Spain Park releases football schedule for return to Class 6A
Published Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at 5:23 p.m.
- Spain Park is planning a new soccer schedule as it returns to Class 6A in 2024, with an opening opponent and a new regional opponent. (File)
Andrew Simonson Sports Editor
After being demoted to Class 6A, the Spain Park Jaguars have released their 2024 football schedule, charting a path through their first season in the class since 2013.
The Jags will face Sparkman, Hoover, James Clemens and Gardendale in non-region games, along with new Class 6A, Region 3 opponents Helena, Benjamin Russell, Pelham, Chelsea, Calera and Chilton County. .
Spain Park begins its season on Aug. 23 with a home game against the Sparkman Senators, the first of two straight games against Class 7A opponents.
This is the first time the Jags and Senators have met since 2005, and Spain Park is 2-1 in the series, including the 2004 playoff matchup. Sparkman finished the playoffs with a 5-5 record in Class 7A, Region 4 and should be a solid test for the Jags.
Spain Park will then travel across town for the latest installment of its rivalry with Hoover, to be held at the Hoover Met on August 30th.
Last year’s Class 7A, Region 3 game was a close 28-20, with the Bucs winning in the end, but the Jags never had a chance to win.
Although a playoff berth is not on the line, Spain Park will be eager to earn city bragging rights and end an eight-game losing streak against Hoover.
The Jags then have a bye week on Sept. 6, then travel to Helena to take on the Huskies on Sept. 13 to begin regional play.
It will be the first meeting in program history between the two teams, and it should be a great game between the current regional runner-up Huskies and a Spain Park team that did well in the tough Class 7A region in 2023.
The following week, the Jags will play their first game at home on Sept. 20 against the reigning Class 6A, Region 3 champion Benjamin Russell Wildcats.
This is another interesting matchup between Spain Park and the Wildcats, who are missing multiple state players and have the potential for a big playoff run.
The Jags will then take a short break from regional play and travel north to Madison to face the James Clemens Jets on September 27th.
The Jets will be Spain Park’s third and final Class 7A opponent in 2024, and will be the first regular-season matchup since 2015 and 2016, when both teams met in the playoffs.
James Clemens won the region championship last season with a 7-4 record in Class 7A in Region 4, and it will be interesting to see how the Jags stack up against that.
Spain Park then begins a three-game series of county games with a road trip against the Pelham Panthers on Oct. 4.
The Jags won the non-region matchup 39-0 in last year’s final game of the season, but things will be different for this year’s game, with added playoff stakes.
Spain Park will then have a short week before playing at home to Chelsea Hornets on Thursday, October 10th.
For the past two years, the Jags and Hornets shared Class 7A, Region 3, but will now remain in the same region as both teams move down to Class 6A. Spain Park have won their last four games and will be hoping to remain unbeaten against Chelsea.
The Jags will then play their final home game of the season on October 18th against the Carrera Eagles.
With Spain Park winning 55-0 in the season opener last year and both teams being regional foes, Carrera has replaced Scott Reals as head coach and a new face at the helm. I will take it.
The Jags will face the Chilton County Tigers on Oct. 25, concluding regional play with the first of back-to-back road games.
This will be the first matchup for Spain Park’s program. With a playoff berth always a possibility in the final week of regional play, the Jags are likely looking forward to facing a Tigers team that is 4-6 and will have a new coach next year.
Finally, Spain Park will play the final regular season game on the road against the Gardendale Rockets on November 1st.
The Jags lead the series 3-1, but have not faced the Rockets since 2009. The playoff scenario is likely decided at this point, but Spain Park will be looking for a fourth straight win against a Gardendale team that was 3-8. In 2023.