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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park running back CJ Cowley (26) celebrates his touchdown in the endzone with offensive lineman Jovan Taylor (52) during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park running back CJ Cowley (26) is taken down by Russell County defensive back Carlos Cotton (41) during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Russell County running back Devin Brown (4) is tackled in the backfield by Spain Park linebacker Nathan Byrd (48) during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park running back CJ Cowley (26) scrambles to the endzone during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park head coach Tim Vakakes speaks to an official during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park linebacker EJ Kerley (7) and defensive back Brayden Matherson (0) attempt to tackle Russell County wide receiver Denver Harper (1) during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park defensive back Brayden Matherson (0) celebrates an interception by teammate defensive back Joe Cross (19) during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Russell County defensive lineman Dorian Teal (99) sacks Spain Park quarterback Brock Bradley (5) during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park defensive back George Ritchey (22) attempts to tackle Russell County running back Devin Brown (4) during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park marching band entertains the crowd during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park team captains at midfield before a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Team captains shake hands at midfield before a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park cheerleaders lead their team onto the field before a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Russell County running back Devin Brown (4) is tackled by Spain Park linebacker JD Bonamy (11) during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park kicker Josh Tulloss (50) kicks the extra point during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park players rush the field before a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park cheerleaders lead their team onto the field before a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park wide receiver Jack Sellers (6) is tackled by Russell County defensive back Prather Cornwell (18) during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park running back CJ Cowley (26) carries the ball during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park running back CJ Cowley (26) is tackled by Russell County defensive back Branden Jones (25) during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park cheerleaders entertain the crowd during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Russell County defensive back kicker Adrian Wiley (22) trips up Spain Park wide receiver Andrew Thornton (1) during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Russell County defensive back Branden Jones (25) tackles Spain Park running back CJ Cowley (26) in the backfield during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park linebacker JD Bonamy (11) breaks up a pass to Russell County wide receiver Denver Harper (1) during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park head coach Tim Vakakes paces the sidelines during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park defensive backs Hagen Holley (2) and Joe Cross (19) break up a pass to Russell County wide receiver Quentin Lewis (0) during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park running back Dakarai Shanks (20) jogs off the field after his touchdown during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Russell County running back Devin Brown (4) is tackled by Spain Park defensive back Carter Holloway (4) during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park wide receiver Corey Barber (17) celebrates a touchdown by his teammate running back CJ Cowley (26) during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park defensive back Carter Holloway (4) reaches for Russell County wide receiver Denver Harper (1) during a Class 6A second round playoff game between Spain Park and Russell County on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
HOOVER -- The message was to play the game in a phone booth, a metaphorical way of portraying a game in which there is not much room to run, to get away.
Spain Park 45, Russell County 30 was far from being played in a phone booth, but it was a fight nonetheless.
The teams combined for more than 1,000 yards of total offense, many of which came in the second half.
“It was a big win for us,” said Spain Park head coach Tim Vakakes. “Playoffs are playoffs. You get their best. We’re glad to be 12-0 and heading down south and see what happens.”
Spain Park, leading 31-7 at halftime, answered each time Russell County (9-3) attempted to make it a game in the second half. Running back Devin Brown scored on a 3-yard run and punched in the 2-point conversion to cut the deficit to 31-15 midway through the third quarter. Spain Park (12-0) answered with a nine-play drive capped by a 14-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brock Bradley to running back C.J. Cowley.
The Warriors scored fewer than two minutes later when quarterback Bryson Riggins found Brown for a 35-yard score. The Jaguars then engineered a four-and-a-half-minute drive to start the fourth quarter, marching 65 yards in nine plays and scoring on a 1-yard Cowley run to go up 45-22. Riggins completed three straight passes, all first downs, to set up Brown’s 4-yard touchdown run. A 2-point conversion from Riggins to Quentin Lewis made it 45-30.
In the first half, it was all Jags. Russell County fumbled the opening kickoff, which was recovered by Spain Park’s Kamren Lewis. Two plays later, senior running back Dakarai Shanks scored from 14 yards out. A 30-yard field goal by Josh Tulloss gave the Jags a 10-0 advantage after one quarter. Spain Park went up 17-0 early in the second quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run by Shanks.
Russell County got on the board on the ensuing drive when Riggins hit Denver Harper for a 75-yard touchdown. Spain Park extended the lead to 24-7 when Cowley found the end zone on a 15-yard run. A 1-yard touchdown run by Bradley late in the second quarter put the Jags up 31-7.
“It was a great team win,” Cowley said. “We bought in and started off hot and stayed on top and came out swinging. We made sure we did what we had to do and came out with the win.”
For Spain Park, Bradley finished 13-of-17 for 199 yards and a touchdown. Shanks rushed 22 times for 162 yards and a score. Cowley gained 123 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, while also catching four passes for 44 yards and a score.
“Me and Dakarai are just a 1-2 punch,” Cowley said. “There is no sourness if he scores, if I score. We’re like one person, for real, and we do it together.”
For Russell County, Riggins finished 29-of-39 for 358 yards and two touchdowns against one interception to Spain Park’s Joe Cross. Brown finished with 19 rushes for 140 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught six passes for 81 yards and a score. Harper hauled in 11 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown.
Spain Park will travel to top-ranked Saraland (11-0) next week for the Class 6A quarterfinals.
“High focus all around,” Bradley said of the week ahead. “Coach V just said to us right there, not just football but not being late to class, showing up on time, being early, getting on the practice field early for walkthroughs and just an attention to detail needs to pick up a little bit. We certainly have our hands full next week. I’m excited to celebrate this one tonight and start prepping for them on Sunday.”
When the preparation is done, Spain Park will embark on a three-and-a-half-hour trip south to Saraland, one of the best programs in the state.
“We’re going to get on the bus, head down south, and get off the bus swinging like we do every week,” Vakakes said.
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