Rebels aim for strong finish
The 2017 season has not gone according to plan for the Vestavia Hills High School football team. At 4-5, the Rebels have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Nevertheless, they have a chance to close their campaign on a high note Friday against Shades Valley. Vestavia Hills welcomes the Mounties to Thompson Reynolds Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff on homecoming.
The Rebels enter the game fresh off a road victory at Tuscaloosa County. Last Friday, they blanked the Wildcats, 28-0, to finish Class 7A, Region 3 play with a 3-4 record. The triumph snapped a three-game losing streak.
“Our guys have improved a whole lot since the beginning of the year,” Vestavia Hills head coach Buddy Anderson said after the game. “We play a tough schedule, and County is a tough, physical team. I’m just glad to come out with a win.”
Vestavia Hills banked all of its points in the first two quarters. Quarterback Coleman Petway initiated the scoring with a 25-yard touchdown rush. On the Rebels’ next possession, running back William Schaffeld found the end zone on a 3-yard plunge. Schaffeld paced the Vestavia Hills ground game with 75 yards on 25 carries.
Later in the half, Petway connected with wide receiver Everett Shea and tight end Michael Vice on touchdown passes of 57 and 8 yards, respectively. Petway completed 6-of-11 passes for 85 yards on the night.
The Vestavia Hills defense forced a pair of first-half turnovers that provided the offense favorable field position. William Jemison hawked an interception, and Cooper Bishop recovered a fumble. The shutout was the Rebels’ third of the season, as they also blanked Oak Mountain on Sept. 15 and Helena on Sept. 29.
A number of Vestavia Hills players have stepped up on defense throughout the season. Jonathan Hess, Spencer Lawson, Andrew Knight and Luke Denney have all played big roles in the secondary, while Bishop, Rob Barrentine and Cameron Cacace have anchored the linebacking corps.
Shades Valley (6-3, 4-2 in 6A, Region 5) enters Friday's game coming off a 49-36 win against John Carroll. The Mounties, led by veteran quarterback Desmond Trotter, have secured a playoff spot and will play at Pell City in the first round on Nov. 10.
Shades Valley has scored 30 points or more in six of its nine games and has won three of its last four. The Mounties beat Parker and Jackson-Olin in consecutive weeks before falling to Homewood in the de facto Region 5 title tilt on Oct. 20. The team’s only other defeats came to defending state champion Ramsay and up-and-coming Pinson Valley.
Last year, Vestavia Hills fell to Shades Valley, 28-13. The Mounties scored on plays of 69, 58, 75 and 87 yards to earn the victory. Limiting similar explosive plays will be critical for the Rebels if they want to avoid their first losing season since 2014. Vestavia Hills lead the teams’ all-time series, 33-10.
Friday's game will conclude Anderson’s 40th season as head coach. Only five times in his career have his teams finished with a losing record.
- Chris Megginson and Gary Lloyd contributed to this report.