July 20 marks 31 days until the official start of the high school football season, with the AHSAA allowing the first competitions to be played Thursday, Aug. 20.
Spain Park will open the season in 32 days, as the Jags travel north to take on Sparkman in the season opener Friday, Aug. 21.
As kickoff approaches over the next several weeks, Hoover Sun and Under the Lights will count down the days until the opening kick.
Spain Park is breaking in some new faces on both sides of the ball, but the returners are hoping to notch another playoff appearance. After six straight years missing the postseason, the Jags have returned to being a factor in the playoffs the last couple years.
Last fall, Spain Park finished with a 9-3 record and reached the second round of the playoffs. The year before that, an undefeated campaign ended in the quarterfinals. Combined, the Jags have won 21 games over the last two seasons.
This fall, Spain Park will return to the state's largest classification and will play in Class 6A, Region 3. In a revamped playoff format for the 32-team 6A, the top six in the eight-team region will make the postseason.
