33 Teams in 33 Days: Saraland Spartans
SARALAND, Ala. (WKRG) — High school football spring practice rolls on for teams along the Gulf Coast. WKRG’s in-depth look into local programs continues with “33 Teams in 33 Days” paying a visit to Saraland High School.
The Spartans are coming off yet another deep playoff run that ended in the Class 6A state championship game. Saraland finished as the state runner-up to Clay-Chalkville. The team has turned the page and they are looking to build on their success in 2024. Head coach Jeff Kelly returns for his 14th season at the helm. Kelly says the focus is on developing another group of impact players.
“We got a bunch of new guys out here. We’re working on fundamentals,” Kelly said. “We want to put a bunch in every single day and kind of see how we process and see how we retain that information. We want to try to identify guys we can go win ballgames with in the fall.”
The Spartans return anchors on both sides of the ball. All-state performers KJ Lacey (QB) and Antonio Coleman (DL) are back in the fold to lead a talented group of seniors. Their focus is on making incremental improvements on the field, while providing strong leadership in the locker room.
“We are a player led team, we’ve got leaders everywhere,” Coleman said. “We like to lead by example. We all grew up together and played park ball together. We just want the younger guys to follow our lead.”
2023 Record (notable wins):
14-1
Lipscomb Academy TN 31-30 (non-region game)
Spanish Fort 49-7 (region game)
Pike Road 46-7 (playoffs – semifinals)
Key players:
KJ Lacey, 2025 Quarterback
Dillon Alfred, 2025 Wide Receiver
Santae McWilliams Jr., 2025 Running Back
Antonio Coleman, 2025 Defensive Lineman
Key Matchups:
vs. Jackson – 8/23
@ Gulf Shores – 9/6
@ Theodore – 10/25
Who’s next:
The next installment will feature the UMS-Wright Bulldogs. Follow along WKRG’s “33 teams in 33 days”. Each team will be featured during the 6:30 p.m. newscast on the weekdays and during the 10 p.m. newscast on the weekend.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
