Rebels run past Tuscaloosa County
NORTHPORT -- With smoke billowing in the background from the ashes of the Thursday night bonfire, the Vestavia Hills High School football team charged Tuscaloosa County's field with numerous players chanting “home invasion.”
It was the defense and special teams that enacted the battle plan for Vestavia. The Rebels used a pair of takeaways and a blocked punt to set the tone in their 45-16 victory.
“They’ve got some athletes. Thank goodness we took advantage of some special teams plays, the pick six and the fumble down there. Those things help," Vestavia head coach Buddy Anderson said. "We were able to hit some passes and had one long run. We shot ourselves in the foot, but they had a lot to do with that. I’m proud of our kids, and we’re just getting better from here.”
One of those athletes for Tuscaloosa County was defensive back Christian Davis, who picked off Eli Sawyer on the Rebels’ first possession. The Wildcats’ momentum was short lived, as Bennett Whisenhunt forced a fumble and Brock Payne recovered at the Tuscaloosa County 3.
Levant stayed in at fullback to punch in the touchdown. Forty seconds later, Will Brooks picked off a Connor White pass at the 26 and ran it in for a score, 14-0.
Vestavia Hills added a blocked a punt, which Jermaine Harris caught in the air and took in for a score with 3:51 to play in the quarter.
Through 10 minutes of action, Vestavia only had 24 yards of offense when AJ Powell broke a 36-yard touchdown run down the left sideline to put the Rebels up 28-0 at the end of the first quarter.
The only bright ember for the Wildcats was running back Damien Taylor, who led County’s offense with 123 yards rushing on 20 carries. Taylor punched the Wildcats into Rebels territory early in the second quarter, leading to a 30-yard field goal by Samuel Alvarez, 28-3.
Sawyer answered in four plays, hitting Chandler Merrill for a 50-yard touchdown pass. After a botched punt by County, Sawyer connected with Peyton Walraven for a 31-yard touchdown pass and a 42-3 lead. Matthew McMeans, who was 6-for-6 on extra points, tacked on a 39-yard field goal to close the first half up 45-3.
"We’re trying not to hurt ourselves and keep time off the clock and keep them off the field,” Anderson said. “Our defense has played well for three ball games. I’m real proud of them.”
The second half was all clock control for the Rebels, while Tuscaloosa County added a pair of touchdown passes from White to Cedric Williams of 36 and 31 yards.
Vestavia (3-0, 2-0 in Class 7A, Region 3) is now outscoring opponents 46-10 through three games and will host Mountain Brook (4-0, 2-0) in a clash for the top spot in the region standings next week.
“Not only is that a big region game, it’s a big rivalry game," Anderson said. "You can throw out the record books. It’s going to be a battle."
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*9/15: A correction was made to credit Bennett Whisenhunt with forcing Vestavia's first fumble.