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Photo by Erin Nelson
Vestavia Hills tight end Warren Ainsworth (88) catches a pass as he turns for the end zone as the Rebels face Hewitt-Trussville in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Vestavia Hills quarterback John Paul Head (13) passes the ball in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Hewitt-Trussville tight end Donovan Price (33) carries the ball to the end zone as Vestavia Hills defensive end Andrew Sykes (94) moves in on coverage in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Hewitt-Trussville kicker Riley Rigg (30) kicks the extra point as the Huskies face Vestavia Hills in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Hewitt-Trussville quarterback Peyton Floyd (7) passes the ball in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
The Vestavia Hills marching band performs at halftime of a game against Hewitt-Trussville at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Hewitt-Trussville running back Jaqson Melton (32) drives past Vestavia Hills linebacker Houston Owen (18) in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Hewitt-Trussville defensive back Riggs Dunn (12) runs the ball as Vestavia Hills linebacker Houston Owen (18) blocks in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Hewitt-Trussville wide receiver Ka’Darius Barnes (2) carries the ball as Vestavia Hills linebacker Samuel Hanson (47) blocks the run in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Hewitt-Trussville wide receiver Brett Moseley (5) catches a pass guarded by Vestavia Hills defensive back Grant Downey (4) in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Hewitt-Trussville wide receiver Brett Moseley (5) catches a pass guarded by Vestavia Hills defensive back Grant Downey (4) in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
The Vestavia Hills marching band performs at halftime of a game against Hewitt-Trussville at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Hewitt-Trussville running back Jaqson Melton (32) is brought down by Vestavia Hills defensive back Grant Downey (4), Vestavia Hills defensive end William Bond (41) and Vestavia Hills defensive back Will Cox (1) in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
The Hewitt-Trussville marching band performs at halftime of a game against Vestavia Hills at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Vestavia Hills wide receiver Keown Richardson (8) catches a pass as Hewitt-Trussville defensive back Riggs Dunn (12) makes the block in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Vestavia Hills running back Tucker Smitha (46) is brought down by Hewitt-Trussville defensive back Gavin Williams (29) in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Hewitt-Trussville tight end Donovan Price (33) reacts in the end zone after scoring for the Huskies in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Vestavia Hills running back Jack Lockhard (32) returns the kickoff in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Vestavia Hills defensive lineman Lane Whisenhunt (49) celebrates a touchdown in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Hewitt-Trussville quarterback Peyton Floyd (7) looks to make a play as he avoids a tackle by Vestavia Hills linebacker Jacob Watson (42) in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Hewitt-Trussville wide receiver Jacob Serena (14) carries the ball as the Huskies face Vestavia Hills in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Hewitt-Trussville quarterback Peyton Floyd (7) runs the ball into the end zone to score for the Huskies in a game against Vestavia Hills at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Vestavia Hills defensive back Kohen Nelson (15) covers Hewitt-Trussville wide receiver Jadon Loving (1) in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Hewitt-Trussville quarterback Peyton Floyd (7) looks to pass the ball as Vestavia Hills defensive end Jordan Ross (5) moves in on coverage in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Vestavia Hills defensive lineman Lane Whisenhunt (49) holds up the ball after scoring in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
The Hewitt-Trussville marching band performs at halftime of a game against Vestavia Hills at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Hewitt-Trussville defensive back Gavin Williams (29) tackles Vestavia Hills wide receiver Keown Richardson (8) in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Hewitt-Trussville wide receiver Jadon Loving (1) is knocked out of bounds by Vestavia Hills defensive back Will Cox (1) in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Hewitt-Trussville wide receiver Jadon Loving (1) avoids a tackle by Vestavia Hills defensive back Kohen Nelson (15) in a game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The Huskies defeated the Rebels 45-37. Photo by Erin Nelson.
TRUSSVILLE — Class 7A No. 6 Hewitt-Trussville High School downed Vestavia Hills 45-37 in a key Class 7A, Region 3 game at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on Friday night.
The win moved Hewitt-Trussville to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the region. It drops the Rebels to 3-4 overall and 2-3 in region play. Hoover and Thompson are both 5-0 in region play. Tuscaloosa County is 3-2.
“It’s hard,” Hewitt-Trussville head coach Josh Floyd said. “It’s hard to get in the playoffs. We know that. I think there’s something special about this group, and I told them that after the game. You get down 16-0 and respond the way we did, guys had to make plays, and so there’s just something special about this group.”
If you were late arriving to the game, you likely missed the 16-0 start. The Rebels went 77 yards in 11 plays on the opening drive, capped by a 2-yard jump pass from John Paul Head to Lane Whisenhunt. Four plays later, a high snap on a Hewitt-Trussville punt sailed through the end zone for a safety. Vestavia Hills scored four plays later when Head connected with Warren Ainsworth on a 24-yard touchdown.
“Before you knew it, they struck back and had a monster second quarter,” said Vestavia Hills head coach Robert Evans. “It’s two very similar style offenses going back and forth. There’s just no break and both defenses are gassed in the second half and it’s just a track meet.”
The Huskies found the end zone late in the opening quarter when quarterback Peyton Floyd scampered in from 26 yards. He scored again from 12 yards out just minutes later on the opening drive of the second quarter. Floyd found Brett Moseley for an 18-yard score to take a 21-16 lead midway through the second quarter. The Rebels responded, going 65 yards in five plays, this time Head plunging forward 1 yard to take a 23-21 lead. Hewitt-Trussville answered with a decisive drive of its own, going 61 yards in six plays, with Jaqson Melton finishing it off on a 14-yard run. Floyd hit Donovan Price on a 9-yard touchdown to take a 35-23 halftime lead.
Riley Rigg’s 30-yard field goal late in the third quarter pushed the lead to 15 points before Head capped a 12-play, 71-yard drive with another 1-yard score. Melton scored his own 1-yard touchdown on the ensuing drive to give the Huskies a 45-30 lead early in the fourth quarter. Jack Lockhart made it a 45-37 game with a 1-yard touchdown of his own with 7:26 left in the game. Hewitt-Trussville kept the ball the remaining 7:17, running 13 plays for 91 yards before taking a knee at the 1-yard line.
“The effort has not been the problem for us,” Evans said. “It’s been the execution in the big games. Credit to Hewitt-Trussville. They played a more physical game tonight. They broke more tackles. You give credit where credit is due, and they outplayed us tonight.”
For Vestavia Hills, Head completed 16-of-29 passes for 236 yards, two touchdowns and an interception to Rickey Gibson. He rushed for 46 yards and two scores. William Tonsmeire led the ground attack with 63 yards on nine carries. Tucker Smitha caught six passes for 94 yards, and Ainsworth finished with three grabs for 72 yards and a touchdown.
For Hewitt-Trussville, Floyd was 18-of-26 for 212 yards and two scores. He rushed 24 times for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Melton led all rushers with 152 yards and two touchdowns on 29 attempts. Moseley led the Huskies receiving corps with 79 yards on five receptions. Jadon Loving hauled in four passes for 72 yards.
Vestavia Hills travels to Oak Mountain next week. The Huskies hit the road for Spain Park.
“We’ll learn from this,” Floyd said. “We’ve still got two more games that we need to win for the playoffs. I think just being able to respond to adversity. I like this group because they respond to adversity well. They don’t get down too much. If you’re going to win a championship, you’ve got to be able to do that.”
