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Week 0 Primer: High school football kicks off

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Photo by Todd Lester

The high school football season is upon us. After a tumultuous few months for everyone in the world, the season is set to begin on time, with Spain Park making a trip to Huntsville on Thursday night. Nine other teams from the Starnes Media coverage area will make their season debuts on Friday night, including Hewitt-Trussville, Pinson Valley and Clay-Chalkville.

In terms of making a hopeful run to the playoffs, these games have no further implications. But getting started in a season that has already seen so many hurdles and sudden schedule changes — Hoover’s game was only agreed to on Tuesday — is quite a feat.

Here’s a quick look at several of the gridiron matchups this week. 

Spain Park at Huntsville

Last season: Spain Park finished with a 4-6 record and missed the playoffs. Huntsville finished the season with a 6-4 mark and also missed the postseason.

What to watch: Spain Park and Huntsville begin the 2020 season on Thursday night, with both programs looking to start a successful campaign with a non-region victory. Spain Park has a new quarterback in Bennett Meredith, who will be surrounded with playmakers like Jaylen Ward and Cooper Kelley. The Jags defense is also certain to improve this fall as well after dealing with a rash of injuries last fall.

Last meeting: Spain Park downed Huntsville 35-21 on Oct. 29, 2009. Spain Park has won both meetings between the two schools.

Hewitt-Trussville at Pinson Valley

Last season: Hewitt-Trussville posted a 6-4 record and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2012. Pinson Valley went 10-3 and advanced to the Class 6A semifinals.

What to watch: Both teams are expected to be stout this fall, with both teams ranked preseason No. 3 in their class (Hewitt in 7A, Pinson in 6A). Hewitt-Trussville returns a bevy of talented skill players and a defense that should only improve in its second season under Sean Talsma. Sam Shade is the new head man at Pinson Valley, taking his first head coaching job at a program in no need of a rebuild.

Last meeting: Hewitt-Trussville held off Pinson Valley 40-33 on Aug. 23, 2019. Hewitt-Trussville has won 23 of the 30 meetings between the schools all time.

Clay-Chalkville at Shades Valley

Last season: Clay-Chalkville posted double-digit wins for the seventh time in eight years, going 10-3 and advancing to the Class 6A quarterfinals. Shades Valley went 3-7 last fall.

What to watch: Clay-Chalkville has established itself as one of the premier programs in Class 6A over the last decade, and the Cougars have reason to believe the 2020 season can be another successful one after deep playoff runs in each of Drew Gilmer’s first three seasons as head coach. Jamie Mitchell is beginning his first year as the head man at Shades Valley after a successful track record coaching in Arkansas.

Last meeting: Clay-Chalkville put up a 31-13 win over Shades Valley on Oct. 4, 2019. The Cougars have not lost to the Mounties since 2003. 

Hoover at Central-Phenix City

Last season: Hoover finished the 2019 season with a 10-3 record, advancing to the Class 7A semifinals, where the Bucs were knocked off by Thompson for the second straight year. Central-Phenix City went 12-2, falling to Thompson in the state championship game.

What to watch: Thompson went through Hoover and Central last fall to claim its first state title in over 30 years, so the game features two of the top teams in the classification. Hoover is looking to get back to the pinnacle of 7A after two straight years of being knocked out in the semis. Patrick Nix has a tough opponent in his first game as Central’s new head man, as Nix inherits a strong program after three wildly successful years at Pinson Valley.

Last meeting: A last-second field goal propelled Hoover to a 17-14 victory over Central-Phenix City on Aug. 24, 2019. Hoover has won all three previous meetings between the two schools.

Homewood vs. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa

Last season: Homewood finished the year with a 4-7 record, falling in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa went 3-7 on the year, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

What to watch: After back-to-back 10-win seasons, Homewood barely kept its eight-year playoff streak alive last fall. The Patriots won the games they needed to after a slow start and finished the season on an encouraging note. Homewood will be looking for a new starting quarterback and a receiver to replace the dynamic Trae Ausmer. Hillcrest was a victim of a tough schedule that caught up to it at the end of last season.

Last meeting: Homewood shut out Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa 21-0 on Sept. 29, 1995. The teams have not met in 25 years, but they have split the previous four meetings.

John Carroll at Fultondale

Last season: John Carroll posted a 2-8 record and missed out on the playoffs for the 10th straight year. Fultondale went 8-3 on the year and advanced to the Class 3A postseason.

What to watch: It’s the first game for Will Mara as the head coach of a fledgling John Carroll program. The Cavs have struggled to win games in recent seasons, typically running into injury concerns after promising starts. But Mara graduated from John Carroll in 2011 and has served on the coaching staff ever since, and believes he knows what it will take to achieve success there.

Last meeting: Fultondale squeaked out a 21-20 win over John Carroll on Sept. 27, 2019. John Carroll holds a 5-4 lead in the all-time series. 

Briarwood at Fort Payne

Last season: Briarwood finished the 2019 season with a 12-2 record and reached the semifinals of the Class 5A playoffs in head coach Matthew Forester’s first season. Fort Payne went 9-3 last fall, advancing to the second round of the 6A playoffs. 

What to watch: Briarwood moves up to 6A and faces a non-region 6A foe to begin the campaign. Briarwood returns several starters from a season ago and will look to get the year started on the right foot. The game was recently scheduled after Briarwood’s original Week 0 opponent, Madison Academy, canceled due to COVID-19 concerns. Fort Payne is led by former Chelsea head coach Chris Elmore.

Last meeting: Briarwood held off Fort Payne 30-26 in the first round of the state playoffs on Nov. 6, 2015. Briarwood has won all three meetings between the two schools. 

Chelsea at Oak Mountain

Last season: Chelsea advanced to the postseason for the first time since 2016, finishing with a 5-6 record. Oak Mountain finished 4-6 last fall and failed to advance to the playoffs.

What to watch: Both teams are looking to get the season started on the right foot in a battle of Shelby County foes. Oak Mountain quarterback Evan Smith returns for his third year as a starter and leads an Eagles team ripe with experience. Dustin Goodwin will break in his third new quarterback in as many seasons with the Hornets, as they look to build upon a successful 2019. 

Last meeting: Oak Mountain put together a 17-0 win last season on Aug. 23. Oak Mountain holds a 7-1 lead in the series, with Chelsea’s only win coming in 2016. 

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