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Photo by Todd Lester.
Vestavia Hills WR/DB Charlie Hughes (6) makes a reception during a game during a game against Spain Park in September 2019 at BuddyAnderson Field at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Vestavia’s Landon Neese (23) runs the ball during a game against Oak Mountain in October 2019 at Buddy Anderson Field at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Vestavia defeated Oak Mountain 31-10.
There were sure to be programs affected by COVID-19 throughout the high school football season. Even after the AHSAA announced July 21 the intention to play a full season and to begin on time, there was the knowledge that the season would likely not go off without a few bumps in the road, at the very least.
Vestavia Hills High School was one of those affected schools from the outset, as the school on Aug. 11 suspended football practice through Aug. 20.
“Over the past several days, Vestavia Hills High School athletics staff [has] been monitoring several students and coaches in the varsity football program who recently tested positive for COVID-19 or were in close contact with individuals who tested positive,” a statement read.
The football program was unable to practice again until Aug. 21, the day the season was originally set to begin.
Vestavia Hills also announced the cancellation of the season’s first two games, “due to the inability of the team to practice for an extended period.” The Rebels’ games against Mountain Brook on Aug. 21 and Homewood on Aug. 28 will no longer be played.
The football team will aim to replace one of the two non-region contests with another game Week 5, originally slated to be an open week.
School officials confirmed all other school athletics practices and events were taking place as scheduled.
Vestavia Hills High School football coach Buddy Anderson often speaks of the difficulty of playing in Class 7A, Region 3. There are no easy victories and the path to the playoffs is always fraught with resistance.
In Anderson’s 43rd and final season as the head coach of the Rebels, he will lead his team into that region slate one final time beginning in September. Without the first two scheduled contests, Vestavia Hills will begin its season in the month of September with three straight region contests.
Vestavia Hills hosts longtime rival Hoover on Sept. 4 in the first region game for both squads. Hoover has had the upper hand of late in the series, with the Rebels winning just once since 2007.
In last fall’s meeting, Vestavia Hills came close to pulling it out, though. The Rebels took the lead in the fourth quarter, before Hoover scored a pair of late touchdowns to win 34-28. Jake Levant scored a pair of touchdowns for the Rebels in that game as well. In a series that has been renewed every single year since 1972, Hoover has a 35-20 edge all time.
The following Friday, the Rebels head to Heardmont Park to take on Oak Mountain, a squad that figures to be improved in 2020. In 16 meetings between the programs, Vestavia Hills has prevailed in 13 of them, including last year’s 31-10 shellacking. That game proved a sweet bounce back for the Rebels, who dominated the contest following two difficult region losses.
In the contest, the Rebels rushed for 147 yards, over half of them coming from Landon Neese, who piled up 77 on just four carries. Levant punched it into the end zone twice more down near the goal line.
On Sept. 18, Vestavia Hills hosts Tuscaloosa County, a program that has struggled in recent seasons. Last year, the Rebels cruised to a 45-16 victory over the Wildcats. In that game, Vestavia Hills jumped out to a huge 28-0 lead in the first quarter, getting rushing touchdowns from Levant and AJ Powell sandwiched around a Will Brooks interception return and a Jermaine Harris blocked punt return touchdown. The Rebels have won 10 of the 16 meetings all-time and five in a row.
Vestavia Hills is scheduled to have an open week the final Friday of September, but the Rebels intend to add a game to the slate if the proper opportunity becomes available.
Looking ahead to October, Vestavia Hills faces Thompson, Hewitt-Trussville, Spain Park and Gadsden City to conclude region play. The Rebels finish the regular season at home against Shades Valley.
