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Photo by James Nicholas
Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Vestavia Hills defensive back John Martin Richter (17) rushes Mountain Brook quarterback John Colvin (12) during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Vestavia Hills quarterback/punter Mitchell Towns (16) is tackled by Mountain Brook defensive back Alexander Horn (26) during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Referees listen as the National Anthem is played before a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
A Mountain Brook student dressed up in costume for a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
A member of the Vestavia pep squad taunts the Mountain Brook sideline before a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
The Vestavia Hills Band during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
The Vestavia Hills Students section cheer and shoot off powder bombs during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Mountain Brook defensive lineman Thompkins Richardson (60) celebrates during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Mountain Brook head coach Chris Yeager watches his team before a touchdown during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Vestavia Hills running back Tucker Smitha (46) is tackled by the Mountain Brook defense during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Vestavia Hills defensive lineman Max Neuroth (55) gets a hold of the face mask of Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Vestavia Hills head coach Sean Calhoun is surprised by the call during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Mountain Brook quarterback John Colvin (12) scambles from the pocket during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Mountain Brook linebacker Quinn Thomas (25) signals the safety during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Vestavia Hills linebacker Houston Owen (18) reading the Mountain Brook offense during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Vestavia Hills linebacker Davis Stewart (30) tackles Mountain Brook quarterback John Colvin (12) during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Mountain Brook running back Will Waldrop (18) being tackled during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Vestavia Hills quarterback/punter Mitchell Towns (16) during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Vestavia Hills defensive back Caleb Harwell (21) tackles the Mountain Brook Runningback during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Vestavia Hills quarterback John Paul Head (13) is flipped after being tackled during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
The Vestavia Hills Dance team cheer during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
The Vestavia Hills students section cheer during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Vestavia Hills cheerleaders on the sideline during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
The Mountain Brook Students section cheer during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
The Mountain Brook Students section cheer during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
The Mountain Brook band members during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
The Mountain Brook Cheerleaders during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Mountain Brook players look over plays on the sideline during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Vestavia Hills kicker/punter Ben Keene (35) practices kicking on the sideline during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Mountain Brook Dance team members during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
The Vestavia Hills players watch plays on the sideline during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
The Vestavia Hills students section cheer during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Vestavia Hills defensive lineman Trey Saunders (33) tackles the Mountain Brook Runningback during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Mountain Brook running back Will Waldrop (18) dramaticly avoids being tackled during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Vestavia Hills quarterback/punter Mitchell Towns (16) scrambles looking for an open receiver during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Vestavia Hills running back Tucker Smitha (46) runs the ball during a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Mountain Brook linebacker Trent Wright (4) runs onto the field before a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Mountain Brook Cheerleaders pose before a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. The Spartans defeated the Rebels 33-3. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Vestavia Hills Cheerleaders and student pep squad members pose for a photo before a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
A Mountain Brook Cheerleader shows off her tumbling skills before a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Mountain Brook vs. Vestavia Hills Football
Vestavia Hills Cheerleaders have a message for their opponent before a game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Friday, AUG. 20, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
MOUNTAIN BROOK – The Spartans’ first play of the game paid homage to legendary Vestavia Hills High School head coach Buddy Anderson.
John Colvin handed off to Cole Gamble, who ran the ball off right tackle. He ripped off 27 yards, and that was a sign of things to come.
“We started out the game, we ran the old Buddy Anderson play and darn, if it wasn’t our best play,” Mountain Brook High School head coach Chris Yeager said following the game.
Mountain Brook dominated on Friday night, opening up the 2021 season with an emphatic 33-3 win over crosstown rival Vestavia Hills at Spartan Stadium.
“It was a good start,” said Yeager, whose team comes off a Class 6A semifinal appearance last fall.
It was the first game in the Vestavia (0-1) tenure of Sean Calhoun, who took over for Anderson after 43 years leading the Rebels.
“It was a beautiful night and a beautiful atmosphere,” Calhoun said of his first game at Vestavia. “They’re good and we know it. If you don’t match the execution, you’ll get behind.”
Mountain Brook (1-0) benefitted from great field position all night. Three of the Spartans’ four scoring drives in the first half began on the Rebels’ side of the field. The other one began at their own 48-yard line.
The Spartans jumped ahead late in the first quarter on George Cain’s 3-yard touchdown run following Jones Beavers’ fumble recovery. Trent Wright picked up a loose ball on Vestavia’s next possession, taking it inside the 5 and setting up Reed Harradine’s 19-yard field goal to put the Spartans up 10-0 after a quarter.
In the second quarter, Colvin established a connection with Jake Thompson. Thompson scored on receptions of 16 and 12 yards in the frame, sandwiched around a Mountain Brook safety. Thompson caught another touchdown in the third quarter, finishing the night 55 yards on five catches.
Mountain Brook led 26-0 at the half and Thompson’s third score made it 33-0 early in the third. Vestavia Hills tacked on a 21-yard field goal by Ben Keene in the final minute to wrap up the scoring.
In Colvin’s first start, he excelled, completing 11-of-17 passes for 172 yards and the three scoring strikes to Thompson.
“We’ve told him over and over, he’s a first-year starter but he’s got the talent to do it,” Thompson said of his quarterback. “We’ve been giving him the confidence and he came out here and balled tonight.”
Colvin was aided significantly by an experienced receiving core. Jackson Beatty caught three balls for 77 yards and Sims Brown went for 38 yards on three catches.
Mountain Brook’s defense was stellar all night as well, holding Vestavia Hills to just 118 total yards. It was a tough start for the Rebels’ first foray into the spread offense. New quarterback Mitchell Towns went 11-of-19 for 80 yards. Keown Richardson grabbed four passes for 28 yards and Cole Turner caught three balls for 22 yards.
Tucker Smitha was the Rebels’ leading ball carrier, going for 29 yards on 14 rushes.
“Our kids, they’re not going to quit,” Calhoun said. “Our kids are not going to lack any effort. Are there things we’ve got to clean up? Absolutely. That starts with me. I’ve got to do a better job during the week.”
After the game, Calhoun stood on the field as jubilant Mountain Brook students made their way to the field to celebrate the Spartans’ victory. It is a memory he will hold for some time.
“The only way that I know to do is to keep working hard. This will be in my mind for a long time. I want our kids to experience this,” he said. “We’ve got Homewood next week and we’ll be ready.”
Vestavia Hills heads to Homewood next week for another local rivalry game, while Mountain Brook heads to Huntsville.
