Hayes carries Bucs to victory over Jags
HOOVER — Josh Niblett hasn’t seen many individual performances like the one he watched unfold at the Hoover Met on Friday night. One of his seniors, Anthony Hayes, just kept on running.
By the end of the game, he had carried the ball 27 times for 280 yards and four touchdowns. And that was enough to lift the Hoover High School football team to a 42-35 victory over crosstown rival and Class 7A, Region 3 foe Spain Park.
“Just praise God, man,” Hayes said. “I’m thankful for this game.”
Hayes toted the ball so much because Hoover’s other primary running back, junior Dylan Pauley, was sidelined with a knee injury. Pauley viewed Friday’s game in street clothes and could only cheer on his teammate.
“I was just amazed,” Pauley said.
Hayes rushed for touchdowns of 91, 4, 17 and 31 yards. His final two scores came in a fast-paced fourth quarter that saw Spain Park tie the game at 35-35 on a 54-yard strike from Harrison Barker to Cooper Kelley. Barker, whose team trailed 35-27 after three quarters, then connected with Jacob Jenkins for the two-point conversion.
The Jags had a chance to take the lead on their next drive, but Hoover linebacker Carter Milliron intercepted Barker at his 31-yard line. One play later, Hayes found a hole and bolted to the end zone.
“I had to do it for him,” Hayes said of Pauley. “I had to do it for everybody. Like I said, these are all my brothers.”
Codey Martin intercepted Barker again on what ended up being Spain Park’s final possession. The Bucs tallied three picks on the night, and they helped key the victory.
“These kids know how to overcome adversity,” said Niblett, Hoover’s head coach. “They’re almost better when their backs are against the wall and when they’re uncomfortable.”
Hoover fell behind 27-21 in the third quarter after leading by four, 21-17, at intermission. Spain Park’s Drake Tabor converted a 40-yard field goal to begin the second half, and Austin Hutcheson bulldozed into the end zone from 2 yards out on his team’s next drive.
Hayes then responded with a 4-yard score from the wildcat formation, allowing Hoover to retake the lead.
“We gave up a couple plays, but I thought our defense did a good job of trying to snatch some momentum back,” Niblett said. “When we were able to do that, then the offense kind of complemented the defense by getting a drive or getting a score.”
The game went back and forth from the beginning. Both teams scored a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter, with Bucs quarterback Josh Lundy finding RJ Hamilton for 34 yards and Hayes outracing the defense on his 91-yard gallop.
For Spain Park, Patrick Davis recovered a blocked punt in the end zone, and Barker zipped a 30-yard touchdown to Jenkins.
In the second quarter, Tabor hit a 26-yard field goal, and Lundy fired a 5-yard touchdown to Ray Hampton.
Lundy completed 15-of-22 passes for 189 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on the night. Barker, meanwhile, completed 18-of-29 passes for 214 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
But Friday wasn’t as much about quarterbacks as it was about one particular running back.
After the game, grass clung to Hayes’ arms, and the white tape that once hugged his elbow had peeled away.
Hayes admitted to being a little tired after his herculean effort. Undoubtedly, the memories made during his highlight-filled night will long outlast the fatigue.
“He’s had an unbelievable week of practice, and he’s an unbelievable leader, he’s an unbelievable kid,” Niblett said. “He works hard, and he’s one of those guys, he’s about everybody else. He’s not about Ant. I’m just glad to see him tonight get what he deserves.”
Hoover (6-1, 4-1 in region) will go for its 500th victory in program history when it hosts Vestavia Hills next week. Spain Park (2-5, 1-4) will host Oak Mountain.
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* 10/14: A correction was made to indicate Carter Milliron intercepted a pass.