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Photo by Kyle Parmley
Spain Park High School's girls flag football team wins the Class 6A-7A semifinal game over Hewitt-Trussville on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Spain Park High School. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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Photo by Kyle Parmley
Spain Park High School's girls flag football team wins the Class 6A-7A semifinal game over Hewitt-Trussville on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Spain Park High School. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
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Photo by Kyle Parmley
Spain Park High School's girls flag football team wins the Class 6A-7A semifinal game over Hewitt-Trussville on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Spain Park High School. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
HOOVER – When asked to “name something you’re thankful for” at the dinner table Thursday, the Spain Park High School girls flag football players and coaches will have an easy answer.
That’s because the Jags punched their ticket to the Class 6A-7A state championship game Wednesday evening with a thrilling 33-27 overtime victory over visiting Hewitt-Trussville in the semifinals.
“It’s kind of surreal,” Spain Park head coach Carmen Starr said following the victory.
Flag football became an official Alabama High School Athletic Association championship sport this year, meaning the Jags now have a chance to capture the first blue map trophy after the sport was considered "emerging" the last few years.
Spain Park advances to face Central-Phenix City — the top-ranked team nationally by USA Today — in the state championship game, which will be part of the annual Super 7 high school football championships. This year’s Super 7 will be played at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, and the Jags will play next Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 4 p.m.
The Jags trailed for much of the evening, taking the lead for the first time midway through the fourth quarter on quarterback Jenna Kate Hutchison’s short touchdown run. Chenelle Hunter scored the two-point conversion to give Spain Park a 27-20 lead with five minutes to play in regulation.
Hewitt-Trussville rallied right after that, Amaurie Pearson caught her second touchdown of the night from Ryleigh Wood, and Peyton Hull caught a pass for the one-point conversion to tie the game at 27-27 with 1:14 to play.
The Huskies got the ball back with time winding down, with Pearson catching a pass on the final play of regulation and being ruled down just shy of the goal line for what would have been a game-winning score.
In overtime, Hutchison hit Jordan Weiner for a touchdown to make it 33-27. The Jags then stopped Hewitt to preserve the win.
Hewitt-Trussville jumped out to an early 13-0 lead in the second quarter. Wood hit Pearson for a 65-yard score in the first quarter, then Wood’s shuttle pass to Hull made it 13-0 early in the second.
The two-minute drill late in the second quarter ignited Spain Park’s offense. Hutchison hit Ja’Skylar Simpkins for the Jags’ first touchdown, followed by Laila Sibley’s conversion catch to cut the deficit to 13-7.
“It’s a quick game, really fast-paced,” Starr said, noting the Jags work on the two-minute drill often. “It’s one of those things you do in practice. You have to constantly stay on your toes, keep it moving, get back to the line.”
Hewitt scored again, driving right down the field as Wood hit Hull, then Rutland, then Brecken Phillips for a 35-yard touchdown, followed by Kate Willoughby’s catch for one point to make it 20-7.
Spain Park came right back, scoring on a pass from Hutchison to Hunter on the final play before halftime to make it 20-13.
Hunter made a great grab near the end of the third quarter, making a diving catch in the end zone to cut the Huskies’ lead to 20-19.
Hutchison threw four touchdowns on the night and ran for another. Starr said she settled in following a bit of a slow start in the game.
Hutchison’s touchdowns went to three different receivers as well.
“Fortunately, we are lucky to have some good receivers,” Starr said. “We do a lot of work with our hands in practice. The receiving corps has improved.”
Spain Park had just seven returning players on this year’s roster, with 20 new players in the program this year.
“It’s such a team effort,” Starr said. “That’s truly my favorite thing. Yes, we’ve got some great individual athletes, but they are so about each other.”
Spain Park knocked off Austin and defending state runner-up Vestavia Hills in the playoffs before taking down Hewitt-Trussville.
“When I took [the program] on four years ago, you hope you can develop a program and hope you can lead it the right way. Having the first opportunity, being one of the first teams to go get that blue map, God is good,” Starr said.
