By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

TRUSSVILLE – After Spain Park linebacker Houston Hollis picked off Hewitt-Trussville quarterback Zac Thomas in the first play of overtime, Jaguar head coach Shawn Raney wanted to leave nothing to chance.

On first down, Raney sent out placekicker Crosby Gray to nail a 27-yard field goal and give the visiting Jaguars a 31-28 victory over the region foe Huskies on Sept. 18.

“We’ve got one of the best kickers in the state, and I wasn’t going to risk anything,” a smiling Raney said after the game. “I just told him I knew he’d make it. I’ve got total faith in him and in these kids. I’m so proud of them.”

The Jaguars (4-1, 4-0 in Class 7A, Region 3), allowed 511 total yards of offense to the Huskies (3-2, 2-1), but were able to hold Hewitt-Trussville out of the end zone when it mattered most.

Late in the third quarter, with the game tied at 21, the Huskies started from their own nine yard line and put together a sustained drive to the Spain Park five yard line. After the Jags held the Huskies out of the end zone on third down, Hewitt-Trussville placekicker Micah Nixon’s 30-yard field goal attempt went left of the uprights.

“That was huge,” Raney said. “The defense took that personal, thank goodness, and we stopped them.”

On Spain Park’s next possession, the Jags drove 80 yards and scored on a 1-yard scamper into the end zone by running back Wade Streeter. Gray’s PAT put the Jags ahead 28-21.

But Hewitt-Trussville quickly answered on its next possession on an eight-yard touchdown run by Ole Miss commit Jarrion Street, tying the game at 28 and eventually sending it to overtime.

Streeter outgained Street by six yards, recording 107 yards on 23 carries, compared to Street’s 101 yards on 18 carries.

Streeter added two touchdowns in the first quarter, one on a 13-yard run and another on a two-yard run. The Jags also added a touchdown in the first quarter when senior quarterback Joey Beatty connected with Bridge Suber on a 21-yard strike.

Spain Park will have a bye week on Sept. 25 before taking on rival Hoover in a Thursday night matchup on Oct. 1.