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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Vestavia Hills' Chase Webb (2) runs the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Vestavia Hills' Layton Osborn (11) looks downfield during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's Reggie Jackson (6) goes high to try to block a PAT during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's DJ Waluyn (1) stops Vestavia Hills' Carter Metcalf (22) during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's AJ Allen (28) scores a touchdown during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's JR Mosley (13) carries the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover head coach Chip English during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, October 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, AL. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's Donnell Williams (26) and Hoover's DJ Waluyn (1) team up to bring down Vestavia Hills' Carson Mann (5) during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Vestavia Hills head coach Robert Evans during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's AJ Allen (28) dives across the goal line during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Vestavia Hills' Larry McSwain Jr. (7) breaks up a pass intended for Hoover's Jeremiah Tabb (2) during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Vestavia Hills' Owen Simpson (13) attempts a kick during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Members of the Hoover band perform during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, October 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, AL. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's JR Mosley (13) is brought down by a number of Vestavia Hills' defenders during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's Branden Rudolph (92) and Hoover's Justyn Hartley (14) combine to bring down Vestavia Hills' William Tonsmeire (1) during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's JR Mosley (13) scores a touchdown during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's JR Mosley (13) carries the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Members of the Vestavia Hills band perform during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's Tre Darden (0) tackles Vestavia Hills' Collier Neely (14) during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's Ar'Mari Towns (7) grabs a touchdown pass during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Vestavia Hills' Will Ainsworth (88) locks to block for Vestavia Hills' Carson Mann (5) during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Vestavia Hills' Carter Metcalf (22), William Tonsmeire (1) and Grayson Bruno (8) were captains during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Members of the Vestavia Hills band perform during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's Christopher Warren (1) add yards after a reception during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Vestavia Hills cheerleaders during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Action during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's AJ Allen (28) carries the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Vestavia Hills fans during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's Jeremiah Tabb (2) makes a catch while covered by Vestavia Hills' Leyton Downey (4) during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Members of the Vestavia Hills band perform during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
HOOVER – There’s no trophy for the winner, but make no mistake, the rivalry means a great deal to each community.
On Friday night, the Hoover High School football team reclaimed superiority against Vestavia Hills, at least for this season. The Bucs ran, and ran some more, on the way to a 38-20 victory in a Class 7A, Region 3 game at the Hoover Met.
Last fall, Vestavia snapped Hoover’s eight-game winning streak in the series. This time around, the Bucs piled up 334 rushing yards en route to the big win.
It’s huge,” Hoover interim head coach Chip English said of the rivalry win. “I was made very clear by the community that this was the big rivalry, not necessarily last week [against Thompson]. Happy for our community, happy for the city of Hoover, coming out with a big win.”
The game turned in the Bucs’ favor late in the first half, as Tyson Bacon’s pressure on Vestavia quarterback Charlie Taaffe forced an errant pass straight into the arms of linebacker Justyn Hartley, who returned the interception 60 yards for a touchdown and a 10-point halftime lead for Hoover.
Hoover (8-2 overall, 7-0 in region) extended upon its 24-14 edge with a big third quarter, stretching it out with two more touchdowns to make it 28 unanswered points.
“It gave us a little bit of a cushion,” English said of Hartley’s touchdown. “I still liked our chances, but you always like when your defense can produce points right there, because they had the ball coming out of the half. It was a nice score.”
The reason for English’s confidence was that Bucs’ rushing attack, which was dominant from the jump on Friday. JR Mosley and AJ Allen each went over the century mark on the evening. Mosley led the way with 142 yards on 17 carries, while Allen carried it 14 times for 114 yards.
Allen’s 24-yard run tied the game at 7-7 in the first quarter, and his 8-yard scoring run late in the second quarter made it 17-14. Mosley scored on an 11-yard run to stretch the lead to 31-14 in the third quarter.
“I love them,” Mosley said of his offensive line. “Those are my guys. I go to war every day with those guys. They believe in me and I believe in them.”
Vestavia Hills (4-5, 4-3) jumped out to an early lead, scoring on Carson Mann’s 39-yard run on the opening drive. The Rebels reached into their bag of tricks a few days ahead of Halloween in the second quarter for their second score. Carson Purdy took an option pitch, rolled out and tossed a 29-yard touchdown pass to Luke Stubbs to give the Rebels a 14-10 lead at the time.
However, an excessive celebration penalty following the touchdown allowed Hoover a short field on its ensuing drive.
Vestavia coach Robert Evans said that, along with the Hartley touchdown with 11 seconds to go in the first half, were the difference in the ball game.
“Hoover outplayed us tonight, but the last three minutes, those two plays really decided the game,” he said.
Vestavia Hills was unable to score again until midway through the fourth quarter on Bruce Littleton’s 21-yard run.
“That was a line of scrimmage game and they won both sides of the line of scrimmage. When that happens, it’s nearly impossible to win football games,” Evans said.
Evans is hopeful to get a few key players back next week, as the Rebels wrap up the regular season by hosting defending Class 6A state champion Clay-Chalkville.
“It doesn’t change anything. It’s good for us to see the size and speed for Hoover, because the reality is we haven’t seen anything like that in a month. It was good for us to play those guys,” Evans said.
Hoover quarterback Mac Beason was effective in his spots, going 13-of-18 passing for 159 yards. He also rushed for 35 yards. His top target was Jeremiah Tabb, who caught five passes for 87 yards. Jonah Winston had four grabs for 28 yards. Ar’Mari Towns caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Beason in the third quarter as well.
Vestavia Hills rushed for 192 yards, with Mann leading the way with 82 yards on nine carries. Littleton had a strong night, with 36 rushing and 49 receiving yards.
Vestavia forced two turnovers in the first quarter. Leyton Downey intercepted a pass on the first possession of the game and the Rebels recovered a fumble late in the quarter. William Plaisance and Rush Harper combined on a sack in the second half.
Hoover’s Branden Rudolph made an impressive interception on the final play of the first quarter as well.
Hoover and Vestavia Hills were already locked into their playoff positions, regardless of the game’s results. While Vestavia plays next week, Hoover’s regular season concludes with an open date next week.
The playoffs will begin Nov. 8. Hoover will host Fairhope in the first round, while Vestavia Hills travels to Mary G. Montgomery in the Mobile area.
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