Under the Lights.
The countdowns have been exhausted. The preseason chatter is done. The predictions are obsolete.
Real football begins Friday night.
Under the Lights has you covered all season long from Hoover, Spain Park and the other nine high school football teams across the coverage area.
Hoover hosts IMG Academy (Fla.) and Spain Park travels to Sparkman in the season opener. This link shows you our preview for all nine games this week.
Hoover vs. IMG Academy (Fla.)
- Date: Friday, Aug. 22
- Time: 8 p.m. (ESPN2)
- Location: Hoover Met
Last season: Hoover finished 10-3, advancing to the semifinals of the playoffs.
What to watch: Hoover opens the season with high expectations but certainly doesn’t get an easy game right out of the gate. The Bucs will be featured on national television, playing at 8 p.m. on ESPN2 with the opportunity to showcase its program and the Hoover Met. IMG Academy is a powerhouse, so if the Bucs are competitive in this game, regardless of the result, that will provide great confidence for the rest of the year.
Last meeting: IMG beat Hoover 38-7 on Nov. 1, 2019. IMG has won all three previous games between the two programs.
Next week: Hoover travels to crosstown rival Spain Park next week.
Spain Park at Sparkman
- Date: Friday, Aug. 22
- Time: 7 p.m.
- Location: Sparkman High School
Last season: Spain Park finished 12-1, only losing in the quarterfinals of the playoffs. Sparkman finished 5-5 for the third straight season.
What to watch: Spain Park has not been afraid to take on a challenging non-region schedule, playing three Class 7A foes for the second straight year. The Jags beat all three of them last year and will look to get the season started on that note once again. This game wasn’t close last year.
Last meeting: Spain Park beat Sparkman on Aug. 23, 2024. The Jags have won three of the four meetings all time.
Next week: Spain Park hosts rival Hoover, while Sparkman travels to Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa.
The award-winning Under the Lights podcast is back for another season, as sports editor Kyle Parmley breaks it all down each and every week. This link will take you to the preseason episode.
To get coverage of the Hoover, Spain Park and every other game the Under the Lights team covers on a weekly basis, sign up for the weekly newsletter that hits your inbox each Saturday morning during the season.
Southlake Orthopaedics is a proud sponsor of Hoover football coverage all season long.
