SPARTANS OUTLAST TUSCALOOSA COUNTY, EARN REGION VICTORY

Mountain Brook High School head coach Chris Yeager has come to expect Logan Brewer to make a play. The senior wide receiver and defensive back had a touchdown catch in the season-opener and returned an interception for a touchdown in Game 2. Brewer came through in Game 3, returning a kickoff 54 yards to set up the touchdown to put the Spartans ahead for good in their 31-21 victory over Tuscaloosa County on Friday night at Spartan Stadium. “So far, any time we have needed a little bit of wind in our sails, he has really stepped up and provided it for us,” Yeager said of Brewer. “He’s just such a playmaker. I kept thinking he’s done it in so many different ways. What’s another way he can do it and he did it on special teams tonight.” The winless Wildcats (0-3 overall and 0-1 in Class 7A, Region 3) sent their fans into a frenzy as they took a 13-10 lead late in the first half on Damien Taylor’s 12-yard run. Unfortunately for the visitors, that lead was only 13 seconds of game time, thanks to Brewer. “Logan is our best player on the team,” quarterback Strother Gibbs said. “He sets up the intensity every game and that kickoff return was huge. It set up all of our energy for the second half and that touchdown there at the end of the first half.” Gibbs scored the first of his two touchdowns with 26 seconds left on the first-half clock. Tuscaloosa County shocked the Spartans with a powerful running attack that was anchored by Taylor, who finished with 101 yards on 19 carries. “I want to tip my hat to them,” said Yeager, whose team improved to 3-0, 1-0 in region. “They did a heck of a job running the ball right at the heart of our defense. We’ve played real good defense all year long. It says a lot about their running back. It was very impressive how he ran and the quarterback (Connor White) made some unbelievable, precision throws on timely downs and just kept our defense on the field. The first half we had the ball twice.” Gibbs’ 35-yard touchdown run gave Mountain Brook enough breathing room to salt away the victory. “To me, we played a good football team,” Yeager said. “That is a totally different football team from a year ago. They’re a totally different football team from last week. They’ve had a lot of improvement.” The changes in the Wildcats lineup had much to do with injuries that have forced players who had been backups into the lineup. Friday night, they delivered. “Connor White was a prime example tonight,” coach Jay Todd said. “I thought Connor played a heck of a game. He gave us a chance. That’s all you can ask from a guy, just go in there and give us a chance. There were others. A lot of guys stepped up and played hard.” Mountain Brook heads to Spain Park for another region game next week. Tuscaloosa County hosts Vestavia Hills.

SPARTANS OUTLAST TUSCALOOSA COUNTY, EARN REGION VICTORY

Photo Credit: Jimmy Mitchell