Friday night under the lights brings the next round of the Class 6A playoffs for two of Hoover’s most beloved high‑school football programs. The Hoover Bucs, now 5‑6, will travel to Warrior Stadium in Alabaster to meet the 8‑1 Thompson Tigers. At the same time, the Spain Park Jaguars, sitting at 7‑4, head to Prattville’s Stanley‑Jensen Stadium to take on the unbeaten 10‑0 Prattville Patriots.
Hoover vs. Thompson – a test of defensive grit
Last week the Bucs dominated Bob Jones, winning 50‑3. Their defense forced three interceptions, and quarterback Kaleb Freeman connected on an 80‑yard strike to Jordon Ward and a 50‑yard pass to Ja’Myreon Dickerson. Those big‑play moments helped Hoover post one of its best offensive showings of the season.
Thompson earned a first‑round bye and entered the matchup with an 8‑1 record, the lone loss coming against Prattville. The Tigers finished the regular season 6‑1 in Class 6A, Region 3, and sit atop the regional standings.
When the two teams met earlier in the year, Thompson won 31‑14. Although Hoover leads the overall series 26‑10, the Tigers have claimed the last five playoff meetings. This history adds extra motivation for the Bucs, who hope to reverse the trend and earn a home‑field advantage in the third round.
Should Hoover prevail, the Bucs would host either Fairhope or Opelika in the next round, keeping the playoff action in the Hoover community.
Spain Park vs. Prattville – a clash with the state’s top seed
Spain Park entered the playoffs after a 38‑28 victory over Buckhorn. Junior quarterback Nash Davis threw three touchdown passes – two to Barrett Price and one to Connor Greb – while running backs CJ Davis and Hudson Hibbard each added a rushing score. The Jaguars held a three‑touchdown lead before Buckhorn rallied in the second half, but Spain Park held on for the win.
Prattville, the undefeated powerhouse, also received a first‑round bye. The Patriots have not lost this season and captured the Class 6A, Region 3 title with a perfect 7‑0 record before the playoffs began.
In their regular‑season meeting, Prattville edged Spain Park 35‑28 in regional play, leaving the series tied at two‑each. The Jaguars will be without defender MJ Evans, who missed the Buckhorn game, and will look to get him back for this crucial matchup.
If the Jaguars win, they will travel to host either Daphne or Carver‑Montgomery in the third round, extending the playoff run for Hoover‑area football fans.
How to follow the action
Updates throughout Friday night and the rest of the season will be posted by sports editor Kyle Parmley on X (formerly Twitter) @KyleParmley, as well as on the Under the Lights Facebook page and X account. Readers are encouraged to subscribe to the Under the Lights email newsletter for weekly score summaries and game previews.
Special thanks go to Southlake Orthopaedics for sponsoring the coverage of Hoover football this season.
Original reporting: Hoover Sun — read the source article.
