Jags maul Minor in regular season finale
HOOVER — The Spain Park High School football team found itself in need of direction after last week’s 26-point loss to Oak Mountain. Thus, it met with head coach — ahem, doctor — Shawn Raney.
“I told a lot of people I wasn’t coach this week, I was Doctor Raney, majoring in child psychology,” he said. “I just tried to challenge our kids, and I showed them tapes of our first five games this morning, and showed them how we responded when things weren’t going right.“
Apparently it worked.
One week after crumbling on home turf, the Jags rebounded with a resounding 49-14 victory over Class 6A Minor in Thursday night’s regular season finale. As a result, playoff-bound Spain Park (6-4) will finish with a winning record for the sixth straight year.
“I hadn’t seen that team in about five weeks, and I couldn’t be more proud of them,” Raney said.
His troops had their newfound moxie tested on the first play from scrimmage. Minor quarterback Justin McConnico dropped back and fired a pass across the middle to Delonte’ Evans, who took off for an 80-yard touchdown.
But Spain Park passed the pop quiz.
Jags quarterback Braxton Barker guided his team to scores on its first three possessions. Running back D’Arie Johnson capped the first with a 2-yard rush up the middle. Barker polished off the next two touchdown passes of 32 and 7 yards to Michael Rogers and Jo Jo Dennis.
A couple drives later, Barker spiraled a 51-yard touchdown pass to Jalen McMillan. The score gave Spain Park a 28-7 lead in the second quarter.
Barker bounced back from his four-interception performance against Oak Mountain to throw for 294 yards and five touchdowns. He didn’t toss a pick, either.
“A competitor has an off night,” Raney said. “As a competitor, when you have that, you do whatever you can to make it right.”
Spain Park’s defense adopted that same mentality. After surrendering the long touchdown on the first play, the Jags buckled down. Minor’s remaining first-half possessions ended with three punts, a turnover on downs and a fumble.
Spain Park defensive lineman Cedric Tooson stripped Minor’s ball carrier deep in his own territory on the drive after McMillan’s touchdown reception. The Jags recovered it at the 1-yard line, and Johnson capitalized with his second touchdown rush of the night.
Tooson, along with Josh Wallace, helped anchor a Spain Park defensive front that recorded seven sacks.
“Doctor Raney over there, he helped us out and we found new life,” Tooson said. “We had a hard week of practice, good week of practice, and I think we bounced back really good.”
Spain Park added to its tally on its opening drive of the second half, when Barker connected with McMillan for a 71-yard touchdown. McMillan turned on the jets and transformed a routine slant route into an electric score. He paced the Spain Park receiving corps with four catches for 140 yards and two touchdowns.
Kameron McDaniel’s third-quarter interception set up the Jags’ final points of the night. A couple plays after the pick, Barker hit a wide-open Kenyon Hines along the right sideline for a 49-yard touchdown. Place-kicker Cole Starr finished the game 7-for-7 on extra points.
Spain Park sent in its reserves during the final quarter, which featured a running clock. The Jags will almost certainly not have that opportunity next week.
On Friday, they will travel to undefeated Hewitt-Trussville for a first-round playoff game.
“I think we’re battle tested playing in this region, and I hope it’s a heck of a game,” Raney said. “Our kids are going to play their tails off.”