SPRING GARDEN PANTHERS
Class, Region: Class 1A, Region 4
Head Coach: Jason Howard
2015 Record: 8-4
2015 Playoffs: Advanced to the second round of the Class
1A playoffs before falling at Decatur Heritage 30-22 in OT
2015 Rewind: Spring Garden again made history in 2015.
The Panthers won a home playoff game for the first time and
set a school scoring for most points in a season (470). They
also tied a school record for most consecutive games won.
Key Losses: Not too many losses overall for the Garden from
last season. The losses were heavy on the offensive and defensive
lines and at linebacker, led by the loss of all-star lineman Sam Parris.
Players to Watch: The Panthers return
eight starters on offense and six on defense,
including the majority of the playmakers
from ’15. The backfield combo of Dakota
Lambert (5’8, 170 Sr.) and Quentin Downey
(6’0, 215 Sr.) is as good as you will find in
Class 1A ball. Steady QB Ben Ivey (5’7, 160
Sr.) also returns to lead the Panther offense.
Other key contributors will be WR/DB
Joe Rogers and linemen Christian Crider,
Taylor Hardin, and Jacob Molock.
Dakota Lambert
Running Back
2016 Roundup: Coach Jason Howard
believes this could be some of the best skill
players Spring Garden has had. Finding
offensive and defensive linemen will be
the key to how competitive the Panthers
could be. The number of returning starters,
a strong senior class, and total numbers
of about 47 point to Spring Garden being
a strong contender in Class 1A in north
Alabama in 2016.
Did You Know? This is the best era of football in school history. Spring Garden
has won 27 games over the past four years, averaging 7 wins per season and earning
state playoff berths in three of those seasons.
74 | 2016 Pigskin Roundup the Magazine