Game of the Week: St. Paul vs. Spanish Fort

SPANISH FORT, Ala. (WALA) - In week six, our Game of the week features the St. Paul's Saints (4-1, 3-0) and the Spanish Fort Toros (5-0, 3-0) on the hill.  Both teams come in ranked in the top five in the state in 5A.
 
Undefeated in 5A play and fresh off a regional championship, it’s business as usual for the Saint Paul’s Saints.

But this week, they figure to face one of their toughest tests: the Spanish Fort Toros on the hill.

“I think it’s two good football teams playing each other," said Saints head coach Steve Mask.  "They’re playing extremely well right now, probably as good as anyone in the state.  They’re very explosive offensively; Joel Poe is just playing out of his mind.  He’s throwing it all over the yard and receivers are very good, running great routes. And they have two very good running backs, so they stretch you in a lot of ways offensively.”

Playing under head coach Mark Freeman at the helm of the Toros offense is no easy task.  But for quarterback Joel Poe, his secret isn't arm strength, mechanics or his ability to read a defense. Call it superstition, even a Samson complex, Poe believes it’s his hair.  And he won’t cut it until Spanish Fort suffers a loss.

“I’m just trying to do something a little different this year, and change up the mojo," Poe said.
 
And his coach backs him.
 
“As long as it works, I don’t care," Freeman said.  "If I get tired of looking at it, I’ll have him pin it up.  But hey, as long as he keeps playing good he can do what he wants to as far as his hair.”

So, just how far will the senior quarterback’s locks take the Toros this season?  If you ask the Saints, the magic stops this week.

“It’s the biggest of the year right now for us," said St. Paul's quarterback Bradley Padgett.  "They’re a huge region game for us, and we just have to go out there and get it done.”

And depending on what Vigor does against Gulf Shores it could put the Saints in the driver’s seat in region one, and more importantly send Poe to the salon.