Region play begins in September for Spartans

The month of September signifies the beginning of Class 7A, Region 3 play for the Mountain Brook High School football team.

The Spartans began the season with a pair of home games in August, against Northridge and Center Point. The turn of the calendar presents Mountain Brook with three consecutive region foes before an open week the fourth and final Friday of the month.

Mountain Brook rolled through September last fall, winning all three games it played and exiting the month with a 5-0 record, one that would increase to 7-0 before the Spartans’ first loss.

On Sept. 6, the Spartans will play host to Tuscaloosa County. Mountain Brook has won each of the last five meetings between the two programs and holds a 15-5 overall lead in the series. Last season, Mountain Brook ran away with a 34-0 win over the Wildcats. The Spartans led 14-0 late in the third quarter, before three second-half scores sealed the outcome.

Tuscaloosa County has a new face roaming the sidelines this fall, as former defensive coordinator Jay Todd was promoted to head coach in February.

Mountain Brook visits Spain Park on Sept. 13. The Spartans have won the last three meetings between the two teams, but by only a combined 13 points. Spain Park still leads the all-time series 8-7.

In last season’s meeting, Spain Park scored on the game’s opening play, before the Spartans scored 24 unanswered points and won 24-14.

Mountain Brook finishes off the month with a trip to Vestavia Hills on Sept. 20. Mountain Brook has won four of the last six in the rivalry, including the last two, but the Rebels hold a 29-24 edge in the series.

In last fall’s meeting, the Spartans piled up 284 rushing yards to roll to a 28-14 victory