Week 4 Football Preview: Spartans host Helena on Thursday

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Sports

Week 3 is in the books, each team has a region game under its belt and the Under the Lights teams are back at it for Week 4.

Here’s a quick look at the Week 3 slate. Be sure to follow Under the Lights on X and Facebook for updates all season long. Get all of our coverage in your inbox each Saturday morning as well.

Mountain Brook (1-2) vs. Helena (2-0)

  • Date: Thursday, Sept. 10
  • Time: 7 p.m.
  • Location: Spartan Stadium

Last week: Mountain Brook fell to Homewood 33-13; Helena beat Pelham 27-21.

What to watch: Mountain Brook continues Class 5A, Region 4 play looking to bounce back after a region-opening loss to Homewood. The Spartans will finally get to play their first home game of the season after three straight road trips to start the year. They will look to settle in and get into a rhythm against a Helena team that has started the season on a strong note. Helena went 5-6 a year ago, reaching the playoffs for a third straight season before falling in the first round.

Last meeting: The two teams last met in 2017, with Mountain Brook winning 41-0. The Spartans have won both previous meetings.

Next week: Mountain Brook travels to Chilton County, while Helena hosts Homewood.

John Carroll (1-2) at St. John Paul II (0-2)

  • Date: Thursday, Sept. 10
  • Time: 7 p.m.
  • Location: Joe Davis Stadium, Huntsville

Last week: John Carroll fell to American Christian 51-7; St. John Paul II fell to Madison Academy 54-7.

What to watch: John Carroll looks to regroup after a loss in its Private-AA, Region 2 opener to American Christian, expected to be one of the top teams in the region. The Cavaliers have an opportunity to get back on track against JPII, a team that has been outscored 145-31 over its first three games.

Last meeting: John Carroll and St. John Paul II have never met.

Next week: John Carroll hosts Lee-Scott, while St. John Paul II hosts American Christian.

Briarwood (3-0) at Lee-Scott (0-3)

  • Date: Friday, Sept. 11
  • Time: 7 p.m.
  • Location: Jud Scott Field, Auburn

Last week: Briarwood beat Westminster Christian 49-7; Lee-Scott fell to Randolph School 20-13.

What to watch: Briarwood scored on all four of its first-quarter possessions last week and enters at 3-0 after a win in which seven different players found the end zone. The Lions were dominant in the Private-AA, Region 2 opener last week and are heavily favored once again in this one.

Last meeting: Briarwood and Lee-Scott have never met.

Next week: Briarwood hosts Madison Academy on Thursday, while Lee-Scott travels to John Carroll.

Chelsea (0-3) vs. Ramsay (2-1)

  • Date: Friday, Sept. 11
  • Time: 7 p.m.
  • Location: Chelsea High School

Last week: Chelsea fell to Calera 31-14; Ramsay beat Chilton County 40-6.

What to watch: Chelsea is still searching for its first win of the season, but the Hornets showed positive signs last week. Chelsea held a 14-10 halftime lead before Calera took control of the contest. Ramsay is off to a solid 2-1 start, blowing past Chilton County in its region opener last week.

Last meeting: Chelsea and Ramsay have never met.

Next week: Chelsea hosts Pelham, while Ramsay returns home to play Calera.

Game of the Week

Oak Mountain (1-2) at Vestavia Hills (2-1)

  • Date: Friday, Sept. 11
  • Time: 7 p.m.
  • Location: Thompson Reynolds Stadium

Last week: Oak Mountain fell to Spain Park 42-21; Vestavia Hills fell to Thompson 49-0.

What to watch: Both teams are looking to regroup after losses to open Class 6A, Region 3 play. Oak Mountain finished strong after Spain Park ran out to a big lead in last week’s game. Vestavia Hills managed just 122 total yards against Thompson without starting quarterback Charlie Taaffe. The Rebels will look to get back to the impressive form they showed in the season’s first two weeks.

Last meeting: Vestavia Hills beat Oak Mountain 41-0 in 2025. Vestavia Hills has won 17 of the 22 meetings between the two programs.

Next week: Vestavia Hills hosts Spain Park, while Oak Mountain hosts Hoover.

Spain Park (3-0) vs. Thompson (3-0)

  • Date: Friday, Sept. 11
  • Time: 7 p.m.
  • Location: Jaguar Stadium

Last week: Spain Park beat Oak Mountain 42-21; Thompson beat Vestavia Hills 49-0.

What to watch: Spain Park is off to a 3-0 start behind a balanced attack that produced three Nash Davis touchdown passes and 184 rushing yards from CJ Davis last week. The Jaguars now face a Thompson team that has been nearly unstoppable, with senior quarterback Trent Seaborn setting the all-time AHSAA passing record last week. It will be a tall task for the Jags, but they get the Warriors at home.

Last meeting: Thompson beat Spain Park 55-14 in 2023. The two programs are tied 9-9 all-time.

Next week: Spain Park travels to Vestavia Hills, while Thompson hosts Tuscaloosa County.

Homewood (2-1) at Pelham (2-1)

  • Date: Friday, Sept. 11
  • Time: 7 p.m.
  • Location: Ned Bearden Stadium, Pelham

Last week: Homewood beat Mountain Brook 33-13; Pelham fell to Helena 27-21.

What to watch: Homewood is off to a 1-0 start in Class 5A, Region 4 after Reid Goldstein's three-touchdown night powered a region-opening win over Mountain Brook. The Patriots will look to keep that momentum going on the road against a Pelham team that is off to a strong start despite a heartbreaking loss to Helena last week.

Last meeting: Homewood beat Pelham 31-21 in 2023. Homewood has won 17 of the 24 meetings between the two programs.

Next week: Homewood travels to Helena, while Pelham travels to Chelsea.

Hoover (2-1) vs. Prattville (3-0)

  • Date: Friday, Sept. 11
  • Time: 7 p.m.
  • Location: Hoover Met

Last week: Hoover fell to Hewitt-Trussville 40-24; Prattville beat Tuscaloosa County 62-0.

What to watch: Hoover will look to rebound after falling behind in a wild first half at Hewitt-Trussville last week and never being able to catch up in the Class 6A, Region 3 opener. Prattville enters as one of three Region 3 teams with an unblemished record so far and has the looks of a team on the rise. Hoover’s defense that led the way in the first two wins of the season will need to play to that elite level once again this week.

Last meeting: Hoover beat Prattville 48-23 in 2025. Hoover has won seven of the 10 meetings between the two programs.

Next week: Hoover travels to Oak Mountain, while Prattville heads to Hewitt-Trussville.

Hewitt-Trussville (2-1) at Tuscaloosa County (0-3)

  • Date: Friday, Sept. 11
  • Time: 7 p.m.
  • Location: Wildcat Field

Last week: Hewitt-Trussville beat Hoover 40-24; Tuscaloosa County fell to Prattville 62-0.

What to watch: Josh Floyd earned his 100th career win as Hewitt-Trussville's head coach last week, as the Huskies held off a persistent Hoover team behind three total touchdowns from Jack Floyd. The Huskies should earn win No. 101 this week against a struggling Tuscaloosa County team that has been outscored 168-7 over its first three games.

Last meeting: Hewitt-Trussville beat Tuscaloosa County 49-7 in 2025. Hewitt-Trussville has won 10 of the 11 meetings between the two programs.

Next week: Hewitt-Trussville hosts Prattville, while Tuscaloosa County heads to Thompson.

Clay-Chalkville (2-1) at Southside-Rainbow City (2-0)

  • Date: Friday, Sept. 11
  • Time: 7 p.m.
  • Location: Barney Hood Stadium, Southside

Last week: Clay-Chalkville beat Springville 68-0; Southside-Gadsden had an open date.

What to watch: Clay-Chalkville responded to its first loss in over a year with a dominant region-opening win against Springville last week, and the Cougars will look to build on that momentum in their second Class 5A, Region 6 test. Southside has impressed in its first two wins this season, but the Cougars are playing at an entirely different level than Chelsea and Hokes Bluff.

Last meeting: Clay-Chalkville beat Southside 63-0 in 2020, in the only previous meeting between the two programs.

Next week: Clay-Chalkville hosts Oxford, while Southside travels to Pinson Valley.

Historical data courtesy of AHSFHS.org.