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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park's Jonathan Roberto (6) pursues Vestavia Hill's Noah Boylan (2) during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park's head coach Tim Vakakes speaks with Spain Park's Dexter Brunson (18) during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park marching band entertains the crowd during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park marching band entertains the crowd during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills marching band entertains the crowd during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills marching band entertains the crowd during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park's Nash Davis (10) calls the snap during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hill's Nick Williams (5) fails to prevent Spain Park's CJ Davis (11) from crossing over the goal line during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park's Garrett Hoffman (50) kicks the ball during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hill's Clayton Cox (21) celebrates his interception during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hill's Price LaMaster (10) celebrates his touchdown with Cord Pigg (55) during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park's CJ Davis (11) is stopped by Vestavia Hill's Cooper Moore (16), Carson Creel (25), and Nick Smith (20) during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hill's Braxton Hunt (22) blocks Spain Park's Donald Lukima (15) during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills head coach Robert Evans shakes hands with Spain Park's head coach Tim Vakakes after a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills head coach Robert Evans congratulates his team after their win against Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park's head coach Tim Vakakes speaks with his team after their defeat against Vestavia Hills on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park captains prepare to take the field before a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia team captains take the field before a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia cheerleaders lead their team onto the field before a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park players take the field before a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hill's Charlie Taaffe (11) jumps over Spain Park's Dwight Beckford (8) on his way to the end zone during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hill's Price LaMaster (10) holds the ball for Sloan Morgan (4) during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park's Nash Davis (10) is pressured by Vestavia Hill's Haines Bridges (56) during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hill's Price LaMaster (10) carries the ball during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park's CJ Davis (11) avoids a tackle by Vestavia Hill's Luke Harper (14) during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park's Zach Jones-Van Pelt (42) punts the ball during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park's Micah Hale (14) pursues Vestavia Hill's Charlie Taaffe (11) during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hill's Lawson Manown (0) pressures Vestavia Hill's Charlie Taaffe (11) during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park's CJ Davis (11) is taken down by Vestavia Hill's Morgan Butler (97) during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park's CJ Davis (11) avoids a tackle by Vestavia Hill's Micah Joel Washington (6) during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Spain Park's Hudson Hibbard (8) is tripped up by Vestavia Hill's Maddox Vickers (29) during a game between Vestavia and Spain Park on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Photo by David Leong.
Vestavia Hills High School's football team built a three-possession lead by halftime and never let go, beating Spain Park 30-7 on Friday night in Class 6A, Region 3 play.
Head coach Robert Evans pointed to the fast start as the difference. The Rebels scored on their first drive and executed a surprise onside kick to regain possession.
"Very huge," Evans said. "We needed to get off to a fast start. When we get up early in games, we tend to win. The first team that scores wins about 70% of high school games. And we got the onside kick, made it a three-possession game, and really, if not for some sloppy operation, we left a lot of points out there. But it's a good win, because the reality is we'll be on the other side of these in our region."
Charlie Taaffe scored on touchdown runs of 29 and 15 yards in the first quarter, and Sloan Morgan added a 28-yard field goal to make it 17-0 after one.
Morgan connected on two more field goals in the second quarter, from 22 and 29 yards, to push the lead to 23-0 at halftime. Spain Park's CJ Davis got the Jaguars on the board with a 6-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, but Taaffe answered with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Price LaMaster to make it 30-7.
Taaffe accounted for three total touchdowns, finishing 12 of 20 passing for 199 yards and rushing for 146 yards on 21 carries. Luke Stubbs led all receivers with six catches for 104 yards, and Morgan went a perfect 3 for 3 on field goals to go with all three extra points. Davis paced Spain Park with 151 rushing yards and a receiving touchdown.
Evans credited the physical, run-heavy approach for wearing down Spain Park's defense as the game wore on.
"They wanted to run the ball, we wanted to run the ball. Both teams ran the ball effectively, and I thought our pace wore on them," Evans said. "It proved to show dividends in the second half when we were able to kind of take the air out of the game in the fourth quarter."
Vestavia Hills improved to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in Region 3, and has an open date next week. Spain Park fell to 3-2 overall and 1-2 in the region, and also has an open date.
XO Stats contributed to this report.
