Photo by Sarah Finnegan.
Malik Thomas carries the ball during the AHSAA Kickoff Classic against Central-Phenix City at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery. The Bucs conclude region play Oct. 25 at Mountain Brook.
The high school football playoff picture comes into focus during the month of October, as region play comes to a close and the top four seeds in each region are defined.
Hoover has made the state playoffs every year since 2000, while Spain Park is attempting to make it back to the postseason after missing out last fall.
Both teams will get the chance to solidify their hopeful playoff standing with four straight Class 7A, Region 3 matchups in October.
Hoover begins the month Thursday, Oct. 3, as the Bucs head west to play at Tuscaloosa County. The Bucs took care of Tuscaloosa County last fall in a 35-7 victory and have won 15 of 18 meetings all-time between the teams. Hoover has won nine straight against the Wildcats.
The following week, Hoover hosts its city rival Spain Park on Oct. 11. The Bucs ran away with a 32-7 victory over the Jags last fall and have not fallen to Spain Park since the Jags knocked them off twice in 2015.
Hoover hosts another longtime rival Oct. 18, as the Bucs welcome Vestavia Hills to the Hoover Met. The Rebels have beaten Hoover just twice in the last decade, with Hoover cruising to a 31-14 win last fall.
The Bucs conclude region play Oct. 25 at Mountain Brook. The Bucs have beaten Mountain Brook 22 of the last 23 meetings, with the only Spartans win in that stretch coming in 2011. The teams met twice last fall, with Hoover winning 31-7 in the regular season and 42-17 in the second round of the 7A playoffs.
Hoover finishes the regular season Nov. 1, as the Bucs play host to IMG Academy from Florida. IMG ran past the Bucs 48-7 last season.
Spain Park begins the month with a tough home game against Thompson, a team that beat it 35-7 last fall. Spain Park leads the series with Thompson 9-4, but the Warriors have won the last two meetings in convincing fashion as they have risen to prominence.
Spain Park follows that with a trip to city rival Hoover, looking to recapture some of the magic from that 2015 season.
Spain Park hosts Oak Mountain on Oct. 18 and heads to Tuscaloosa County on Oct. 25, before hosting Shades Valley on Nov. 1. The Jags defeated all three of those teams last year to conclude the season on a three-game winning streak. The Jags shut out Oak Mountain 21-0 before putting up big offensive numbers in each of the final two games. They beat Tuscaloosa County 42-21 and dismissed Shades Valley 42-10.
Playoffs begin Nov. 8.
