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Hoover wide receiver Jordon Ward (5) is brought down by his jersey during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover fans during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover defensive end KJ Wright (15) and Hoover defensive end Myles Bunkley (21) team up to bring down the Knoxville Catholic High School quarterback during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover safety DJ Waluyn (1) makes a tackle during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover running back Malik Boggan (1) carries the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Members of the Hoover band perform during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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A Hoover Cheerleader during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Action during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Action during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover running back King Sims (33) carries the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover defensive back Hunter Wetherholt (22) pressures the quarterback during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover running back Jordan Williams (2) runs the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover head coach Chip English during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Members of the Hoover band perform during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover defensive end Jovon Pulliam (7) knocks down a pass during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover Cheerleaders during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover running back Jordan Williams (2) scores during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover running back Jordan Williams (2) runs the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover football players prior to a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover Cheerleaders during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenso
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Hoover quarterback Kaleb Freeman (7) runs the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover running back Jordan Williams (2) carries the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover kicker Steele Witschy (39) connects on a extra point try during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover quarterback Kaleb Freeman (7) scrambles during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover wide receiver Jordon Ward (5) runs the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover wide receiver Andrew Renfroe (4) catches a pass during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover tight end Anderson Clark (10) carries the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover running back Paxton Weatherly (0) carries the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover defensive end Jovon Pulliam (7) chases down the Knoxville Christian quarterback during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover defensive end Jovon Pulliam (7) and Hoover linebacker Khonor Latham (25) rush the quarterback during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Action during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover wide receiver Jordon Ward (5) carries the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover running back Paxton Weatherly (0) carries the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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A member of the AFJROTC Color Guard prior to a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Members of the Hoover band perform during a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Knoxville Catholic football players prior to a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover football players prior to a game between Hoover High School and Knoxville Catholic High School on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
HOOVER — The Hoover High School football team appeared to have done enough to secure a hard-fought victory Friday night.Then, when the clock hit zero, Knoxville Catholic (Tenn.) pulled off the improbable.
The Irish stunned the Buccaneers with a touchdown on the final play of the game, as Braylen Gibbs came down with a desperation pass in the back of the end zone to give Knoxville Catholic a 20-17 victory in the non-region affair at the Hoover Met.
Hoover (3-3) had taken a 17-14 lead into the fourth quarter and appeared to have the game under control after its defense forced a turnover on downs with less than five minutes remaining.
The Bucs then nearly put the game away.
Kaleb Freeman connected with Anderson Clark for a first down before Malik Boggan broke loose for what appeared to be a clinching 20-yard touchdown run. But the play was negated by a holding penalty.
Hoover eventually turned the ball over on downs after going for it on fourth-and-15. Ja'Myreion Dickerson nearly made the gamble pay off, making a tremendous effort on a toss toward the back right corner of the end zone, but he was unable to stay in bounds.
With only 29 seconds remaining, Knoxville Catholic (5-1) suddenly had one last chance.
Quarterback Mack Bartholomew escaped pressure and found Brayden Howard for a 45-yard gain. The play moved Knoxville Catholic to within 30 yards of the end zone with 10 seconds remaining.
After the first stab at the end zone fell incomplete, it set up one final, improbable snap.
Bartholomew started to his left before circling back toward the right side of the field. With pressure bearing down, he launched a pass toward the back of the end zone.
Five players — three Bucs and two Irishmen — leaped into the air with a chance at the ball.
Gibbs came down with it.
The University of Alabama commit secured the ball and held on as he was taken to the ground, surviving the ensuing wrestling match long enough to make the touchdown official and send the visitors’ bench into a frenzy.
The final play overshadowed what had been a back-and-forth game throughout.
“I am heartbroken for the guys,” Hoover head coach Chip English said. “It’s tough losing like that, but we have to play better. The countless penalties that we did to ourselves, we cannot do that and win. Give them credit for making a play, but we have to do better, change some things up and figure things out.”
Knoxville Catholic opened the scoring after Freeman was pressured while scrambling and lost the ball, allowing Liam Gray to scoop it up and walk in for a 5-yard fumble recovery touchdown with 4:45 left in the first quarter.
Hoover answered with a 12-play, 77-yard drive, capped by Freeman’s 20-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. Freeman trucked through a defender at the goal line to tie the game at 7-7.
DJ Waluyn intercepted Bartholomew on the first play of the ensuing drive, setting up Hoover’s go-ahead touchdown. Jordan Williams carried three times for 38 yards on the drive, finishing it with a 7-yard touchdown run out of the Wildcat.
Knoxville Catholic answered before halftime when Gibbs made an acrobatic catch in the corner of the end zone with 29 seconds remaining, tying the game at 14-14.
Hoover regained the lead in the third quarter after a 17-play drive stalled near the goal line, settling for Steele Witschy’s 25-yard field goal.
The Bucs had another opportunity early in the fourth quarter after a short Knoxville Catholic punt and kick-catch interference gave Hoover the ball at the Irish 20. But a false start and sack pushed the Bucs backward, and Witschy’s 45-yard field-goal attempt fell short and left.
Hoover then turned to its defense, which forced Knoxville Catholic into a fourth-and-9 after the Irish jumped early on fourth-and-4. KJ Wright tracked down Bartholomew for a sack, seemingly putting the Bucs in position to close out the victory.
Instead, Knoxville Catholic got that one final chance, and made it count.
Hoover’s difficult schedule continues next Friday when undefeated Thompson visits the Hoover Met.
Thank you to Southlake Orthopaedics for sponsoring our coverage of Hoover football this season.
XO Stats contributed to this report.
