) tackles Briarwood wide receiver Grey Reebals (23) during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
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Photo by Todd Lester
Briarwood cheerleaders celebrate a touchdown during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
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Photo by Todd Lester
Briarwood wide receiver Jack Rath (8) leads a touchdown celebration with Briarwood strong safety Wes Burgess (24), Briarwood defensive back Ethan Carr (27), and Briarwood linebacker Brooks Allred (3) during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
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Photo by Todd Lester
Briarwood wide receiver Jack Rath (8) blocks a punt during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park linebacker Noah Hendrix (24) looks to tackle Briarwood wide receiver Grey Reebals (23) during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
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Photo by Todd Lester
Briarwood quarterback Will Clark (3) covers a bad snap uring a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
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Photo by Todd Lester
Briarwood quarterback Josh Thompson (7) runs the football during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
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Photo by Todd Lester
Briarwood quarterback Will Clark (3) tries to escape the reach of Spain Park defensive lineman Jared Smith (1) during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
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Photo by Todd Lester
Briarwood wide receiver Sawyer Click (11) catches a pass over Spain Park defensive back Arnold Bush (7) during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
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Photo by Todd Lester
A Briarwood band member performs during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park defensive back Tyler Walker (25) tackles Briarwood quarterback Josh Thompson (7) during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
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Photo by Todd Lester
Briarwood quarterback Will Clark (3) recovers a fumble during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park running back Derick Shanks (6) scores a touchdown during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. Photo by Todd Lester
HOOVER — Spain Park has the Shanks.
Those are wonderful words for Jaguars wide receivers coach Keat Litton to hear in the fall, but would make the head golf coach cringe in the spring. Amazing, the duality of a word.
Regardless, Spain Park High School is glad to have the brothers Shanks, the running back duo that for the second straight week were key cogs in pushing the Jaguars to a big win, a 37-6 victory over visiting Briarwood Christian on Friday. But the success of this Spain Park offense, which has amassed 92 points in its first two games, is due to much more than just two running backs.
“We’ve got good football players,” said second-year Spain Park head coach Tim Vakakes. “They make dumb coaches look good. Our kids made some plays and we’re really proud of them.”
Four different Jaguars found the end zone Friday, with Bo Jones bookending Spain Park’s scores on rushes in the first and second halves. His first came on an 11-yard run on the game’s opening drive, a 16-play, 85-yard march that somehow didn’t even eat four minutes off the clock.
Spain Park (2-0) scored on its next drive through the air, as sophomore quarterback Brock Bradley connected with Jonathan Bibbs for a 13-yard touchdown. Two drives later, Bradley hit Reggie Jackson on a 19-yard strike to go up 21-0. Running back Derick Shanks found the end zone from 5 yards out midway through the second quarter to give the Jaguars a 27-0 advantage after a blocked point-after attempt. Alex Lloyd’s 34-yard field goal put Spain Park ahead 30-0 at halftime.
Briarwood’s lone touchdown came on a blocked punt that Luke Reynolds, who also had an interception in the game, returned 30 yards for a score. The point-after attempt was blocked. Jones scored on a 10-yard run with 1:56 to play for the Jaguars’ last score.
For Spain Park, Bradley finished 16-of-26 for 156 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Derick Shanks led the ground game with 56 yards and a touchdown on 9 carries. Dakarai Shanks added 46 yards on 16 carries, and Jones finished with 34 yards and two touchdowns on 5 carries. Bibbs caught 7 passes for 47 yards and a touchdown, while Jackson hauled in 3 passes for 54 yards and a score.
Defensively for Spain Park, Kelby Roberson and Riley Harrelson recovered fumbles, and Jamari Mosley intercepted a pass.
For Briarwood (0-2), quarterback Josh Thompson finished 5-of-9 for 45 yards and an interception. He rushed 13 times for 25 yards. Running back Cooper Higgins gained 41 yards on 9 carries. Sawyer Click led the receivers with one catch for 16 yards.
“We’re making some adjustments and changes with life after having a four-year starter [at quarterback],” said Lions head coach Matthew Forester. “But also, we’ve got to develop an identity for this year’s team, and sometimes those take time. It’s not a microwave where offense just comes together. It’s a yeast process. It takes time to kind of grow. So, my biggest concern about tonight was continuing the process of growing into the team we need to be.”
Briarwood is on the road again next week traveling to Chilton County to open Class 6A, Region 3 play. Spain Park welcomes crosstown rival Hoover next week to kick off Class 7A, Region 3 play. The approach is simple for Vakakes.
“Get back in the weight room on Sunday,” he said. “We lift four days a week. We rinse, repeat, and do it all over again. I think our kids are playing with an edge because they work like heavyweights. We may not win every game, but our kids are going to come out swinging. It’s going to be a fistfight for 48 minutes, and I’m proud of them.”
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