Spartans set for showdown against Hoover
One of the most anticipated matchups in Class 7A, Region 3 play this fall occurs this week, the opening week of region play.
This Friday at 7 p.m., the Mountain Brook High School football team will host Hoover at Spartan Stadium. The Spartans had a resurgence last fall, posting a 5-2 mark in the region, with one of those losses coming to the Bucs.
The two schools have played 17 times since 2000, and Mountain Brook has only come away victorious once (2011). Four of those meetings have come in the playoffs.
In last year’s meeting, Hoover kicker Barret Pickering chipped in four field goals in a 19-3 win over the Spartans. The Hoover defense that was so stout a year ago held Mountain Brook to just 102 yards total.
Whether or not Mountain Brook’s offense can provide more of a punch against a young Hoover defense will prove a major factor in the contest. The Spartans defense gave up over 400 yards, but still made enough plays to keep the score close.
As for this season, Mountain Brook has followed up its strong campaign last fall with a solid start to this one, scoring an abundance of points on offense and showing promise on the defensive side.
Last week, the Spartans handled Helena, 41-0, behind the second four-touchdown game from running back Harold Joiner to start the season. Senior quarterback Hamp Sisson was also impressive, as he went 12-of-15 for 164 yards in the victory.
A young Spartan defense has played three consecutive great halves of football, beginning with the second half of the season opener against Gulf Shores. Head coach Chris Yeager was anxious entering the season about how the unit would react because of how many new starters were set to take the stage.
But that unit has thrived in the first two weeks of the season, and the Spartans will need both sides of the ball performing at a high capacity to pull off the upset.
Hoover lost its season opener at Grayson (Georgia), but rebounded nicely by beating Meridian (Mississippi), 42-7, last week.
The Bucs defense played well against Meridian, intercepting three passes, including one returned for a touchdown by Sam Sanford.
On offense, Hoover got contributions across the board, with Jacquez Allen, Vonte’ Brackett and Larry McCammon all scoring touchdowns. Quarterback Jalen Parker chipped in with a score of his own, as the Bucs dismantled the out-of-state foe.
Karl Hunt and John Phillips Jr. contributed to this report.