Jimmy J. Mitchell
Vestavia Hills Football
Vestavia Hills' Coleman Petway (14) in a game between Vestavia Hills and Thompson on Friday, September 30, 2016, at Larry Simmons Stadium in Alabaster, Alabama.
The Rebels were victims of an apparent officiating error last Friday night, in a 17-10 loss to Thompson.
On a go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter that would prove to be the game-winner, Thompson High’s Sam Holmes caught a pass in the end zone, but photo evidence indicated that he first made contact with the ground out of bounds, meaning the pass should have been ruled incomplete.
Vestavia Hills High head coach Buddy Anderson made his complaint known on the play, but to no avail.
“I thought the guy was way out of bounds, and it was a bad call,” Anderson said following the game. “But those things happen, and you have to overcome those. We didn’t help ourselves — we hurt ourselves more than anything.”
The Rebels were unable to overcome that and, despite having chances, fell to 3-3 overall, but more importantly, 1-3 in Class 7A, Region 3.
The final touchdown was set up by an interception that gave Thompson great field position at the Vestavia 38-yard line. The Warriors’ first touchdown of the game came on a blocked punt.
“We busted assignments,” Anderson said. “We busted it on that blocked punt, and gave up a cheap [score] in the kicking game.”
Vestavia Hills likely needs a win in each of its last three region contests to comfortably secure a playoff berth. That road will not be easy, as its next two opponents are the top two teams in the region.
First up is a game against Mountain Brook, a team riding high after defeating Thompson, Spain Park and Tuscaloosa County in recent weeks. The Spartans are 5-1 overall, with their only loss coming at the hands of Hoover.
“You can throw the record out the window with this game,” Mountain Brook head coach Chris Yeager said following last week’s game. “Our players know Vestavia and when it’s 7:00 next Friday night, our guys will come together and fight for each other.”
Quarterback Hamp Sisson, running back Harold Joiner and a host of reliable receivers lead the Spartans. The opportunistic Mountain Brook defense has allowed just 12.8 points per game, and has shown an ability to come up with key turnovers.
Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills have played each year since 1971. Anderson has patrolled the Rebel sideline for nearly all of those matchups, and Vestavia holds a 28-22 edge in the all-time series. More recently, the series has been even. Since 2009, the teams have split each of the eight matchups against one another.
Last year, the Rebels rolled to a 37-7 victory, as they scored a pair of defensive touchdowns and trampled a Spartan team already riddled with injuries.
Anderson would surpass Paul “Bear” Bryant as the winningest football coach in the state of Alabama at any level with another win. Anderson has totaled 323 wins in his career at Vestavia Hills, the same number Bryant had in his college career.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Thompson Reynolds Stadium.
