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Photo by Barry Stephenson.
Hoover wide receiver KJ Law (19) sprints for the end zone during a game with Alpharetta High School in August 2021 at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Todd Lester.
Spain Park quarterback Evan Smallwood (7) attempts a pass during a game between Briarwood and Spain Park in August 2021 at Jaguar Stadium.
The Hoover and Spain Park high school football teams begin the meat of their schedule in September, as the Buccaneers and Jaguars open up play in Class 7A, Region 3.
August represented an opportunity for new head coaches Wade Waldrop (Hoover) and Tim Vakakes (Spain Park) to compete with their new programs for the first time. Hoover squared off against Auburn and Bartlett (Tenn.) in the first two games, while Spain Park played Calera and Briarwood to start things off.
Gears shift immediately in September to region play, as both programs look to get off to a strong start in order to hopefully make a playoff push in October.
Region play begins with the annual city rivalry game Sept. 2, as the Bucs host the Jags. Hoover has gotten the better of Spain Park each of the last six years, after the Jags knocked off their rivals twice in 2015 en route to the state championship game. Last fall, the Bucs stormed away to a 52-10 win.
Hoover remains at home the following week to host Vestavia Hills, which also features a new head coach in Robert Evans. Hoover has won seven straight against Vestavia since the Rebels knocked off the Bucs in the 2015 regular season. Contests in 2019 and 2020 were one-possession games, but Hoover rolled to a 34-6 win last fall. Hoover holds a 37-20 lead in the all-time series.
The Bucs head to Hewitt-Trussville the following week to begin a three-game road swing. The two teams met twice last season, including a classic game in the second round of the state playoffs. Hoover held on for a 24-23 win after Hewitt scored in overtime and tried a two-point conversion for the win. The Bucs have lost to the Huskies just once since 2000, a 56-28 upset in 2018.
Hoover takes a break from region play Sept. 23 but faces an opponent that was a region foe for a long time: Mountain Brook. The two teams face off again after a two-year hiatus. Hoover has a commanding 35-7 edge in the series and has won seven straight meetings.
The Bucs round out the month with a trip to Oak Mountain. The Eagles have come close to taking down Hoover in each of the last two seasons, but Hoover has won all 20 previous meetings between the two schools.
Following the game at Hoover, Spain Park takes to the road to take on three-time defending state champion Thompson on Sept. 9. Since Thompson elevated to its current powerhouse status, each of the last five contests have been decided by 13 points or more.
Spain Park will also be looking to get back on the right side of the ledger against Vestavia Hills, as the Jags host the Rebels on Sept. 16. The last four meetings have gone the way of Vestavia, with the last three seasons featuring blowout losses.
Spain Park takes its open date before rounding out the month at home against Tuscaloosa County on Sept. 30. The Jags rounded out the region slate in convincing fashion last fall with a 35-7 win over the Wildcats, and Spain Park holds an 8-2 edge in the series.
