MOUNTAIN BROOK, Alabama -- The #1 Mountain Brook Spartans used a stingy defense and defeated the Shades Valley Mounties 24-7 Thursday night at Spartan Stadium. The only Shades Valley score came after a Mountain Brook turnover deep in the Spartans territory that the Mounties punched in for their only touchdown.

Mountain Brook (5-0, 3-0) held Shades Valley to less than 150 total yards on the night and was lights out for most of the game. "The defense played their guts out, they had a great game plan," said Spartans Head coach Chris Yeager. "Unbelievable game plan. I was concerned about their quarterback coming in and we contained him and I didn't think that was possible. We had a shut out if we didn't have these stupid penalties, but the defense was fantastic and I was really proud the way the defense played. The defense really got after it from the opening kick to the horn sounded at the end of the game. That is something to build on." The Mounties quarterback Earl Woods completed only 5-of-17 passing for 25 yards with 72 yards on 11 carries.

In the first half, both offenses sputtered for most of the half. Mountain Brook scored with only :33 seconds left in the second quarter on a Strother Gibbs to Paulson Wright on a 11-yard touchdown pass play for the Spartans. With the touchdown, Mountain Brook led 7-0 at the half.

Early in the second half, John McMillian recovered a Mounties fumble and it setup a 27-yard field goal by Reed Harradine. With the score, the Spartans led 10-0. Late in the third quarter, Marlen Sewell picked up a Spartans fumbled and raced 50-yards to setup a Mounties score. With 1:00 left in the third quarter, Earl Woods scored on a 4-yard touchdown run. With the Mounties score, Mountain Brook only led 10-7. With 7:19 left in the fourth quarter, Michael Brogan scored on a 1-yard touchdown run for the Spartans and Mountain Brook led 17-7. 

An Alexander Horn fumble recover for Mountain Brook setup another Spartan score. WIth 2:49 left in the game, Brogan scored on a 4-yard touchdown run and the Spartans led 24-7 to close out the region win. "Tonight, our kids played hard but we didn't play Mountain Brook football," added Yeager. "We didn't play smart, we didn't finish. Were better than what we played tonight, but give credit to Shades Valley for playing hard. That is a good football team."

For the Spartans, Brogan rushed for 150 yards on 33 carries with two touchdowns. Gibbs had the touchdown pass but was limited in his play with an injury but toughed it out the whole game. "He showed a lot of guts tonight," added Yeager. "Had the third down and ran for the first down and had a third down and forever and made a great throw for the first down. He gave us a chance, he is a leader and the kids follow him."

Shades Valley played with a lot of heart especially in the first half as the Mounties defense only gave up the one touchdown in the first half. "We had a tone of fight in our kids," said Mounties Head coach James Mitchell. "Were 0-4 but were not a bad football team. That doesn't win you more victories but one thing I know about this group is that they are going to show up on Monday at practice and we will keep digging." 

Up next for both teams, Mountain Brook will travel to #1 7A Thompson while Shades Valley will travel to Gardendale.