Rebels shut out Tuscaloosa County
NORTHPORT – For the second straight year, the Vestavia Hills High School football team shut out Tuscaloosa County, 28-0, to close Class 7A, Region 3 play.
This year, Vestavia topped Tuscaloosa County at Wildcat Field on Friday to snap a three-game skid in region play.
“Our guys have improved a whole lot since the beginning of the year. We play a tough schedule and County is a tough, physical team. I’m just glad to come out with a win,” Vestavia Hills coach Buddy Anderson said.
Vestavia had little trouble moving the ball and scored all of its points in the first half, taking advantage of short field position and two turnovers.
After pinning Tuscaloosa County deep and taking advantage of a short punt on the opening drive of the game, Vestavia took over at the Wildcats 32-yard line. Coleman Petway put the Rebels on the board on the second play from scrimmage, a 25-yard option keeper for the touchdown.
William Jemison picked off County quarterback Brylan Jackson on the first play of the next drive at the Vestavia 44. It was one of the few incompletions for Jackson, who connected on 15-of-18 passes for 129 yards.
Nine plays later, William Schaffeld capped the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run to give the Rebels a 14-0 edge.
A bad handoff between Jackson and Bo Evans put the ball on the ground, and Vestavia linebacker Cooper Bishop fell on it at the Wildcats 42. Petway then found Everett Shea on a 57-yard touchdown pass to go up 21-0 with three minutes to play. Shea finished with 58 yards on two catches.
The Rebels squibbed the kick, which bounced off Zion Thomas and was recovered by Vestavia's Andrew Knight. Schaffeld helped move the Rebels down the field late in the second quarter to set up an 8-yard touchdown pass from Petway to Michael Vice to wrap up the first half.
Petway was intercepted inside the red zone in the third quarter by ShonDerious Horton. Caleb Huber, who was 4-for-4 on PATs, had a 48-yard field goal attempt fall short early in the fourth quarter. The Rebels put together a 6-minute, 34-second drive to run down the clock in the fourth quarter, which began at their own 32 and ended with a fourth-down run at the Wildcats 10 with 1:43 to play.
Petway finished with 85 yards on 6-of-11 passing and 24 yards rushing.
Vestavia’s run game out-gained the Tuscaloosa County offense, 189-181. Schaffeld led the way with 75 yards on 25 carries and a 36-yard pass to Ben Willoughby, who finished with 44 yards on three catches. Reed Stockton had one catch for 12 yards.
Hunter Salmon helped lead the Rebels’ pass rush with 2.5 sacks.Tuscaloosa County ends its first season under coach John Holladay with a 2-8 overall record and 1-6 in Region 3.
Vestavia (4-5, 3-3 Region 3) will host Shades Valley next Friday at Thompson Reynolds Stadium for the Rebels’ homecoming season finale.