Spain Park ends Hoover's season, 7A title game next
A trip to the Super 7 and the AHSAA Class 7A state championship was on the line Friday when Hoover sought redemption and Spain Park looked to extend its bragging rights in the intracity rivalry. Spain Park snapped a 41-game in-state win streak by the Bucs earlier this season with a 17-0 shutout, the Jaguars first win in 13 tries in the series. Friday, they squeaked out a second win, 7-6, to punch their ticket to the Super 7.
“It’s an unbelievable game. We couldn’t do anything offensively. We managed to squeak out one drive there at the end. Credit to Hoover and how they played. They made great adjustments from the first game,” Spain Park head coach Shawn Raney said. “I’m so proud of our kids and throughout the year they never give up, keep playing and believing in what we’re trying to get done. They did that tonight and won us a football game.”
The win snapped another Hoover streak: seven consecutive state championship appearances. The Bucs will have now played in all but two state finals since 2000. The last was when Spain Park beat Vestavia to reach the 6A title game at Legion Field in 2007. The Jaguars will meet McGill-Toolen Catholic in the championship Wednesday, Dec. 2 at Bryant-Denney Stadium in Tuscaloosa. Kickoff will be 7 p.m.
Field possession was key for the Jaguars Friday night, after giving up a 40-yard kickoff return to start the game. Hoover took advantage of the opening return by Andrew Hawkins set the tone for Hoover, who started each first-half drive close to midfield.
Both teams traded fumbles early in the first quarter, and the Jaguars defense managed to hold off the Bucs until Barrett Pickering drilled a 47-yard field goal with 25 seconds to play in the opening quarter. That score remained at halftime.
Spain Park received the kick to open the second half and took advantage of a fresh start to flip the field. The Jaguars managed to get to the 44 before being forced to punt. Tyler Sumpter, who averaged 40.3 yards per punt for the game, boomed a 41-yard punt to pin Hoover inside its 20 for the first time on the night.
For most of the game, it looked like both teams were playing off their individual scripts from the state quarterfinals, with Spain Park falling behind 3-0 in the first quarter and 6-0 in the third on a 37-yard Pickering field goal. But with just over five minutes to play, the Jaguars converted a big third down pass, followed by a personal foul to move them to the Bucs’ 35. Four plays later, the game was tied after Parker Kelly touchdown catch on a tipped ball thrown by Joey Beatty.
With 2:33 to play, Crosby Gray lined up to hit the eventual game-winning point-after try, just like he did with field goals against Thompson and Hewitt-Trussville earlier this year and James Clemens last week.
“I just knew to get myself mentally prepared,” Gray said. “Every kick is the same. My dad always tells me that. I knew my snapper and my holder, Martin Daugherty and Carson Davis, had my back.”
The defense then continued to have the back of No. 30 as he knelt on the sideline. With Hoover driving deep in Spain Park territory, Cameron Toyer picked off a pass at the Jags’ 23 with 1:24 to play. Spain Park ran the clock down to 23 seconds before Sumpter had to punt from his end zone. He skied a 43-yard punt to midfield that took eight seconds off the clock. Hoover pushed to into field goal range, but was unable to spike the ball to give Pickering a game-winning try.
Hoover’s season ends with a 10-3 record, its first three-loss season since 2008.
“We had an opportunity to try and win the ballgame,” Hoover head coach Josh Niblett said. “This one is going to hurt for our seniors. These guys had to grow up a lot this year. Hats off to Spain Park. To God to be the glory to have the opportunity to be where we were at. We had opportunities, we just didn’t make the most of them.”
The Bucs were led by quarterback Chris Vacarella’s 106 yards of offense, 32 by ground and 74 by air on 8-of-16 passing. Cleophus Sturdivant had 73 yards on the ground for Hoover on 18 carries.
Beatty completed 15-of-17 passes for 125 yards to lead Spain Park. Will Greene and Bridge Suber had 55 and 44 yards receiving, respectively. The Jags’ leading rusher was Larry Wooden with 52 yards.
Houston Hollis and Damon Wright led the Jaguars with seven and six tackles, respectively, including a sack by Wright.