Photo by Jonathan Norris
Oak Mountain has made the playoffs every other year since 2012 and will need to have a strong September to continue that trend in 2018.
Following the month of September, half of the high school football regular season will already be history. That’s why the month represents a very important slate of games for local teams like Oak Mountain, Spain Park, Chelsea and Briarwood, all of which have playoff aspirations.
Oak Mountain has made the state playoffs every other year since 2012, so the Eagles hope that trend continues this fall after they missed out last year. After Oak Mountain begins the season against Chelsea on Aug. 24, it will take its bye week before jumping into Class 7A, Region 3 play the following week.
On Sept. 7, the Eagles begin region action with a daunting three-game stretch at Hewitt-Trussville, Thompson and at home against Hoover. Oak Mountain last saw Hewitt at the conclusion of the 2016 season, when the Huskies defeated the Eagles in the first round of the 7A playoffs.
Oak Mountain makes a trip to the defending region champs Sept. 14 and then hosts the defending state champs Sept. 21.
Oak Mountain concludes the month with a trip to Pelham on Sept. 28. The two teams have not met since 2013, when Pelham held off the Eagles, 42-41, in overtime.
Spain Park faces that same three-game stretch, but in the middle of the season. The Jags began their season Aug. 24 against Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa and travel to Bessemer City on Aug. 31. Following those first two games, they will start play in Region 3 with a home game against Vestavia Hills on Sept. 7. Spain Park has won each of the last four matchups with the Rebels, including a 33-14 victory last fall.
The Jags travel to Mountain Brook on Sept. 14 in a rematch of what was one of the area’s most entertaining games in 2017. Last year, the Spartans outlasted Spain Park, 51-50, in triple overtime.
Spain Park then takes on Hewitt-Trussville on Sept. 21. The Huskies ended the Jags’ season last fall in the first round of the playoffs. The Jags conclude the month with their bye week.
For Chelsea and new head coach Dustin Goodwin, the task is to rebound from a 2-8 season in 2017. The Hornets began the season with a pair of rivalry games, at Oak Mountain on Aug. 24 and hosting Briarwood on Aug. 31. Following those two contests, the Hornets jump right into Class 6A, Region 5 play.
On Thursday, Sept. 6, Chelsea travels to take on Carver-Birmingham in a matchup that pits two programs that have never faced each other. Carver qualified for the playoffs last year for the first time since 2003. Chelsea will then head to Jackson-Olin on Sept. 14 to take on the Mustangs, another first-time foe for the Hornets.
That’s not the same for their next opponent, Pelham, on Sept. 21. Pelham knocked off the Hornets last fall, 36-23. Chelsea wraps up the month with its bye week before four more area contests in October.
Per tradition, Briarwood opened its season with a jamboree game against Vestavia Hills on Aug. 24, before taking on Chelsea on Aug. 31. The month of September presents three Class 5A, Region 4 games for the Lions, who have not dropped a region game in either of the last two years.
On Sept. 7, Briarwood heads to Pleasant Grove. The Spartans have given Briarwood a stern test each of the last two years, despite the Lions coming away victorious both times. The Lions then head to Lawson Field to take on Woodlawn, before hosting a pivotal contest against Wenonah on Sept. 21. The Dragons knocked Briarwood out of the playoffs in 2016, and the Lions returned the favor with a 34-0 win last fall.
The Lions conclude the month with a non-region contest at Hartselle on Sept. 28.
