Spartans make semifinal run in 2020

The Mountain Brook High School football team put together one of its most successful seasons in school history in 2020.

The Spartans navigated plenty of challenges, including COVID-19 and moving from Class 7A to 6A, but they handled everything with aplomb and advanced all the way to the semifinals for the first time since 2010, posting a 12-2 record on the year.

Mountain Brook’s season began on a bit of shaky ground, as Vestavia Hills was forced to forfeit the season opener due to COVID-19. The following week, Huntsville was unable to travel to Mountain Brook to play due to weather, giving the Spartans another victory on their resume without showing up to play yet. The Spartans did get on the field Aug. 29, beating Calera in a game that went down as a jamboree contest.

Mountain Brook officially got its season going Sept. 3 in a 51-0 rout of Woodlawn, a new foe in 6A, Region 5 this fall. The Spartans kept rolling with a 28-7 win over Huffman, but things became more challenging the following week. Against Shades Valley on Sept. 17, quarterback Strother Gibbs was banged up early in the game and Mountain Brook grinded out a 24-7 win.

Without Gibbs the following week, the Spartans were no match for Thompson in a 31-0 defeat, Mountain Brook’s only one of the regular season.

Following the loss and an open week, Mountain Brook turned the page and put together a brilliant stretch of football to close out the year. The Spartans beat Briarwood 17-7 in a physical contest, then shut out Homewood 28-0 on Oct. 15. Mountain Brook beat Chelsea 35-21 the following week, turning it on after a shaky first half. The Spartans then traveled to Austin and beat the 7A Black Bears 31-22 in the regular season finale.

In three playoff wins, Mountain Brook’s exceptional defense surrendered a total of 17 points. The Spartans began their postseason run Nov. 6 with a dominant 38-7 win over Muscle Shoals, then pulled out a 6-0 win in a defensive slugfest against Gardendale in the second round. The shutout of the Rockets was Mountain Brook’s third on the year for a defense that allowed just over 11 points per game all season.

In the quarterfinals, Mountain Brook pulled away with a 21-10 win over Clay-Chalkville. But in the semifinals Nov. 27, Pinson Valley controlled the game after two early big plays and knocked off the Spartans 27-10. Pinson Valley went on to defeat Spanish Fort in the 6A championship game for the Indians’ third state crown in four years.

Mountain Brook head coach Chris Yeager led the Spartans to the semifinals for the first time since 2010. He has led the program to five straight playoff appearances and has only missed out on postseason play four times in his 15 years as the head man. This fall was the first double-digit win season since three straight from 2010-12.

He said this year’s group was one of the most enjoyable to be around on a daily basis as he has ever coached.

“It’s been an incredible group of seniors,” he said. “It’s a special group. It’s hard to believe that there’s 36 quality guys like they have been and they’ve added to our community and program and my life, personally.”