Spartans draw Gadsden City in first round

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Last week's game may not have counted towards playoff seeding, but Mountain Brook High School head football coach Chris Yeager called the Spartans' 19-13 victory over Ramsay a "signature win."

In a tight win that gave Mountain Brook a three-game winning streak heading into the postseason, the Spartans knocked off the visiting Rams, the first in-state team to do so all season.

“This game, the kids played unbelievable,” said Yeager following the game. “They’ve got a very good football team and explosive players, well-coached. To me, this was a signature win for us. That’s one of the best teams that we’ve played all year long.”

The Spartan offense totaled just 242 yards in the contest. Running back Harold Joiner finished the night with 74 yards on 21 carries. Quarterback Hamp Sisson went 11-of-19 passing for 109 yards. Receiver Wilson Higgins picked up 58 yards on six grabs.

But now, attention turns to Friday night. From here on out, the season is a do-or-die proposition each week.

“It’s time to peak now, which means we’ve got to get to the pinnacle of our performance individually and as a team,” Yeager said.

Mountain Brook's 8-2 overall record and 5-2 mark in Class 7A, Region 3 was enough to earn the No. 2 seed in arguably the toughest region in 7A. As a result, the Spartans are afforded the opportunity to stay at home for at least the first week of the postseason. 

Friday night at 7 p.m. at Spartan Stadium, Mountain Brook will play host to Gadsden City, who came out No. 3 in Region 4 after a three-way tie for second.

The Spartans are in the playoffs for the first time since 2013, when they suffered a first-round loss. But in Yeager's previous five playoff appearances, Mountain Brook won at least two playoff games each year.

Mountain Brook and Gadsden City have played just twice since the Titans began play in 2006, both also coming in the postseason. The Spartans won both contests.

The winner would advance to the quarterfinal round and play the winner between Hewitt-Trussville and Oak Mountain.