Rebels struggle in loss to Hoover
HOOVER — Hoover High School forced five turnovers and scored a defensive touchdown in a 34-6 drubbing of rival Vestavia Hills on Friday at the Hoover Met.
The second-ranked Bucs (3-0) intercepted four passes and safety Paul Thompson scored on a 43-yard fumble recovery on the final play of the first quarter.
“I was just in the moment,” Thompson said. “I just picked it up and took off.”
Hoover got interceptions from D.J. Estes, Jacob Finley, Jeremy Cook and Keith Christein. Vestavia Hills (0-3) managed just 195 total yards against Hoover.
“We go as our energy goes,” said Hoover head coach Josh Niblett. “I thought we played with pretty good energy early on. We were able to get some turnovers and get some drives.
Ahamari Williams rushed for touchdowns of 2 and 9 yards in the first quarter before Thompson’s scoop and score. Peyton Argent’s field goals of 24 and 27 yards gave the Bucs a 27-0 halftime advantage.
“We had some opportunities to blow the game wide open and we didn’t come away with touchdowns, we came away with field goals,” Niblett said. “We’ve got to score when we’re in the red zone. We want seven points.”
Hoover’s final seven points came on Williams’ third touchdown, a 5-yard run late in the third quarter. Cole Turner’s 62-yard punt return touchdown with 7:19 to play were the only points the Rebels managed.
Despite the scoreboard, Hoover was called for 11 penalties, mostly on the offensive side of the ball, which totaled 89 yards.
“We shot ourselves in the foot,” Niblett said. “I don’t know if it was a hearing thing, but we’re going to play in loud stadiums the bigger the games get so we’ve got to get that handled and taken care of.”
Offensively, quarterback Bennett Meredith finished 15-of-28 for 244 yards. Williams rushed 14 times for 84 yards and three touchdowns. Cotton Peters led the receivers with 90 yards on three catches.
For Vestavia Hills, Mitchell Towns was 5-of-12 for 62 yards and two interceptions. Fort Edmonds was 4-of-8 for 24 yards and two picks. Bryant Agee gained 70 yards on 12 carries, and Keown Richardson led the receivers with three receptions for 43 yards.
“We really all played to the ball,” Thompson said. “We really all flew to the ball.”
Hoover hits the road for its first of three straight away games next week at Gadsden City, while the Rebels host Oak Mountain.
“The mentality is all about us,” Niblett said. “These kids have a good mentality about them and they understand the tasks that are in front of them, how big the next games are. We’ll just try to be 1-0 on the next one.”