Rebels fall at No. 2 Spain Park
For the first six minutes of the Vestavia Hills Rebels’ game against Spain Park on Friday night, the Rebels performed their game plan to perfection.
The Rebels mixed the hard running of Walker Minor and the play-action passing of quarterback Brett Jones to march 72 yards in 10 plays and ate up half the quarter against the second-ranked Jaguars.
But the drive stalled on the Spain Park 8, and it looked like the Rebels would settle for an early lead on a field goal.
But Spain Park’s Perry Young blocked the Curry Howard 25-yard field goal, Jags teammate Chase Young picked it up in stride and hauled it 85 yards for a touchdown.
The Jaguars built on the sudden, stunning play to roll away to a 21-0 first half lead and made it stand up in a crucial Class 7A, Region 3 game at Jaguar Stadium.
Spain Park, coming off a win over Hoover last week, improved to 6-1, 5-0 in the region. The Jaguars can clinch the region championship with a win next week over Oak Mountain.
The Rebels dropped to 5-2 and 3-2 in the region, but still are in good position to return to the playoffs after missing out a year ago. Hoover remained a game behind Spain Park at 4-1 after beating Tuscaloosa County 45-3 and Hewitt-Trussville is also 4-1 in region play after topping Thompson 35-17.
But Rebels fans are left wondering what could have been after the Rebels’ strong start.
“It was a big play,” said coach Buddy Anderson. “It changed the momentum.”
The big play in the drive was a 43-yard completion from Jones to Joseph Travis that took the ball down to the Spain Park 35. A couple of hookups between Jones and Remington Patterson picked up another dozen yards and minor added another dozen yards on the ground. But the Jags defense stiffened inside the 10, and Howard came on to try to give the Rebels the lead.
Instead, the Jags had a 7-0 lead.
The rest of the half, Spain Park simply kept the Rebels in poor field position. The Jaguars’ Tyler Sumpter punted the ball dead on the Rebels 4, and a sack left the Rebs with a fourth-and 13 on their 1. The ensuing punt left Spain Park on the Rebels 44, and the home team went the distance in eight plays, quarterback Joey Beatty scoring from a yard out. Crosby Gray’s PAT made it 14-0 with 8:22 left in the half.
After the Jaguars forced a three-and-out, the punt from the Vestavia 25 went dead at midfield. The Jaguars capitalized on the excellent field position by going 50 yards in six plays, the final 36 on a Beatty to Bridge Suber pass. Gray’s PAT provided the final points of the night with 3:32 left in the opening half.
In the second half, the Rebels managed to penetrate to the Jaguars’ 22 but the drive stalled.
The Jaguars leaned on the running of Wade Streeter and Larry Wooden and wore down the Rebels defense, but the Rebs kept them out of the end zone.
“Credit Spain Park,” Anderson said. “They did a good job on their schemes.
“We’re still in good position (for the playoffs). But we’ve got our work cut out for us. Regroup and get ready for next week.”
Up next for the Rebels is a renewal of their fierce rivalry with the Hoover Bucs, and a chance to tie the Bucs in the region race with an upset. Game time Friday is 7 p.m. at Thompson Reynolds Stadium.