CLANTON – A program first was a bit slow in getting started but finished on a joyously heavy note as Spain Park (9-0, 6-0 in Class 6A Region 3) beat Chilton County 37-6 Friday night.
The fourth-ranked Jaguars led only 7-6 after one quarter but stretched the lead to 23-6 at the half and methodically dominated the second half, capping the fun with a 1-yard touchdown run by big defensive lineman-turned-fullback Geno Ferguson.
From there, it was time to celebrate some history for a team that certainly has built on the progress made in 2023. Coach Tim Vakakes saw the potential in last season’s 7-3 mark, and although that campaign didn’t end with a playoff berth, the Jaguars have certainly carried that momentum without a blemish in 2024.
Spain Park has won nine games in a season two other times in its history, but never before had it reeled off nine consecutive wins without a loss to start a campaign.
That changed Friday night.
“These kids are making history,” Vakakes said. “Spain Park, they’ve been 8-0 before, never been 9 -0. So this team makes a little history, which I’m really proud of. They’ve done a lot of hard work. It wasn’t always clean, it wasn’t always perfect execution. It wasn’t always 10 out of 10, but the effort was there.
“I’m really proud of how far this program has come in the last couple of years that these kids have bought in, man. Our parents, we have great parents, we have great families.
“And it’s a big moment for our kids to make history. We talked about tonight, we’re gonna make some history being 9-0, and I’m really proud of them, and I’m blessed to be a part of it.”
The Jaguars struck first with a 1-yard run by quarterback Brock Bradley at the 7:35 mark of the first quarter, but Chilton County (2-7) fought harder than its season record might have suggested in the first meeting ever between these two programs. The Tigers drove for a quick touchdown but missed the extra point, leaving Spain Park ahead 7-6 at the end of the quarter.
Bradley, the Clemson commit, led a field-goal drive and then tossed touchdown passes of 17-yards to Corey Barber and 35 yards to Weston Brock, giving Spain Park a 23-6 lead at halftime. The pass to Brock capped an 87-yard drive, one aided by a 12-men-on-the-field penalty against Chilton County after the Tigers appeared poised to get the ball back.
Another long drive ate up much of the third quarter, with Bradley tossing his third touchdown pass of the game and second to Barber. This one covered 9 yards, capping a 90-yard drive, with 5:36 to play in the third quarter.
Ferguson, normally a standout nose tackle and defensive tackle for Spain Park, got in on the scoring in the fourth when Vahakes put in the backfield to bull in over the top of the pile. His 1-yard touchdown run made it 37-6 with 9:45 to play.
“Geno is a big part of what we do,” Vahakes said. “He’s just one of the hard workers, and he’s just a staple of our program. … That’s just a little way of showing a big guy some love.”
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