Ramsay the perfect test for Spartans

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The Mountain Brook High School football team pulled off a closer-than-hoped-for victory against Huffman last week to seal the No. 2 seed out of Class 7A, Region 3 and secure a first-round home playoff game.

“It’s everything,” head coach Chris Yeager said of hosting a playoff game, following his team's 24-17 victory over the Vikings. “We get to stay in our routine."

In the game against Huffman, the Spartans (7-2, 5-2 Region 3) needed a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns from Sean Elmore and Harold Joiner to secure the come-from-behind triumph.

Huffman quarterback Anthony Wiggins scored an 80-yard touchdown on the second play of the game, putting Mountain Brook in a hole it was forced to work out of all night.

Mountain Brook quarterback Hamp Sisson completed his evening with 50 rushing yards on 12 carries, and was 6-of-15 passing for 84 yards and a pair of scores.

Joiner also caught a 31-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, as he snuck out of the backfield to find himself wide open on the check down. Joiner finished with 86 total yards and two touchdowns – one rushing and one receiving. Sam Everette set up Joiner’s rushing score, with a handful of time-consuming runs. He finished with 51 yards on eight rushes.

Zachary Carroll and Joey Keating each picked off passes in the third quarter.

The Spartans have one final tune-up for the state playoffs, Thursday night at 7 p.m. against Ramsay. The Rams have been incredibly impressive in their first year as a Class 6A program and have beaten every in-state foe they have faced.

Ramsay currently sits at 8-1 overall, with its only loss coming to Grayson, Georgia, who is playing Hoover Friday night in a nationally televised contest.

The Rams look to be legitimate challengers for the 6A state title, and will provide a test for Mountain Brook equal to, if not greater than, what the Spartans will receive in the first round of the playoffs.

Next week, Mountain Brook will face the No. 3 seed from Region 4, which is still being decided between Bob Jones, James Clemens and Gadsden City.