Video: Spain Park holds play date with Pell City, Pinson Valley

The Spain Park High School football team hosted a play date with squads from Pell City and Pinson Valley on Tuesday, June 28.

Shaded by cloudy skies, the three schools engaged in organized team activities for nearly two hours.

“The reason we do this is just to see different looks offensively and defensively from different people,” Spain Park head coach Shawn Raney said, “see different speeds with receivers—our defensive backs going against faster receivers, slower, just different types of athletes—so I thought we got all of that today.”

Throughout the joint session, players divided into their overarching skill-set groups and went  head to head in a number of drills.

Quarterbacks tested out their arms, receivers practiced running their routes and defensive backs attempted to tack themselves to opposing wideouts. Meanwhile, offensive and defensive linemen refined their blocking and shedding techniques.

The day’s activities culminated in fast-paced rounds of seven-on-seven action. Notably, all activities were performed without pads and, as such, were limited to two-hand-touch contact.

“I want to see our kids compete,” Raney said. “As far as winning and losing seven-on-seven games, I don’t get real concerned with that. Of course I want to win everything, but I want to see our kids compete."

Although Raney relies on a run-first offense during the season, he said the up-tempo, pass-happy nature of seven on seven gives him an early opportunity to gauge the explosiveness of his personnel.

So far, he said he has liked what he’s seen.

Compared to 2015—when the Jags pounded their way to an appearance in the Class 7A state final—this year’s Spain Park team boasts a deeper pool of skilled talent at the receiver position, Raney said.

Raney said he has also been pleased by the early performances from his running backs: senior Larry Wooden, junior D’arie Johnson and sophomore Jalen Henderson.

“I think we’ll be more explosive offensively than we were last year,” Raney said.

At the quarterback position, Raney said he has viable options in junior Braxton Barker and senior Hunter Howell, both of whom looked sharp while splitting reps during the play date.

Raney said he expects a position battle to extend throughout the summer.

“They’re both very supportive. I hear them down there cheering for each other and they’re both studying, learning a lot from coach [Marty] Rozell,” Raney said.  “It’s exactly where I want it to be. It’s a good, competitive deal right now, and it will just unfold the more reps we get against different people.”

The Spain Park defense, which stymied opponents for much of last season, also appeared to be in good form.

Returning starters Houston Hollis (linebacker) and Douglas Henze (defensive line) stood out on Tuesday, Raney said.  

The joint session was Spain Park’s first competitive intersquad activity of the summer. The Jags will be back in action on Thursday, when they are scheduled to participate in the USA Football 7 on 7 ALFCA Championships, hosted by Hoover High School.