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Photos by Barry Stephenson
2017 HHS Football
Will Reichard (38) tacks on the extra point during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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HHS captains Seth Compher (15) and Isaiah Hubbard (46) walk to midfield for the coin toss during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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Shedrick Jackson (80) maikes a catch during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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Super Fan Chandler Fullman and BTC Board Member David Bannister enjoying game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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Offensive lineman Harper Price (78) blocks for quarterback Jalen Parker (31) during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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Barret Pickering (47) kicks off during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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Hoover defender make a tackle against Tuscaloosa County on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017.
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Shaw Niblett (18) reels in a touchdown pass during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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Hoover Color Guard during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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2016 Homecoming Queen Caroline Willoughby crowns the 2017 Homecoming King, Charlie Steele.
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2017 Hoover High School Homecoming Court
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The Hoover Lettermen show support for Class of 2017 HHS Graduate Ben Abercrombie during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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Hoover fans during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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Running back Jacquez Allen (21) breaks free from the Tuscaloosa County defense on his way to the endzone during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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A Hoover cheerleader during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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Hoover defenders make a tackle against Tuscaloosa County on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017.
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Wide Receiver George Pickens (1) makes a catch and scores a touchdown during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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Jalen Parker (13) scores a touchdown during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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Hoover's Larry McCammon (3) crosses the goal line during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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Hoover Cheerleader prior to a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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Jaylon Brown (38) brings down Khalfani Plummer(34) during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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Jonathan Lorimer (52) brings down a TC ball carrier during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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2016 HHS Homecoming Queen Caroline Willoughby crowns the 2017 Homecoming Queen Olivia Slocum as Principal Don Hulin looks on.
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Walter Skowronek (37) brings down TC QB John Colby Stapp (18) during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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Nick Curtis (54) tracks down QB John Colby Stapp (18) during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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A host of hoover players bring down a TCHS ball carrier during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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Shedrick Jackson (80) races for a touchdown during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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Ryan Caldbeck (42) makes a tackle during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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2017 HHS Football
Wide Receiver Shedrick Jackson gains extra yardage afer a catch during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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Hoover football players enter the field during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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Hoover cheerleaders lead the team onto the field during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
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HHS Band Members during a game between Tuscaloosa County and Hoover on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Hoover Met in Hoover.
HOOVER -- Homecoming was made particularly memorable on Friday night, as Hoover marched to an easy 63-0 victory over Tuscaloosa County High School at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.
The Bucs (4-1, 3-0 Class 7A, Region 3) had seven first half possessions and found the end zone on all seven occasions. They didn’t punt until the six-minute mark of the fourth quarter. This one wasn’t about the No. 2 Bucs' football prowess, however, as the game and resulting victory sat deeper within the players’ hearts for a solemn reason.
Former Buc Ben Abercrombie, now a freshman at Harvard, sustained a severe injury in a game last Saturday. Hoover honored him with an “ABS” helmet sticker and strived to play for the former captain with their game preparation throughout the week.
“Everybody has a heavy heart and our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family right now as we pray for his improvement,” Hoover coach Josh Niblett said. “In times that are tough, it takes tough people, and I don’t know of a tougher person than Ben. He’s like a child to me, so it has been a tough week for everybody. We wanted to come out tonight and play the game the way he played it, and I thought our guys exemplified that tonight.”
Hoover played a nearly flawless first half, as senior quarterback Jalen Parker completed eight of his 10 passing attempts for 208 yards and three touchdowns. His scoring tosses covered 16, 62 and 34 yards to receivers Shedrick Jackson, George Pickens and Shaw Niblett, respectively. He also added an 11-yard scoring run.
The Bucs' three-headed monster in the backfield – Larry McCammon, Vonte’ Brackett and Jacquez Allen – all had big contributions, with Brackett and Allen each finding pay dirt twice, while McCammon ripped off the night’s first touchdown just 1:33 into the game, courtesy of a 12-yard scamper off right tackle.
There were few bright spots for the visitors from Northport, as freshman running back Damien Taylor picked up 58 yards on the ground to lead the way offensively. The Wildcats (1-4, 0-3) fumbled on their first three possessions and provided Hoover with an average starting first half field position at the Tuscaloosa County 28-yard line.
On the flip side, the Bucs, with the rarity in high school football of possessing two kickers each holding FBS offers (senior Barret Pickering and junior Will Reichard), kicked all 10 of their kickoffs into the end zone, forcing the Wildcats into glaring at 80 yards of desolate grass to reach the end zone.
“We weren’t very good and the mistakes we made were just amplified against a good team. You can’t make those against a bad team, much less a good one,” Wildcats first-year coach John Holladay said.
Nearly every member of the Hoover roster was able to participate in the lopsided victory, as the clock ran continuously for the majority of the second half.
Yet despite all of the glamor and positive emotions that coincide with a homecoming victory, the thoughts of “ABS” still lingered.
“He inspired all of us and played so hard when he was here, and we will just continue to pray for him,” Parker said.
Hoover gets next week off while Tuscaloosa County hosts Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa in a non-region contest.
