Saraland has spent the entire season ranked No. 1 in Class 6A after winning the school’s first state championship a year ago. Included in the Spartans’ current 18-game winning streak was an impressive 56-31 win at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa in last year’s playoffs.

Neither team has lost since that second-round matchup a year ago. Now, the two 12-0 teams will face off Friday night in Saraland with a berth in the state semifinals on the line.

The showdown has seemed all but inevitable all year.

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“For 12 months this has been the thought and the hope in our locker room,” said Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa head coach Jamie Mitchell. “(Saraland) coach (Jeff) Kelly and I talked last Friday and laughed about it. Anyone who kept up with 6A football this year could have told you we were probably going to get to this point again. It feels like we could have saved 12 weeks and just gotten to this game. And, lo and behold, here we sit getting ready to play them again.”

Hillcrest has won 23 of its last 24 games, with the lone setback coming against Saraland. But the series memories aren’t all bad for the Patriots. While Hillcrest’s most recent playoff loss was to Saraland, the same is true in reverse. Hillcrest eliminated Saraland from the 2021 playoffs with a 24-16 third-round win over the Spartans. So, the most recent playoff loss for both teams came to the other.

The Patriots also eliminated the Spartans in the second round in 2017, while Saraland beat Hillcrest in the third round on their way to the 2014 state championship game.

The high-profile series is tied 2-2, but this year’s matchup has even more build-up.

Saraland has been one of the most dominant teams in recent Alabama history, having outscored opponents by an average score of 54-13. Since beating Lipscomb Academy of Nashville 31-30 to open the season, the Spartans have scored at least 42 points in every game. The numbers could be much more impressive if the Saraland starters had played regularly in the second half.

Hillcrest will counter with a defense that has yielded only nine touchdowns all season (4 rushing, 5 passing). No team has scored more than 21 points against Hillcrest. Nine of 12 opponents have been held to 7 points or less, including both playoff opponents. The Patriots have allowed 85 points all season, an average of 7.1 per game.

Kelly has no doubt his team will be ready to meet the challenge again this week.

“Our kids relish these moments and these opportunities,” Kelly said. “There is always a lot on the line when we play these guys. Last year, I don’t want to say we caught every break, but it was our night. The stars lined up right for us that night. Hillcrest is one of the best-prepared teams we play every year and that’s the case again this year.”

Saraland took advantage of five turnovers last year to break open a close game. Star receiver and Alabama commit Ryan Williams scored six touchdowns in the game on his way to being named Mr. Football.

“Saraland has generational talent,” Mitchell said. “Ryan Williams is certainly up there with the absolute best ones I’ve ever seen. They do such a great job of moving him. They make it impossible to zero in on him. But even if you wanted to, they’ve got other massive stars. But to me the quarterback (Texas commit KJ Lacey) is the guy who makes them go.”

Hillcrest will counter with junior quarterback Bryson Kimbrough, who was forced into action as a sophomore when the Patriots lost their star quarterback in the last game of the regular season. Now he’s developed into a star of the offense.

“We thought he would be the real deal and he’s turned out to be that way,” Mitchell said.

The teams have two common opponents this season. Saraland beat McAdory 54-14 and St. Paul’s 47-3. Hillcrest beat McAdory 48-21 and St. Paul’s 20-6.

Now comes one of the biggest challenges of the year for both teams.

“It’s always an exciting atmosphere when we get to play in Saraland,” Kelly said. “There’s no question this one will have a big-game feel.”