Rebels dominate all phases, earn playoff win

DECATUR – The Vestavia Hills High School football team could hardly have asked for a better performance to win its first playoff game in seven years.

The Rebels dominated in all three phases of the game in a 52-10 shellacking of Austin on Friday night in the first round of the Class 7A playoffs at Austin High School.

“All three phases of the game were aggressive,” Vestavia Hills head coach Robert Evans said following the game.

Vestavia’s offense rolled up over 500 total yards and scored the first eight times it touched the ball. The defense forced four punts and a turnover in the first half, while allowing no points. On special teams, the Rebels executed a fake punt to perfection and Carter Shirley drilled all seven of his extra points plus a 26-yard field goal.

“It was awesome, it was so much fun,” said quarterback John Paul Head, who had a breakout game of his own. “They had a lot of athletes. To step on their throats and do what we’ve been doing the last three weeks was awesome.”

Head led the Vestavia Hills (7-4) offense up and down the field all night with remarkable pace and efficiency. He scored four rushing touchdowns, all in the first half. He finished 16-of-22 passing for 227 yards and ran for 69 yards. 

“Our offense will travel regardless of rain, wind, cold, it doesn’t matter,” Evans said. “When you’ve got a signal caller playing as well as JP is, you’ve got a chance against anybody.”

Head scored on runs of 1 and 7 yards in the first quarter, sandwiched around Shirley’s 26-yarder, to give the Rebels a 17-0 lead after a quarter of play. In the second, Head scored on runs of 2 and 1 yards to make it a 31-0 game at the half.

Running backs Jack Lockhart and William Tonsmeire got in on the action in the third quarter, as both scored touchdowns to push Vestavia ahead 45-0. Austin finally dented the scoreboard on Kenneth Joshua’s 35-yard run. Bruce Littleton capped off the Vestavia scoring with a 9-yard touchdown.

Ruben Guevara kicked a 21-yard field goal to make it 52-10 midway through the fourth.

Vestavia Hills’ defense had not played up to its coaches’ standards over the last few weeks, but that changed as the calendar flipped to November. The Rebels held Austin to just 231 total yards, much of that coming in the second half after the game was well in hand.

Lane Whisenhunt, William Bond and Gibson Bean were among the Rebels to notch sacks in the contest. Downey also picked off a pass in the second quarter. 

“I told the defense before the game the taste of victory is sweeter when you play well. We played well, the starters did,” Evans said.

Head said the Rebels’ pace affected Austin from the outset, as he could detect some fatigue as early as the third Vestavia possession. Evans believes the offense can go even faster and wreak more havoc on opposing defenses.

Grant Downey, the Vestavia punter, threw a 25-yard pass to Keown Richardson against an unsuspecting Austin defense in the first quarter. Backup quarterback Luke Turner also completed a pass, a 47-yard strike to Carson Mann in the third quarter.

Tonsmeire earned 30 yards on eight carries, while Lockhart gained 20 on six rushes. Littleton was a workhorse in the second half, garnering 11 carries for 75 yards.

Richardson led all receivers with 116 yards on seven grabs. Tucker Smitha had a pair of catches for 41 yards, Brady Johnson had three for 59 yards and Cooper Mollison hauled in three for 40 yards.

De’Air Young completed 10-of-19 passes for 133 yards for Austin (7-4), and rushed for 33 yards on 13 carries. Cameron Collins caught four passes for 75 yards. 

Evans has not been shy about proclaiming a goal this season of earning a rematch with Region 3 foe Thompson in the playoffs. The Rebels will get just that next week. Thompson is the three-time defending state champion and knocked off Vestavia 34-14 early in the regular season.

“I’ve got total respect for their program and Coach [Mark] Freeman, but we won’t back down,” Evans said. “The championship runs through Alabaster and they deserve that. These are the types of games I came here to play. We’ve got to have a great week of preparation and cut it loose with no regrets.”