Countdown to kickoff: Spartans defense always a pride point

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Sports

The official start of high school football season is in 31 days as of July 20, with teams permitted to begin AHSAA competition on Aug. 20.

Mountain Brook will open the season in 32 days, as the Spartans head to Hueytown on Friday, Aug. 21.

As kickoff approaches over the next several weeks, Village Living and Under the Lights will count down the days until the opening kick.

Mountain Brook's defense has long been a point of pride for the program, and this fall that responsibility falls to a senior class that's played together since elementary school. Seniors Henry Walton, Graham Smith and Skip Stuermann will lead a defense replacing significant experience, but all three say the standard isn't going anywhere. They took to the microphone at a preseason media day to discuss their expectations for the season.

"There's definitely a legacy that's been behind us, especially defensively," Smith said. "It's important for us to set a high standard and be able to compete at the highest level."

Stuermann said he believes this year's group has what it takes to keep that going, even while replacing key contributors.

"I think our defense, we have enough experience, and our new guys have stepped up enough to where we can keep that legacy going and continue the strong Mountain Brook defense trend," he said.

Walton, who plays defensive end and nose guard, said the pride in the position runs deep.

"I take a lot of pride in it because we work at it every day, whether that's film session or all the practices," Walton said. "It's really awesome to see when we put all that hard work into use."

All three have been teammates since well before high school. Walton said the group's roots trace back to third grade, when they first started playing tackle football against one another, before coming together as one team in junior high. Smith said junior high was the turning point where that bond really started to form.

"That was probably the most pivotal point, because that's when all the schools came together and we were all playing on the same team, getting to know each other," Smith said. "Now that we're on varsity going into our senior year, it's a lot better feeling knowing you've got guys around you that you've been playing football with your whole life."

The trio also acknowledged the challenge of breaking in a defense with several new faces stepping into significant roles for the first time.

"People will learn all the plays for one position, move on to the next, and you just have to really be there for them and coach them up, because they're going to get stuff wrong," Walton said. "If you're not there helping them, they're not going to get any better."

The Spartans defense allowed 18 points per game last fall and will aim to better that number this fall. Later in the countdown to kickoff series, defensive coordinator Shane Stearns will provide insight into the metrics the defense emphasizes.