Bucs shut out Rebels in rematch
There was no looking back for the Hoover football team, only forward.
The Bucs’ rematch with visiting Vestavia Hills wasn’t about a previous loss. The game was about what they could do and had to do to keep playing.
So the 24-0 win fifth-ranked Hoover put up against the sixth-ranked Rebels in the second round of the AHSAA Class 7A playoffs had nothing to do with avenging a seven-point regular-season back in Octobrer.
“Revenge is about the past and about the other team, said junior defensive back Jayden Jordan, who had one of Hoover’s two interceptions in a domination defensive effort. “When we come out and focus on redemption it’s more about the right now and what we’re going to do in the future.
“We came out and redeemed ourselves and got the W.”
Hoover advances to play top-ranked Spain Park, which handed the Bucs their other regular-season loss, next Friday. The Jags defeated James Clemens 13-10 and will play host to Hoover in the third round.
“We executed, all the way around,” Hoover coach Josh Niblett said. “We played fast, we executed, we were physical, we swarmed to the ball, we aligned right and we put ourselves in some good situations. We didn’t let them dictate the flow of the game.”
Running back C.J. Sturdivant had 77 yards on 14 carried and scored twice for Hoover, but it was the defense that set the tone. The Bucs (10-2) completely shut down Vestavia Hills (9-3). The Bucs held the Rebels to just 138 yards on 58 offensive plays. They held the Rebels to just nine first downs and forced five three-and-outs. And they gave the Rebels nothing.
“I just want to thank the defense,” Sturdivant said. “They just did a heck of a job tonight.”
And the effort was truly a team effort. No Buc had more than six tackles (Temarcus Bryant and Kholbe Coleman led with six each), Will Singleton had the other interception.
“It’s awesome too know that they can hold an opponent to that few points and it just depends on the offense to put the points on the board and when that happens we come out with a W,” said Hoover quarterback Christopher Vacarella, who threw a touchdown pass.
It wasn’t that the Hoover offense was so hot either. The Bucs had just 178 yards and nine first downs, but when the opportunities to score came, Hoover pounced.
The Bucs finally took advantage of the battle for field position in the middle of the second quarter for the only two scores of the first half.
After the Rebels quick-kicked to give the Bucs the ball at Vestavia 33, Hoover got a 35-yard field goal from Barrett Pickering with 8:57 left in the half.
Vestavia went three-and-out on the ensuing drive, and a 15-yard punt set up the Bucs at the Rebels 17. Four plays later Sturdivant rumbled in from 5 yards out with 5:28 left in the half to give Hoover a 10-0 lead.
The Rebels got nothing going offensively all half and put up just 44 yards in the first two quarters. Hoover was not much better, with just 89 total yards.
Sturdivant scored again on a 7-yard run with 7:34 left in the third quarter for a 17-0 lead, and Javan Jackson caught Vacarella’s 36-pass over the middle in traffic for a score with 3:29 left in the quarter to complete the scoring.