Rebs thunder past Homewood
It hit like a lightning bolt, and the streak rolled on like thunder.
Vestavia Hills hit on a long pass less than a minute into the game, and then the familiar rumble of the Rebels running game did the rest.
When it was over -- after Mother Nature delivered her own fireworks -- the Rebels had delivered their ninth straight win in the series over their rival Homewood Patriots 41-7 on Friday night at Waldrop Stadium.
"I feel good about where we are right now," said Vestavia Hills coach Buddy Anderson. "But there's a long way to go."
Homewood dropped to 1-1.
"We just got whipped on both sides of the ball," Patriots coach Ben Berguson said.
It was 21-0 after a quarter and 28-0 at the half.
The Rebels (1-0) scored on their first three possessions. On the second snap from scrimmage, Brett Jones found Nolan Turner open deep for a 63-yard score. Curry Howard's extra point was good and the Rebels led 7-0 with just 55 seconds elapsed.
After a Patriots three-and-out, Vestavia did it the old-school Vestavia way, driving 63 yards in 10 plays, throwing just one pass. Walker Minor did the heavy lifting, hauling the ball seven of those times, including the final one for 3 yards. Howard's PAT made it 14-0 with 4:23 left in the first quarter.
After the kickoff, Patriots quarterback Carson Griffis was picked off by Tucker Queen, who returned the ball to the 4. William Schaffeld took it in from there and it was 21-0 after a quarter.
The teams swapped interceptions in the second quarter. But after a shanked Patriots punt, the Rebels took over at their 46 and drove 54 yards for another TD. Six running plays later, Minor banged in from the 2. The Howard kick made it 28-0 with 46 seconds left, and it went that way to intermission.
With the final note of the host Homewood band still hanging in the air, a fierce thunderstorm with lightning all but completed the dampening of the home crowd. A mandated lightning delay lasted until 9:40 p.m.and sent many of the fans home.
The Patriots faithful saw a brief glimmer of light when Antarius Mitchell picked up a Rebel fumble and rambled in for a score with 10:20 left in the third quarter.
But the Rebels went back to the ground for another drive that culminated in a 2-yard Minor TD.
Vestavia iced it after a bad snap on a Pat punt set the Rebels up for another 7-yard TD run by Schaffeld with 5:16 left.
Minor finished with 101 yards rushing on 21 carries and the three touchdowns.
The Rebels open Class 7A, Region 3 play at home Friday against Oak Mountain.