Vestavia Hills rallies to beat Jags
HOOVER -- Cooper Bishop knew he had let down his teammates when he lost his cool and he was determined to make amends.
The Vestavia Hills senior did that and more as he raced 62 yards to set up the game-winning touchdown in the Rebels’ 28-21 victory over Spain Park on Bob Finley Field at Jaguar Stadium.
Bishop had been taken down for a loss as his team was driving toward the end zone. He responded by spiking the ball, which netted a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Bishop said the move was out of character for him.
“I was just getting frustrated,” he said. “I wasn’t thinking with my head. It just happened.
“I had already apologized to my teammates,” Bishop said. “I told them it was never going to happen again. I was just glad I was able to make up for it.”
The senior got his chance with about a minute to go and the visitors facing a second-and-17 from their own 33. Bishop went right and bounded down the sideline to the Jaguars 5.
One play later, with everyone expecting Bishop to run again, quarterback Eli Sawyer hit tight end Michael Vice over the middle for the game-winner. It was Vice’s second TD catch of the game, as the Rebels (2-0, 1-0 in Class 7A, Region 3) frequently went to the tight end with success.
Vestavia’s final two offensive plays demonstrated its ability to travel on the ground and through the air. The Rebels had 163 yards passing and 203 on the ground. Bishop had 201 of those yards on 26 carries, along with a pair of TDs.
“The pass complements the run and the run complements the pass,” said coach Buddy Anderson, whose team spotted the Jaguars a touchdown lead on an early interception.
“Our kids played hard and they came back,” he said. “We gave them that touchdown on the first series and our kids just never got down.”
The game was a back-and-forth affair in which neither could distance itself from the other. Jalen Henderson was a key cog for the Jags (1-2, 0-1), as he had 26 carries for 151 yards.
“I’m feeling down because of the loss but I feel we put in our all effort trying to win,” he said, “but we just couldn’t do it enough.”
Spain Park coach Shawn Raney lamented coming up short for a second week in a row. His Jags fell at Bessemer City last week. Again, he cited miscues.
“Our margin is small and we’re making too many mistakes, too many penalties and not playing very good football right now,” he said. “We don’t have much room for error, so we can’t be making as many mistakes as we’re making now. We’ve lost two really tough games and we’ve just got to stay with it and keep improving.”
Raney said his squad didn’t lack for effort.
“Our kids fought. That’s the bottom line,” he said. “We played hard. Are we playing good football now? No. We made too many foolish mistakes, penalties, and turnovers.
“But as long as our kids fight and continue to work, we’ll improve as the season goes on.”
To purchase photos from the game, click here.