Spartans crush Woodlawn
BIRMINGHAM -- It didn’t take long for the Mountain Brook High School football team to take a big lead against Woodlawn on Thursday night at Lawson Field, en route to a dominant 51-0 win in the Class 6A, Region 5 opener for both teams.
Junior Jake Thompson started the first series at quarterback for Mountain Brook and picked up 29 yards through the air and another 16 yards on the ground on the drive, including a 1-yard touchdown run to open the scoring two-and-a-half minutes into the first quarter.
After forcing a three-and-out on defense, senior quarterback Strother Gibbs took over for Mountain Brook and on his first play found Sims Brown for a 43-yard touchdown. Gibbs found Ethan Shunnarah on the Spartan’s next drive, a 24-yard touchdown pass.
After a James Nichols interception on the Colonels’ ensuing drive, Mountain Brook running back George Cain ran about 40 yards down to the Woodlawn 14-yard line before taking it to the end zone on the next play to give Mountain Brook a 28-0 lead late in the first quarter.
Thompson found Jackson Beatty for a 48-yard touchdown pass later in the half.
Reed Harradine put Mountain Brook up 38-0 at halftime with a short field goal.
The second half saw much of the same. Pete Fruin picked off a pass to set up a 1-yard touchdown run from Nichols, and Heath Griffin scored an 11-yard touchdown as time expired.
The Spartans finished with 154 yards through the air, 77 yards apiece for Gibbs and Thompson. They picked up 238 rushing yards, Cain leading the way with 75 yards and McMinn adding 65.
Woodlawn gained just 54 total yards.
After the game, Thompson said it was great to get the playing time and praised his teammates for a total team effort.
Mountain Brook head coach Chris Yeager said it was great to be out playing football again, as the Spartans’ first game against Vestavia Hills was canceled due to COVID-19 and they had their game against Huntsville last week canceled due to weather.
“Just to get out here and play football was great,” Yeager said.
Up next, the Spartans travel to Huffman on Sept. 11.
Click here to view and purchase photos from the game.