Bucs face Huskies in quarterfinal clash
The Hoover High School football team made easy work of Sparkman on Friday night in the opening round of the Class 7A state playoffs. The Bucs scored four first-half touchdowns en route to a commanding 49-7 victory.
This week’s opponent will almost certainly test Hoover’s mettle to a greater extent. On Friday, the Bucs (8-3) will travel to Hewitt-Trussville (11-0) for a state quarterfinal showdown. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium.
Hoover last faced Hewitt-Trussville during the 2015 regular season, and the Bucs coasted to a 38-0 victory. But these are not the same Huskies. Hewitt-Trussville, the top seed from Region 4, has won 22 of its past 23 games, including last week’s first-round tilt against Spain Park.
Quarterback Paul Tyson completed 22-of-29 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns in his team’s 33-21 victory. A 6-foot-4 junior, Tyson is the pilot of Hewitt-Trussville’s prolific, fast-paced offense that has averaged more than 45 points per game. He has garnered recruiting interest from numerous Division I schools and has received offers from Wisconsin, Oregon and Southern California, among others.
Notably, Hewitt-Trussville’s 33 points last week marked its lowest point total of the season. The Spain Park defense held it in check for most of the first half, as the Jags trailed only 10-0 at the break.
Hewitt-Trussville will face another challenge in Hoover, which may possess the best defense the Huskies have played all year. The Bucs hung tough defensively in losses to high-powered Thompson and IMG Academy at the end of the regular season.
Last week, the only score it surrendered resulted from a short field. The Bucs otherwise shut down the Senators. Sparkman did not cross the 50-yard line on eight of its first nine possessions, and the Hoover defense snagged three interceptions.
“All we talked about this week is being 1-0,” Hoover head coach Josh Niblett said after the victory. “If you want to be 4-0 at the end, then you first have to be 1-0.”
Quarterback Jalen Parker threw first-half touchdown passes to Kendall Parker and Shedrick Jackson, while Jacquez Allen scored on a 29-yard run. Allen’s rush provided Hoover a 21-0 lead in the first quarter.
“I thought we came out fast tonight,” Niblett said. “I told them any thought [Sparkman] might have had, you have to take away early. Any time you play at home you should start out fast, and we were able to do that tonight.”
A fast start also will be key for Hoover this week, as will be the Bucs’ ability to rush the ball. Allen, Larry McCammon and Vonte’ Brackett have gashed defenses throughout the season. Doing so against Hewitt-Trussville should open up the passing game for Jalen Parker and his top two wideouts, Jackson and George Pickens.
Hoover leads the all-time series with Hewitt-Trussville, 15-3. The Huskies last defeated the Bucs in 1997.
The winner of Friday’s matchup will advance to the Nov. 24 state semifinal, where it will play either Thompson or Mountain Brook.
- Kyle Parmley and Brandon Miller contributed to this report.