Jaguars travel to Austin on Friday

Spain Park kicks off its 2015 football season Friday night in Decatur, as the Jaguars take on the Austin Black Bears in Ogle Stadium.

The two teams met in last season’s opener, and the Jags took away a 5-3 win in a mistake-prone game. Crosby Gray’s 27-yard field goal in the fourth quarter was the difference.

The Jags plan to rely on their potent running game, led by Wade Streeter and Larry Wooden. Joey Beatty is expected to get the call as starting quarterback. Defensively, a strong and experienced front seven hopes to give a retooled secondary help.

The Jags finished 6-4 a year ago, just missing the playoffs. Shawn Raney enters his third season as Jaguars coach with a 14-7 record.

The Black Bears finished 2-8 last season. They do feature an outstanding offensive lineman in Deonte Brown, a University of Alabama commitment.

"When we played him last year, I thought he was the best high school offensive lineman I'd seen since I'd been back coaching in high school," Raney said. "I guess his recruitment by Alabama makes me look pretty smart.

"Austin has some good skill players and I think their offense can be explosive," he said. "Not real sure about their defense. We only have one tape on them, from their spring game. Coach Jeremy Perkins does a good job. We're looking forward to it."

Perkins begins his sixth season at Austin with a record of 25-27.

Spain Park received votes in the Alabama Sports Writers Association preseason poll, falling just outside the Class 7A Top 10. Austin, in Class 6A, Region 8, received four votes.

Spain Park leads the all-time series with Austin 3-2.

FM-101.1 is scheduled to broadcast the game live. Kickoff is 7 p.m.