1 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Several Spain Park defenders are able to break through the Gardendale line in an attempt to stop Gardendale's field goal during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
2 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park rduring pregame festivities before a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
3 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park run onto the field during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
4 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park running back CJ Cowley (26) overpowers the Gardendale defenders to make it into the secondary for positive yardage during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
5 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park Head coach Tim Vakakes at a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
6 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park team captains lineman Jovan Taylor (52), player (20), defensive lineman Zac Erickson (98) and defensive back Brayden Matherson (0) before a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
7 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park quarterback Brock Bradly (5) is able to save the place by leaving the pocket and a sweeping run during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
8 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park wide receiver Corey Barber (17) at the moment of reception and touchdown during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
9 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park running back CJ Cowley (26) is able to drive into the gardendale secondary for positive yardage during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
10 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park students during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
11 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park wide receiver Corey Barber (17) fights to get extra yardage after first contact during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
12 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park band members during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
13 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park quarterback Brock Bradly (5) attempts a pass during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
14 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Somewhere underneath this pile, the Spain Park running back scores a touchdown during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
15 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Several Spain Park defensive players get tripped up on each other during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
16 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park Head coach Tim Vakakes talks to his office during a time out at a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
17 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park linebacker Christian Smith (5) and linebacker Nathan Byrd tackle the Gardendale ball carrier during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
18 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park band members during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
19 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park linebacker EJ Kerley (7) and defensive lineman Zac Erickson (98) tackle the Gardendale running back during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
20 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park cheerleaders and football players run onto the field before a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
21 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park offensive lineman Jayden Craig (77) keeps Gardendale defensive end Alexander Gosha (44) occupied during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
22 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park cheerleaders during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
23 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park band drum majors during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
24 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park players during pregame festivities before a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
25 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park's defense reviews the previous series on the sideline during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
26 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park defensive back Carter Holloway (4) tackles the Gardendale ball carrier during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
27 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park quarterback Brock Bradly (5) gives the ball to running back Dakarai Shanks (20) during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
28 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park running back CJ Cowley (26) and quarterback Brock Bradley (5) during pregame festivities before a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
29 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park offensive lineman Jackson Bell (72) extends his arms to make himself as big as possible, giving his quarterback time for a pass play during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
30 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park defensive back George Ritchey (22) stops Gardendale's deep pass into the end zone during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
31 of 31
Photo by James Nicholas
Spain Park Center Jackson Bell (72) during a game between Gardendale and Spain Park High Schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Driver Stadium in Gardendale, Ala.
GARDENDALE – The bar for the Spain Park High football program was officially raised on Friday night when the Jaguars concluded the regular season with 10 wins following a 35-12 non-region win over Gardendale at Driver Stadium.
“It was very important,” said Spain Park head coach Tim Vakakes of the importance of concluding the unbeaten regular season. “There’s no other way to cut it, it was very important. We wanted to finish this chapter of our book. Close the chapter and start a whole new chapter on Sunday. It’s very important, 10-0 doesn’t happen a lot. It’s very rare. Each game our kids stood up to whatever they had to. We talked about making history last week. They did it. We talked about making history again this week, they did it again. We’re proud of them and we’ll get back in the weight room on Sunday and get it going again.”
The Jaguars will host a first-round playoff game next Friday against McGill-Toolen (6-4).
The 10th win of the season didn’t begin smoothly. Gardendale (5-5 overall) took the opening kickoff and marched downfield before settling for a 40-yard field goal by Ryan McPherson. Spain Park’s offense sputtered early and didn’t get going for most of the first half. However, like any great team, Spain Park persevered through the troubles and found a way to carry a 14-3 lead into halftime.
The late first-half surge began with a 10-play, 64-yard drive that appeared to be over after five plays. A pair of Gardendale penalties turned a fourth-and-8 into a first down for the Jaguars at the Gardendale 36-yard line. Running backs Dakarai Shanks and CJ Cowley combined for 35 yards on the next four plays before Brock Bradley’s 1-yard sneak gave Spain Park a 7-3 lead with 2:26 left in the half. Spain Park defensive back Carter Holloway recovered a fumble two plays into the ensuing series and Bradley followed on the next play with a 29-yard scoring strike to Corey Barber.
“We talk all the time about the last five minutes of the first half, the first five minutes of the second half,” Vakakes said. “We talk about that transition a lot. That last five minutes of the first half really helped our kids. We finally got something going, the defense got a turnover and we got (back) in the end zone. That was a big time for our kids.”
Spain Park scored touchdowns on its first two drives of the second half to stretch the lead to 28-3. Shanks scored the first touchdown of the half on a 5-yard run and Cowley scored from a yard out with 4:43 left in the half. Shanks touchdown came one play after a 25-yard run by Cowley and Cowley’s touchdown came a play after a 29-yard pass from Bradley to Weston Brock.
The final touchdown came with 11:10 left in the game on a 7-yard pass from Bradley to Cowley. Vakakes cleared the bench the rest of the way as Spain Park cruised to the win and began looking forward to beginning play in the Class 6A playoffs.
Cowley (11 carries for 87 yards) and Shanks (12 carries for 84 yards) led an offense that finished with 331 yards. Bradley was 15-of-21 for 129 yards with Barber catching six passes for 53 yards. Linebacker EJ Kerley had three tackles for loss for a defense that kept Gardendale out of the end zone until midway through the fourth quarter.
Afterward, Kerley talked about what finishing 10-0 meant to the players.
“It shows the dedication that we have in this program,” Kerley said. “We buy into everything that Coach V has us doing every day. No matter how hard it gets, with adversity, we just stay together as a team, trust God, and trust in each other that we’re going to come out at the end, no matter what it looks like at the start.”
Click here to sign up for our Under the Lights newsletter and follow us on social media.
Click here to view and purchase photos from this week's games.
