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   The best of the best in Alabama High   
  School Football over the past 100 seasons.






2023 Team Previews 

  


Saraland Spartans

Head Coach: Jeff Kelly (thirteenth season)
Career Record: 19 seasons, (165-69)
At Saraland: 12 seasons, (118-35)
Stadium: Spartans Stadium
2022 Enrollment:  795
Rank:  62nd in the AHSAA, 30th in Class 6A

 History 
Overall Record:   121-42   (74.0%)
Last 25 years:   121-42   (74.0%)  (Rank: 18th in the AHSAA, 7th in Class 6A)
Since 2010:   121-42  (74.2%)  (Rank: 26th in the AHSAA, 8th in Class 6A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2022
Last Region Championship:   2021
Last Winning Season:   2022
Last Losing Season:   2010

 2022 
Class:  6A              Region:   1
Record:  14-1    (Team record for wins in a season)
Region Record:   7-1, (second)
Playoff Record:   Won the Class 6A State Championship by defeating Mountain Brook at the Alabama Super Seven 38-17 in Auburn.
Final ASWA Poll:   4th
Scoring:  645 (43.0)    (Team record for points scored in a season)
Defense:  291 (19.4)


 2023 
Class: 6A              Region:   1
Strength of Schedule: 58-53 (52%) (138th in the AHSAA, 29th in Class 6A)
Region Strength:  38-49 (44%)
Non-Region Strength:  20-4 (83%)



 2022 Results 
 8/19  @ Daphne  (7A)   43-23   W  
 8/26  vs. Murphy  (6A)  *  49-20   W  
 9/2  @ St. Pauls  (6A)  *  42-14   W  
 9/9  vs. Spanish Fort  (6A)  *  35-24   W  
 9/16  @ Robertsdale  (6A)  *  50-0   W  
 9/23  @ Foley  (7A)   49-21   W  
 9/30  vs. Blount  (6A)  *  35-0   W  
 10/7  @ Baldwin County  (6A)  *  48-7   W  
 10/14   OPEN 
 10/21  @ Theodore  (6A)  *  26-27   L  
 10/28  vs. McGill-Toolen  (6A)  *  48-31   W  
 Playoffs 
 11/4  vs. Wetumpka    48-14   W  
 11/11  @ Hillcrest Tuscaloosa    56-31   W  
 11/18  vs. Homewood    57-56   W (OT) 
 11/25  @ Theodore    21-6   W  
 12/1   Mountain Brook    38-17   W  

 2023 Schedule 
 8/25  vs. Lipscomb Academy TN        
 9/1  @ Murphy  (6A)  *      
 9/8  vs. St. Pauls  (6A)  *      
 9/15  @ Spanish Fort  (6A)  *      
 9/22  vs. Robertsdale  (6A)  *      
 9/29  vs. Foley  (7A)       
 10/6  @ Blount  (6A)  *      
 10/13  vs. Baldwin County  (6A)  *      
 10/20   OPEN 
 10/27  vs. Theodore  (6A)  *      
 11/3  @ McGill-Toolen  (6A)  *      
 11/10  vs. McAdory        
 11/17  @ Briarwood        
 11/24  vs. Hillcrest Tuscaloosa        
 12/1  vs. Pike Road        
 12/7   Clay-Chalkville        


Class  6A Region  1
Team 2022 Record Region Scoring                            
Theodore (6A) 13-1 8-0432-159
Saraland (6A) 14-1 7-1645-291
Spanish Fort (6A) 7-4 6-2331-229
St. Pauls (6A) 7-6 5-3267-241
McGill-Toolen (6A) 5-5 4-4260-231
Blount (6A) 3-7 3-5132-218
Murphy (6A) 2-7 2-6165-305
Baldwin County (6A) 1-9 1-7113-310
Robertsdale (6A) 0-10 0-8125-426

 2023 Preview 


       Saraland completed the 2022 season with a 14-1 record. With their 7-1 region record and a second place finish in Class 6A region one, the Spartans earned a spot in the playoffs in 2022. The Spartans reeled off five straight playoff wins to claim the Class 6A State Championship by defeating Mountain Brook at the Alabama Super Seven 38-17 in Auburn.

       No team at Saraland ever won more games in a season than the fourteen victories last year. The 645 points scored by the Spartans last year were a team record in a single season.

       The high-scoring Saraland offense ranked 12th in the AHSAA. They averaged 43.0 points a game.

       Over the past two seasons the Spartans have Finished 24-4 and will be looking to continue that winning tradition. Since 2010, Saraland has gone a combined 121-42. Their 74.2% winning percentage ranks 8th in Class 6A over the past thirteen seasons.

       Over the past 13 seasons, Saraland has finished a combined 121-42. Their 74.0% winning percentage ranks 7th in Class 6A and 18th in the AHSAA. Their last losing season was 2010.




       The Spartans are led by head coach Jeff Kelly who is entering his thirteenth season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 118-35 over the past twelve seasons at Saraland. Under his direction the Spartans have qualified for the playoffs a total of twelve times. They have won two region crowns with Coach Kelly. Coach Kelly led to a state championship in 2022. His 165 wins rank 28th among active coaches in the AHSAA. Over the course of his career, Coach Kelly's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of seventeen times and won three region championships.

       The Spartans are loaded on offense in 2023. They will be favored to win it all once again under the direction of Coach Kelly.  The Spartans have one of the toughest schedules in the state this season. Their non-region opponents finished 20-4 last year.

       The Spartans enter the 2023 season riding a 6 game winning streak. They have won 16 straight games on their home turf at Spartans Stadium.

       While most teams rebuild during the off season, Saraland has been a consistent winner the past few years and will simply reload this season. The Spartans enter the season with expectations of not only a region crown but will be contending for a trip to the state championship game. They are considered one the favorites in region one and should be a team in the thick of the hunt to represent the South in the Class 6A Super Seven come December. The Spartans have succeeded in reaching the playoffs every year since 2010 and this year should be no exception.

      QB KJ Lacey will be returning after completing 200 of 314 passes for 3,177 yards last season along with 40 touchdowns.

      Santae McWilliams will be back this season at running back after rushing for 1,484 yards and 16 TDs in 2022. Dillon Alfred, a transfer from Gautier (MS) caught 57 passes for 1,196 yards and 15 TDs last year.

      Junior receiver Ryan Williams will also return after grabbing 88 passes for 1,641 yards and 24 TDs last season. He also ran for 700 yards and another 15 TDs.

       The Spartans open the 2023 season at home against non-region opponent Lipscomb Academy TN on Friday, August 25 at Spartans Stadium.

       This will be the second meeting between Saraland and Lipscomb Academy TN on the football field. The Spartans have a 1-0-0 record against Lipscomb Academy TN. They last met in with

       Saraland lost 6A All-State  kicker Hunter Kirkland to graduation. He was named to the honorable mention team last season.

       The Spartans return 6A All-State Junior quarterback KJ Lacey. He was named to the first team last season. The Spartans also return Junior receiver Ryan Williams. He was named to the first team.

  


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