Defense, running game propel Bucs to win
HOOVER – It didn’t seem as if the Hoover High School football players were aware of the score on Friday night.
Completely unfazed by a slow start, the Bucs turned a two-touchdown deficit into a two-touchdown win, downing Hewitt-Trussville 28-14 at the Hoover Met in a Class 7A, Region 3 contest.
“They don’t watch the scoreboard,” Hoover head coach Josh Niblett said. “In the first game of the year against Central(-Phenix City), we were down 14-0. These kids have a way of never wavering, never flinching, they just try to keep playing.”
In a game in which neither team had their opening-night quarterback, Hewitt-Trussville (3-1, 1-1 in region) came out of the gates firing. Omari Kelly took the opening kickoff all the way to the Hoover 35-yard line. Kelly then caught a 19-yard touchdown pass a few plays later from Cade Carruth, who has been the Huskies’ signal-caller since the first half of the season opener.
On Hewitt’s next drive, the Huskies drove the field and went up 14-0 on a Jamyre Reese 7-yard touchdown grab, putting a Hoover team without quarterbacks Robby Ashford or Josh Lundy behind the eight-ball early.
Hoover’s defense picked up the slack and quickly turned the game on its heel, scoring on 40-yard interception returns on back-to-back Hewitt possessions. On the first one, Kory Chapman stepped in front of Carruth’s pass toward the sideline and took it to the house. On the next drive, Joseph Davis got his hand on an attempted screen pass, hauling it in and rumbling to pay dirt. Seth Parker picked off a pass in the end zone late in the second quarter.
“He lost control of the ball,” Davis recalled of his pick-six. “I saw it in the air and just knew I had to get it. We worked drills during the week, scoop and score, catching picks, getting the ball out of the quarterback’s hands. I knew I had to get the ball and I knew I couldn’t fall, I knew I had to score with it.”
Ashford, the Bucs’ dynamic quarterback, went down with an ankle injury in Hoover’s loss to Thompson last week. Sophomore Evan Reeder stepped in for the Bucs and performed admirably, completing 8-of-15 passes for 75 yards and a touchdown.
“I told our defense all week you’re going to have to do something to change the game,” Niblett said. “We’re playing a guy that hadn’t played any at quarterback.”
After the defense tied it up, the Hoover (3-1, 1-1) offense took the lead by taking advantage of a short field. The Bucs took over at the Hewitt 30 midway through the second quarter following a short punt, scoring a few plays later on a pass from Reeder to Malik Thomas, who came down with a jump ball in the end zone for a 6-yard reception, allowing Hoover to take a 21-14 lead into halftime.
“We made too many mistakes,” Hewitt-Trussville head coach Josh Floyd said. “We gave them two easy ones. We’ve got to do a better job.”
After the first quarter, Hoover’s defense was dominant. The Bucs’ unit, coordinated by second-year man Chad McGehee, surrendered a measly 76 yards to a normally potent Hewitt-Trussville attack over the final three quarters.
“Our D just did a heck of a job,” Niblett said. “You’ve got to get settled in. They play so fast, you’ve got to get them behind the sticks and can’t let them get in rhythm and have momentum.”
Hoover also established control with the running game in the second half. Dylan Pauley put the exclamation point on the game with a touchdown with 4:15 to play. Pauley carried the rock 20 times, gaining 113 yards.
“We told our offensive line our run game’s got to be there,” Niblett said. “… I thought in the second half we took over the game running the football. We challenged our guys this week.”
Hewitt-Trussville’s top running back, Armoni Goodwin, went down with a knee injury last week. In his stead, Sean Jackson stepped in and rushed 10 times for 61 yards despite suffering a minor injury as well.
“We’re really banged up right now, but that’s part of the game,” Floyd said.
Carruth finished the night completing 14-of-22 passes for 97 yards, with the two early touchdowns and three interceptions. Kelly finished with 40 yards on nine grabs, with Dazalin Worsham grabbing four balls for 32 yards.
Hoover’s victory wrapped up a bruising stretch to begin the season. The Bucs will remain at home next week to face Oak Mountain.
Niblett said, “This is a huge win in our region. This four-game stretch we’ve been in is a gauntlet. It’s been physical but I’ve been proud of our kids.”
Hewitt-Trussville will also remain in region play, as the Huskies host Spain Park.
Click here to purchase photos from the game.