Spain Park

Will

Price

LINEBACKERS

Finding the right fit at linebacker will be key for Ellison and this year’s defense, but it will have to come in the form of new faces. Will Price and Bradley Horton are two players who stood out heading into the fall. That, however, is as far as the confidence extends for the coaching staff. They are still trying to piece together the rest of the unit because of the lack of returning experience with several players battling. SECONDARY

With Ellison and Crumpton rearranging positions across the team, there will be little back in the secondary, but there are four athletes with upside. The benefit is fewer players will be playing both ways. Sophomores Micah Swain and Coby Moore have been standouts in the offseason and should play an important role, while Noah Reed is also expected to help. However, the top defensive back will be a two-way player with Pearson moving over as the quarterback of the defense in the secondary.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The coaching staff feels confident in the abilities of Tommy Grigsby handling the kicking duties this season as a junior. A soccer player and strong athlete, Ellison said he can handle several different aspects of special teams including all kicking duties.

Photo by Keith McCoy

EDITOR’S 2021 PREDICTION (7-3)

Coming off of a playoff berth for the first time since 2009, the Shelby County Wildcats can enter the season with a newfound sense of confidence. They also get the rejuvenation of a new head coach with alum Zeb Ellison taking over after spending several years as the defensive coordinator at Chelsea. He will get the most out of his players, but them adjusting to any changes in style will go a long way in determining how successful the Wildcats are. The defense was the key last year with a drastic improvement and will have to find a way for new faces to help make a difference again this season. Talent wise, the Wildcats will be as good or better than all but one or two teams entering the season, meaning the work ethic and improvement along the way will determine how successful they are. It’s tough to see this year’s Shelby County team finishing much worse than last year, meaning a second consecutive playoff appearance is possible.

GO WILDCATS!

Representative Corley Ellis

Mon-Thu, 10-7 Fri-Sat, 10-8 121 Old Hwy 25, Columbiana Alabama House District 41

Mon-Thu, 10-7 Fri-Sat, 10-8 121 Old Hwy 25, Columbiana

GO WILDCATS! Representative Corley EllisGood luck Alabama House District 41Wildcats!

JAGUARS CLASSIFICATION AHSAA Class 7A, Region 3 2020 RECORD 4-6 (1-6)

The Spain Park Jaguars are in the midst of their longest playoff drought in school history dating back to 2018, which is something head coach Shawn Raney hopes to end in his ninth year leading the team.

A team that relied on defense to create much of its most recent success has turned into an offensive team the last few years. The Jaguars haven’t given up less than 20 points per game since 2016 and are coming off back-to-back years of giving up 36-plus points.

With the offense losing a lot of its production and changing its style of play, the defense will have to find a way to drastically improve.

A good offseason in the weight room and the return of a strong junior class should make it possible, but only time will tell if this year’s team has what it takes to match up against one of the toughest schedules in the state.

HEAD COACH

Shawn Raney

RECORD

52-35 (Ninth year)

ASSISTANT COACHES

Danny Ward, Matt Thompson, Keat Litton, Brian Maner, Bob Bietighofer, Darrius Taylor, Chris Wood, Danny Kimble, Eric Gibbons

LAST REGION TITLE

2015

LAST PLAYOFF GAME

2017

MEET THE TEAM

QUARTERBACK

The loss of 3,000-yard quarterback Bennett Meredith to rival Hoover will be a tough blow to Spain Park heading into the season, but Evan Smallwood is ready to take control of an offense that may run more of an option attack this season. Smallwood brings a size of 5-foot-10, 170 pounds to the table as a junior and is one of the team’s best athletes as a humble leader. He’s a speedy threat with his legs and is also showing improvement with his arm.

RUNNING BACK

Running back Justin Pegues is also gone from last year’s team, now at Thompson, but one of the best athletes on the team will return. Junior Zamir Farris

Evan

Smallwood

Zamir Farris

got plenty of playing time last year and has put on 15-20 pounds in the offseason. A talented playmaker, he is one of the fastest on the team and will be key to the offense’s success. Behind him, younger players are still battling to add depth.

RECEIVERS

There won’t be a standout receiver returning this season with the loss of Jaylen Ward, Cooper Kelley and David Moultry, but the Jaguars have several players who understand what they need to do to be successful. Pierson Cole, a former safety, will move over to the position because of his athleticism, while Landon Miller adds a senior who has played some at tight end and half back in the past. Clay Spencer, John Michael Lee and George Gilbert add three juniors who will fill important roles out wide from a catching and

2021 SCHEDULE

Aug. 20: Huntsville Aug. 27: Briarwood Sept. 3: @ Hewitt-Trussville* Sept. 10: @ Thompson* Sept. 17: Gadsden City* Sept. 24: Bye Oct. 1: Oak Mountain* Oct. 8: Hoover* Oct. 15: @Vestavia Hills* Oct. 22: Tuscaloosa County Oct. 28: Hueytown#

*Region game #Thursday night game

blocking standpoint.

OFFENSIVE LINE

A reason for confidence on the offensive side will be up front. With athleticism at the quarterback and running back positions, the offensive line returns a plethora of experience to

Evan Smallwood, QB

Smallwood will step in at quarterback this year and will likely lead a newlook Spain Park offense with more of an option attack thanks to his athleticism.

Zamir Farris, RB

Farris will complement Smallwood at the running back position thanks to a speedy and shifty back who can make people miss in space.

Conner May, OL

A returning starter up front, May will be key in helping the Jags transition to a different style of offense.

Caldwell Bussey, DL

Bussey will return to the defensive line as one of the best athletes on the team.

KEY DEPARTURES

Cooper Kelley

A 1,000-yard receiver last year, Kelley was the top target for two years and will be difficult to replace.

Bennett Meredith

In his lone year before transferring to crosstown rival Hoover, Meredith threw for more than 3,000 yards.

Jaylen Ward

With more than 700 yards as the team’s second-leading receiver, Ward also transferred and has joined Thompson.

Justin Pegues

The team’s leading rusher with 570 yards and 11 touchdowns, Pegues was versatile, also posting 426 yards and two additional touchdowns receiving.

CHANGE IN STYLE With the loss of their top five offensive playmakers, one to graduation and four to transfer, the Jaguars are looking to change their style on the offensive side of the ball this year. An offense that has been putting up gaudy numbers in a spread-style of play that featured a lot of passing may now feature more option play thanks to the athletic abilities of quarterback Evan Smallwood and running back Zamir Farris. Smallwood has shown the ability to throw in the offseason, but the wheels of he and Farris can make a difference.

FINDING AN IDENTITY For Spain Park to be successful this season, an identity will have to be formed, and it will have to happen early in the season. The past four years, it has been a pass-heavy attack with some of the best quarterbacks in the state, while the defense has taken a hit. Last year, the defense gave up the most points it has in school history. That has to change this year. With a shift in offensive style, the defense will have to form an identity this year, and with games against some of the state’s best offenses in the first four weeks, the Jags will have to be sharp going into the season.

FUEL TO THE FIRE Spain Park coaches and players have to feel slighted just a little bit going into this season due to the transfer of five athletes who would have been seniors returning for what would have been one of the state’s best teams. While the players may still be friends, it definitely leaves a bitter taste in your mouth when your teammates decide to leave. That should have the Jags motivated to prove they can win without them, especially with games against four of the five.

KEEP ON CHURNING The Jags will face a brutal start this season with three of their first four games coming against teams who won eight or more games and made it to at least the second round of the playoffs last year. After that, however, Spain Park will only have one road game the rest of the way and only one game left against a team that made the postseason last year. There is a very real possibility of going 5-1 over the final six games if the Jags can keep on churning.

2021 SPAIN PARK Roster

NO. NAME

POSITION YEAR

1 Pierson Cole WR/DB 12 2 George Gilbert WR 11 2 Tucker Steed DB 12 3 Brian Alston DL 11 4 Alex Smith DB\WR 11 5 Landon Miller TE 12 5 Jackson Mitchell LB 11 6 Clay Spencer WR 11 6 KJ Rudolph LB 11 7 Evan Smallwood QB 11 7 Ethan Gutkowski LB 12 8 Jamari Mosley DB 10 9 Jeremiah Myers WR 12 9 Kelby Roberson DB 10 10 Mitchell Nutter QB 10 10 Jonas Harrellson LB 11 11 Dee Davis DB 12 12 Jack Kendrick DB 11 13 Colin Cutcliff DB 10 14 CJ Clency DL 11 15 Cameron Flanigan WR 12 16 John Michael Lee WR 11 17 Josyvan Almazan QB 10 18 Angel Ortiz DB 11 19 Jonathan Bibbs DB 10 20 Walker Russell DB 11 21 Caldwell Bussey DL\TE 11 22 Jack Taylor WR 12 23 Keionte Robinson DB 10 24 Stopher Walls DB 11 26 Keaton Sandford LB 10 27 Logan Brownlee WR 10 28 Zamir Farris RB 11 29 Eli Johnson RB 12 30 Tyler Hunter DB 12 31 Grayson Brock LB 10 32 Logan Denson DB 12 33 Carter Dickinson DB 11 34 Jack Stewart RB 10 35 Zavier Long RB 10 36 Landon Huey LB 10

NO. NAME POSITION YEAR

37 Jaylon Hatcher DL 10 38 Knox Holston WR 10 40 Evan Bishop FB 11 41 Aiden Bayne WR 10 42 Jacob Roe LB 10 44 Braxton Sumpter K 12 46 Sam Lee FB 10 47 Chase Wolsoncroft LB 10 48 Dillon Orr FB/DL 12 49 Omar Badawi DL 10 51 Conner Langston OL 10 52 Lorenzo Garcia LB 11 53 Parker Stone DL 12 54 Coleman Gray OL 10 55 Conner May OL 12 56 Travis Mann OL 12 58 Sean Corey LB 10 60 Mason Cooper OL 10 61 Thornton Allen OL 12 66 Ashton Sauder OL 11 71 Morgan Bowden OL 11 74 Hudson Cahalan OL 10 76 Broxton Baugh OL 10 77 Rayshod Burts OL 11 78 Josh Lewis DL 10 79 Evan Eaker OL 10 80 Tripp Morgan DL 11 81 Alex Lloyd K 10 82 Cam Mcfarlin DL 10 84 Jassiel Almazan WR 10 85 Grey Burton WR 11 86 Tyler Walker DB 10 87 Jacob Olsen DL\TE 10 88 Mason Bowden DL\TE 11 90 Micah Ford OL 12 91 Alden Dorn DL 10 92 Jackson Boler DL 12 93 Nikolas Alston DL 9 95 Jarod Smith DL 9 97 Morgan Rich DL 10 99 Landon Johnson DL 9

help this year’s team be successful. Threeyear starter Conner May returns with the most experience and a frame of 6-foot-1, 260 pounds. Joining him will be returnees senior Jackson Boler and juniors Morgan Bowden and Rashard Burts. All four played last year and will be leaned upon heavily this season. Other young linemen are battling to fill in the fifth spot and to add depth up front. DEFENSIVE LINE

Just as exciting as the offensive front is the return of three experienced players on the defensive line. Brian Alston, Caldwell Bussey and Mason Bowden will all return as juniors. All stand similar in stature around 6-foot-2, 220 pounds. Alston will handle one end, while Busssey is one of the most athletic linemen on the team. Bowden is coming off a knee injury, but should be

Photo by Keith McCoy

ready to make an impact.

LINEBACKERS

The linebacker position will bring question marks for the defense heading into the season for the second year in a row. Ethan Gutowski will return as a starter for his senior season, while junior Jonas Harrelson will join him after earning important playing time last year. Gutowski is the smaller of the two at 5-foot-9, 185 pounds, while Harrelson adds a 6-foot, 210-pound athlete to the position. After those two, however, the coaching staff was still looking for the right fit going into fall practice.

SECONDARY

A strength of last year’s team, the secondary will feature several new faces this year. TJ Metcalf was set to be the top player back this season, but transferred midway through the summer. Now, senior cornerback Tyler Hunter is primed to lead at the position as a returning starter. In addition to him, Alex Smith will take on the other corner position with some experience back as a junior. Jack Kendrick, a 6-foot, 195-pound junior is considered the team’s best

EDITOR’S 2021 PREDICTION (4-6)

Despite several key losses in the offseason and a playoff drought dating back to 2018, you can’t just write off a Spain Park team coached by Shawn Raney. If the defense somehow finds its groove this season with more returnees and the offense can find a rhythm with a new style, there is no telling what can be accomplished. But competing in Class 7A, Region 3, it’s tough to go into the season with question marks and expect to come out with a playoff spot, and that’s the boat the Jags find themselves in. There are several games that are up in the air, which could make the difference in making the playoffs or not. The Jaguars, however, have to find a way to prove they can compete with some of the top teams early in the season to show they are a postseason team that can finish above .500.