Photo by Todd Lester.
Briarwood wide receiver Drew Mathe (12) tries to evade Spain Park defensive back Stopher Walls (4) during a game on Aug. 26 at Lions Pride Stadium.
The high school football teams at Briarwood, Chelsea, Oak Mountain and Spain Park will round out the regular season in October, all four looking to make a push to the playoffs with a strong finishing stretch of games.
Briarwood plays in Class 6A, Region 3, while the other three schools are all 7A, Region 3 foes, now that Chelsea has ascended to 7A and joined the likes of Oak Mountain and Spain Park.
Briarwood has made the playoffs every year since 1993 and looks to continue that streak once again. The Lions begin the month by hosting Calera on Oct. 7. The two teams have not met since 1993, but the Lions have won the last two after Calera won the first six meetings between the teams.
The Lions head to Alexander City to face Benjamin Russell on Oct. 14, renewing another series that has had a long hiatus. Briarwood and Ben Russell have split six previous meetings, with Briarwood losing in the playoffs in 2001 and 2005.
Briarwood travels to Homewood on Oct. 21 to wrap up the region slate. The Lions knocked off Homewood 21-18 last fall in a great game and has won each of the last two years. Homewood leads the series 10-6.
The Lions host Fairhope on Oct. 28 to round out the regular season.
Spain Park will open the month with a trip to Chelsea on Oct. 7. Spain Park and Chelsea have met twice previously, with the Jags earning 14-point wins in 2012 and 2013. Like Hoover and Chelsea, this is another game featuring first-year head coaches, with Tim Vakakes’s squad squaring off against Todd Cassity’s Hornets.
Spain Park hosts Hewitt-Trussville on Oct. 14 in another region contest, with the Jags hoping to keep it closer than it has been the last couple years. Four of the first five games between the Jags and Huskies were tight affairs, but Hewitt has blown out the Jags each of the last two seasons, including a 38-17 victory last year.
A playoff berth could be on the line for one or both teams on Oct. 21, as Spain Park hosts Oak Mountain to complete region play. Spain Park has dominated the series against Oak Mountain up until the last two years, when the Eagles have notched convincing wins over their nearest 7A foe.
The Jags round out the regular season Oct. 27 at Pelham. Spain Park holds a 7-5 edge in a series that is being renewed for the first time since 2013.
Chelsea hosts Spain Park and travels to Hoover and Hewitt-Trussville to conclude the regular season, as the Hornets take their open date in Week 10. After the game against Spain Park, the Hornets head to Hoover to face a Bucs team for the first time in program history.
The Hornets have also never faced Hewitt-Trussville, where they head for the final game on Oct. 21.
Oak Mountain has a tough stretch to finish the season, playing two road games and a home game before taking an open date Week 10.
The Eagles begin the month by heading to Thompson on Oct. 7. Thompson has dominated the series over the last five years (six meetings), including wins of 45-7 and 48-0 last season.
Oak Mountain then hosts Vestavia Hills on Oct. 14 for the Eagles’ final home game of the campaign. Oak Mountain has gotten the better of the Rebels each of the last two years, including a 24-14 win last fall. Otherwise, Vestavia has controlled the series, holding an overall 13-5 edge.
The Eagles head to Spain Park on Oct. 21 to finish out their regular season.
