Bucs dominate rivalry game
The game was only the Great American Rivalry in moniker on Friday night, as the Hoover High School football team took control of the game from the outset and never let up, to the tune of a 38-7 victory over Vestavia Hills at the Hoover Met in a Class 7A, Region 3 matchup.
“I’m just proud of our kids,” Hoover head coach Josh Niblett said. “I challenged them all week. I felt like our mindset was where it needed to be in practice.
“We gave a lot of great effort in practice like we always do, but the tempo in practice was different this week. They amped it up.”
That energy showed up right from the opening kickoff for Hoover (7-1, 6-0 Class 7A, Region 3). On the first play from scrimmage, Hoover quarterback Garrett Farquhar found Cortez Hall open for a 32-yard gain. Five plays later, he discovered another receiver all by his lonesome, as Shedrick Jackson scored from 21 yards out for a 7-0 Buc lead.
“It was very important to us (to come out with energy),” said Jackson, after Hoover clinched the Region 3 crown last week. “It was great to come out here and play in front of our home crowd.”
Vestavia Hills (4-4, 2-4) got its only bit of momentum on Hoover’s next possession, as Tucker Queen fell on a Vonte’ Brackett fumble. However, the Rebels fumbled the ball back and were unable to capitalize.
Hoover pulled a rabbit out of its bag of tricks in the second quarter, as Shedrick Jackson caught a swing pass from Farquhar before floating it to Kam Ford for 29-yard touchdown and a 28-0 halftime lead.
Jackson caught three passes for 39 yards and threw the touchdown pass, earning him most valuable player honors from the Great American Rivalry Series, which dubbed the Hoover vs. Vestavia Hills rivalry one of the featured matchups across the country.
For the Rebels, Spencer Lawson intercepted a pass with the Bucs on the doorstep of another score early in the third quarter. Vestavia also notched its only score of the game when quarterback Coleman Petway hit Joseph Travis in the end zone on a fourth down play.
C.J. Sturdivant carried the rock 15 times for Hoover on the evening, gaining 77 yards and scoring a pair of short touchdowns. Brackett gained 69 yards on 11 rushes.
Farquhar wrapped up the game 14-of-21 passing for 214 yards and a pair of scores, including a short pass to tight end Joseph Timpa in the second quarter.
Vestavia Hills gained just 176 yards total, 130 of them on the ground, as Hoover continued upon one of the most impressive streaks in the area. The Bucs have allowed double-digit points just once this season; to Allen, in the Bucs’ only setback of the season.
"The defense is playing really good,” Jackson said. “The offense got off to a slow start (on the season), but we’re picking it up. Give credit to the defense. They’re a great defense; probably the best I’ve played with in my career.”
Toliver Chatwood and William Schaffeld led Vestavia on the ground, with 57 and 51 yards, respectively.
With the loss, Vestavia Hills has been eliminated from playoff contention and will host Tuscaloosa County next week. Hoover travels to Thompson for its final region game.
“They can start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel right now. It’s a process, it’s not a moment. We want to stay locked into the process,” Niblett said.