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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park RB CJ Cowley (26) runs the football during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park RB Dakarai Shanks (20) eludes Helena DB Bryce Banks (1) during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park DB Brayden Matherson (0) and Spain Park LB JD Bonamy (11) tackle Helena RB Domynyck Santiago (5) during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept.13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park DB Brayden Matherson (0) tackles Helena WR Torrey Ward (8) during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Helena LB Jonathan Roberto (6) attempts to tackle Spain Park RB CJ Cowley (26) during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park RB CJ Cowley (26) runs the football during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park FB Ryan Breazeale (21) runs after a catch during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park QB Brock Bradley (5) attempts a pass during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept.13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park WR Corey Barber (17) runs the football during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park DB Joe Cross (19) and Spain Park LB Kian Taylor (16) combine to tackle Helena RB Jeremy Spratling (22) during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park cheerleaders during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Helena QB Nathan Ferguson (11) is stopped just short of the goal line by Spain Park DL Harris Gregory (3) during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park players celebrate during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park WR Mitchell Frazer (7) runs after a catch during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park RB Dakarai Shanks (20) breaks a tackle during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park WR Corey Barber (17) catches a pass during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Helena DB Kevin Pinkard (4) looks to tackle Spain Park RB CJ Cowley (26) during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park WR Corey Barber (17) runs with the football during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park RB CJ Cowley (26) runs the football during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park DB Carter Holloway (4) defends a pass to Helena TE Connor Guida (31) during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park head coach Tim Vakakes during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park OL Hudson Reed (55) and Spain Park OL Jovan Taylor (52) celebrate the win during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park LB Christian Smith (5) looks to tackle Helena QB Nathan Ferguson (11) during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Helena DB Kevin Pinkard (4) tackles Spain Park WR Corey Barber (17) during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Helena LB Lane Harris (11) looks to tackle Spain Park WR Mitchell Frazer (7) during a game between Spain Park and Helena on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at Husky Stadium in Helena, Ala.
HELENA – As the rain consistently picked up on Friday night, so did the intensity of the game at Husky Stadium
The Spain Park High School football team improved to 3-0, 1-0 in Class 6A, Region 3 with a dramatic 28-26 victory at Helena on Friday night.
The Huskies – who also entered the game undefeated and fell to 2-1, 1-1 in the region – came up only inches short when quarterback Nathan Ferguson scrambled frantically to keep his team’s chances alive with a chance at overtime.
“This was a dog fight,” said Spain Park head coach Tim Vakakes. “It was an ugly night and our kids just kept swinging. We talked about training like heavyweights for these moments, and it was a heck of a game and I am really proud of our kids and coaches for not panicking, sticking to the game plan and to keep swinging.”
The Jaguars dominated the third quarter after coming out of the break square at 14-14. Their first drive covered seven plays and Dakarai Shanks 20-yard touchdown run capped it off as the senior back slipped through numerous would-be tacklers.
Spain Park’s steady diet of run and pass on its next drive led to a fourth-and-3 situation at the Helena 31-yard line. A defensive pass interference kept the drive alive and the next play, Corey Barber took a reverse 16 yards to the end zone as the quarter expired to push the lead to 28-14.
Helena’s offense rose to the challenge in the final frame. A 13-play drive that ended with a Domynyck Santiago 2-yard plunge cut the score to 28-20 following a missed extra point.
The Huskies got the ball back at their own 10-yard line with 4:29 to play. Despite trailing and little time remaining, Helena ran the ball effectively and completed their lone pass on the drive for a 28-yard gain. Santiago took an 18-yard run to the Spain Park 20-yard line, followed by Jeremy Spratling ripping off a 20-yard score to cut the deficit to only two points.
After timeouts on each side, Helena was penalized with an illegal substitution, forcing the game-tying two-point try to come from the 7-yard line. That proved to be costly, as Ferguson did a phenomenal job to evade tackles while rolling to his left, cut back, run to the right side, evade a tackler, and truck through another defender, but his reach for the end zone came up a yard short. Spain Park fielded the onside kick and walked out with a 28-26 win.
“Our kids figured out a way to win,” added Vakakes. “On the road in this region, against a good football program, that’s big for our guys.”
The first half was back-and-forth as Spain Park scored on its opening drive thanks to a big pass from Brock Bradley to Mitchell Frazer that set-up a Ryan Breazeale 3-yard plunge.
Helena would make two field goals before the end of the opening frame, including a 53-yarder off the foot of James Lewis to make it 7-6.
The Huskies kept momentum rolling as they scored on their first three drives of the game. Ferguson threw a dart to Torrey Ward from 16 yards out and the two-point from Ferguson to Nathan Jones gave Helena its only lead of the game at 14-7.
Spain Park scored before heading to the locker room, going 87 yards over 12 plays with Bradley hitting C.J. Cowley on a swing pass and the sophomore tailback spinning his way past a defender at the goal line to level things at the break.
“At practice, I joke around and practice that spin move,” said Cowley, who the team refers to as ‘Jokester’ at practice. “I bet (Coach Vakakes) that I would do it and I did.”
“The rain makes you do different things on offense,” said Bradley. “When you can do both – run and pass – it opens each up and we have to continue to do that. Happy for this team and a great team win overall.”
This was the first ever meeting between the two programs.
Spain Park will host Benjamin Russell next week in a game that could have large region implications, while Helena remains at home for a non-region game against Moody.
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