SARALAND — Around Saraland, a loss can feel like a funeral, especially one at home and especially when the Spartans are ranked No. 1 in the state, so the Spartans had some trepidation when they came to practice on Monday.
There, three days after Gulf Shores ended Saraland’s 41-game home winning streak with a 34-24 victory, the players found coach Jeff Kelly in no mood to celebrate his 47th birthday by blowing out candles. But nor did they find him backing up a hearse to the fieldhouse. It was Labor Day, so it was time to get to work, and so they did.
The blowing out of candles — and a solid Theodore team that has one of the state’s most physical running backs — came after a week in which Kelly said his team underwent a hard reboot…