Spartans not fazed by challenge at Thompson

The Mountain Brook High School football team responded with a gutsy performance.

After getting drilled by Ramsay, 28-7, in the final regular season contest, the Spartans (8-3) advanced to the second round of the Class 7A playoffs with a tight, 23-22, victory over Bob Jones.

After a back-and-forth first half, A.J. Gates gave Mountain Brook the lead for good, 23-19, in the third quarter with a spectacular 80-yard run. Later, Bob Jones put together a 19-play drive, but the Spartans defense held firm and forced a field goal that only narrowed the deficit to 23-22.

For the game, Gates finished with 113 yards on seven carries. Quarterback Hamp Sisson gained 63 yards on the ground with a score, and was 8-of-14 for 113 yards passing. Hamp Greene caught three passes for 53 yards, while Clay Stearns caught twice for 33 yards.

The task will be markedly tougher this Friday, as Mountain Brook makes its second trip to Larry Simmons Stadium this fall to take on unbeaten Thompson, who drilled Huntsville, 35-0, last week in the first round.

Mountain Brook head coach Chris Yeager is not fazed by the challenge.

“It’s another week we get to play football. And I’d play the Chicago Bears or the Green Bay Packers for another week. I’d play them on the moon. I’d play them in Iraq. I don’t care. It’s just another week we get to play the great game of football,” he said.

The odds were stacked against the Spartans the first time around, as they faced Thompson immediately following a taxing loss to Hoover the week prior. It was also Mountain Brook’s third straight road contest. It showed, as the Warriors handled business and won, 40-13.

The Spartans are in the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2012, but their chances of advancing to the semifinals for the first time since 2010 hinge largely on the health of running backs Gates and Harold Joiner. Both backs went down with injuries in the Bob Jones victory, and their status for this week has not been determined.

The winner of the game faces either Hoover or Hewitt-Trussville in the semifinals.

- Robert Carter contributed to this report.