Bucs overcome turnovers to knock off Tuscaloosa County
HOOVER -- Five lost fumbles could have overshadowed a career night from LaMarion McCammon and a dominating performance from the Hoover High School defense, but the Class 7A No. 3 Buccaneers remained unbeaten in region play with a 31-13 win over No. 7 Tuscaloosa County at the Hoover Met.
Hoover head coach Wade Waldrop referenced seven turnovers, but it was just five. However, there were several more fumbles that Hoover (7-1, 5-0 in Region 3) was able to recover and keep possession. The defense, though, kept plugging away with 11 tackles for loss and two interceptions.
"I’ve never been a part of a game where we had (that many) fumbles,” Waldrop said. "Definitely never been in one where we did all the fumbling. Just crazy. Not really good football, not clean football.
"The sad thing is that there are some really good things that happened to our football team tonight that had not happened all year and we don’t see it on the scoreboard because we didn’t take care of the football."
The homecoming crowd was treated to an electric performance from McCammon. The senior broke out in a big way with starting running back Ahamari Williams still injured. He rushed for 247 yards on 25 carries with three second-half touchdowns as Hoover put up 299 yards on the ground.
"He’s had the best two weeks of practice he’s had since he’s been here and every yard he got tonight was a product of the work he’s put in,” Waldrop said. "I’m really proud of him."
Hoover scored on its first drive of the game, as sophomore Jacorrey Hayes took a run in from 18 yards out. From that point, the Bucs’ offense and special teams unit struggled. The other four first-half drives ended with a blocked field goal, being stopped on a fourth-and-1 and consecutive fumbles.
Tuscaloosa County (5-2, 3-2) had success on the ground, but the Hoover pass rush prevented too much from happening. Isaac Rodriguez kicked field goals of 27 and 32 yards, the latter coming at the first-half buzzer after Hoover fumbled a handoff at its 33.
But it was all Bucs in the third. Peyton Argent kicked a 27-yard field goal and McCammon added touchdown runs of 6 and 45 yards before another turnover was recovered by the Wildcats for a touchdown. McCammon iced the game with an 11-yard score, though Hoover coughed up two more fourth-quarter fumbles.
"We made mistakes fumbling the ball in the first half,” McCammon said. "We had to come back on a different level. We came out and did our thing, the O-Line did their thing and we got in the end zone.”
McCammon said the fumbles were a result of “not taking exchanges serious in practice, but we’re coming back next week harder, stronger and full speed.”
Hoover was also down to its third-string quarterback. Noah Schuback, a freshman, started the game and went 5-of-8 for 51 yards, though several of the turnovers were on exchange issues with the running back.
"We had a lot of adversity this week and Noah was named the starter this week,” Waldrop said. "He came out and got a win as a freshman in a big environment. Happy for the win.”
Waldrop said starting quarterback Brewer Smith had surgery on an injured left shoulder but could return this season. Backup Brody Stacey, who did not dress out after playing in most of a 40-0 win last week at Oak Mountain, “should be available," Waldrop said.
Garian Denson and Cooper Darty had interceptions for the Bucs, who held Tuscaloosa County to just 113 total yards.
Hoover is at home against Chelsea next week.