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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Drake Tabor (22) will enter his third season as the starting kicker for the Jags, providing the team with comfort and stability.
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Photo by Frank Couch.
Jaylen Ward (1) had a productive sophomore season and will be a key receiver for the Jags once again.
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Photo by Todd Lester.
Cooper Kelley (10) looks to pick up where he left from a tremendous 2019 season, as he led the Spain Park receiving group.
Editor's Note: As of press time, the high school football season was still set to begin Aug. 21. It was unclear whether the season would be altered due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first five years of Shawn Raney’s coaching tenure at Spain Park High School finished with the Jags holding a winning record, including a playoff appearance in four of those seasons.
The last two seasons have been a bit of a learning experience for Raney, as the Jags have wrapped things up with a 4-6 mark each year.
In 2018, Spain Park dropped six consecutive contests before rallying to win its last three. Raney commended that team for never giving up and fighting through the losing streak.
Last fall, the Jags had one of the most prolific offenses in the state, but inconsistency and inexperience plagued the team at inopportune times. There were highlight-worthy wins over Hewitt-Trussville and Oak Mountain, but also head-scratching defeats against Vestavia Hills and Tuscaloosa County in blowout fashion.
“It’s three or four plays between 3-7 and 7-3,” Raney said of the last two seasons. “Unless you’re just a lot better than somebody, you can get beat or win every game.”
Raney is upbeat about the program’s 2020 prospects, noting several of the players forced into action last season now have experience under their belts.
OFFENSE
Behind the arm of Harrison Barker, Spain Park’s offense averaged over 36 points per game last season and eclipsed 35 points in half of its games. Raney felt compelled to open up the offense last year since the quarterback and receivers were the strengths of the team. He hopes the offensive attack will be more balanced this fall.
Barker’s graduation leaves a void at quarterback, but junior Bennett Meredith appears poised to step into that spot. Meredith played on the junior varsity team last fall, and Raney believes he has the capability to be a Division I player if he continues to progress.
Raney believes this year’s offensive line could be the best in his tenure. Stephen Olsen will be a three-year starter for the Jags, while Jayson Webb is expected to snag a starting spot after coming over from the basketball team. Jackson Boler and Connor May started last fall and return as juniors. Sophomore Morgan Bowden is also expected to contribute heavily.
Justin Pegues will move back over to the offensive side of the ball this fall and take on a heavy role at the running back spot. Sophomore Zamir Farris should garner plenty of carries as well.
The Jags return almost the entirety of their wide receiver room. Cooper Kelley had a terrific 2019 season and returns for his senior season. Jaylen Ward and David Moultry are dynamic receivers, both just juniors that have played since their freshman seasons. Landon Miller could join that mix this year as well.
DEFENSE
Spain Park’s defense was dealt a difficult hand from the get-go last fall, losing three defensive backs at the outset of the season for a variety of reasons. The Jags surrendered nearly 29 points per game and will be a work in progress again this fall, according to Raney. But a secondary that was decimated last season will have plenty of familiar faces ready to contribute once again this season.
Braden Brock and Michael Ogletree are seniors back to man the safety positions. Tyler Hunter, Michael Benson and Pierson Cole are also slated to contribute in the secondary.
Up front, the defensive line is headlined by senior Samuel Garibay, who plays on the inside. Gage Hughes is another senior that should start on the line. Jamal Scott, Dillon Heatherly and Brian Alston will also be in the mix.
There is not much returning experience at the linebacker spots, with Jayst Dorion returning the most experience in the middle of the defense. Raney also identified Ethan Gutowski, Caleb Ward and TJ Metcalf as other guys that could factor in at the spot. Metcalf is a potential starter at Nickel, a hybrid linebacker/defensive back position.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Spain Park has some comfort in the kicking game, with senior Drake Tabor returning. Tabor will be in his third year starting for the Jags and can handle all of the kicking and punting duties if needed. Braxton Sumpter could also do some of the punting.
SCHEDULE
Spain Park has just four home games this fall, compared to six road games. The Jags start the season with road games against out-of-region foes Huntsville and Briarwood.
“I’ve always wanted to play Briarwood. That’ll be a good rivalry,” Raney said.
The Jags’ four home dates come against arguably their toughest opponents, as they host Class 7A, Region 3 teams Hewitt-Trussville, Thompson, Hoover and Vestavia Hills. Spain Park also plays at Gadsden City, Oak Mountain and Tuscaloosa County in region play before concluding the year at Hueytown.