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Hoover wide receiver Jordan Woolen (6) reaches for a pass during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover running back Kamal Amerson (26) runs the ball for a nice gain during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover offensive lineman Storm Fain (55) leads the blocking for Hoover running back Kamal Amerson (26) during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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A Hoover wide receiver makes a nice grab during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Members of the Hoover band perform during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
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Hoover defensive lineman Michael Nixon (10) makes a tackle during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover linebacker Bradley Shaw (7) brings down a ball carrier during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover defensive lineman Micah Hampton (9) puts pressure on the Auburn offensive line during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Members of the Hoover band perform during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
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Hoover fans during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Julia Freeman.
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A Hoover receiver makes a catch during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Julia Freeman
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Hoover game captains watch the coin toss during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Julia Freeman
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Hoover running back Kamal Amerson (26) breaks a tackle during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Members of the Hoover band perform during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Julia Freeman.
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Hoover running back Kamal Amerson (26) pulls defenders down the field for extra yards Members of the Hoover band perform during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Julia Freeman.
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Members of the Hoover band perform during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Julia Freeman.
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Hoover linebacker Cooper Darty (13) celebrates with teammate Hoover linebacker Bradley Shaw (7) after pulling down an interception during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Julia Freeman
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Hoover defensive back Dylan Bunkley (21) brings down an Auburn ball carrier during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover player enter the field prior to a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Julia Freeman
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Hoover Cheerleaders during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Julia Freeman.
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Hoover wide receiver Jonah Winston (4) makes a grab near the sideline during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Julia Freeman
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Hoover wide receiver Jonah Winston (4) breaks through the line on the way to a long touchdown run during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Members of the Hoover band perform during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
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Hoover wide receiver Jonah Winston (4) looks for running room during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover fans during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
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Hoover wide receiver Fred Dunson (0) tacks on yards after a completion during a game between Hoover High School and Auburn High School on Friday, Aug 25, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson
HOOVER – Two of the best Class 7A programs in the state got together on Friday night in Hoover. On this day, Auburn High School was the better team, as the Tigers used a stingy defense and timely offense to pull away from Hoover in a 39-14 victory over the Bucs.
“Big win,” said Auburn head coach Keith Etheredge. “Hoover, they’ve got a good football team. Hats off to them, they’re going to win a lot of football games this year. You know, I was looking up on the scoreboard and [Hoover head coach Wade Waldrop] has got a lot of young guys.”
A big defensive play on the second play of the second half turned things in Auburn’s favor and the Tigers came back on their next offensive series to put up some important points. The defensive play came when safety Jackson Mills gathered in a pass across the middle by Hoover quarterback Noah Schuback. Mills then raced 32 yards for the score to give Auburn a 20-7 lead.
Hoover answered with an eight-play, 80-yard drive that culminated when Jonah Winston turned a fourth-and-1 into a 35-yard scoring run to trim the deficit to 20-14 with 6:55 left in the third quarter. The drive also featured 36 passing yards by Schuback.
Three plays later, it looked like Hoover would get the ball back and keep the momentum. Facing a third-and-5, Auburn whistled a snap over quarterback Jackson Kilgore’s head. Kilgore corralled the ball, avoided pressure and hit Cody Palmer for a 17-yard gain.
“They get a sack right there, we’re backed up, we got to punt out with a six-point lead,” Etheredge said. “But he’s such a competitor. He does it all the time in practice. Something happens and he improvises and makes the play.”
Auburn went on to convert two more third down attempts on the drive and eventually built the lead to 26-14 on a 9-yard pass from Kilgore to Palmer.
The Tigers went on to close out the impressive win.
Schuback finished with 147 passing yards but threw a pair of interceptions. Hoover managed just 80 yards on 22 rushing attempts. Winston had 39 yards on 3 carries and 2 catches for 8 yards. Chris Warren had 5 catches for 46 yards.
The defenses set the tone early and continued to be stingy throughout the first half. Auburn managed 153 yards on 32 first-half plays and Hoover had 123 yards on 26 first-half snaps. The difference in the first half – at least on the scoreboard – was 55- and 40-yard field goals by Auburn’s Towns McGough. His 40-yard field goal came on the final play of the half, giving the Tigers a 13-7 halftime lead.
Hoover’s lone successful drive came immediately following the first field goal. Kamal Amerson’s 19-yard reception from Schuback got things moving. On the next play, Schuback connected with Jordan Woolen on a 45-yard pass to the 1-yard line. Two running plays netted nothing. Winston moved over to quarterback and raced around the right corner to put Hoover on the board with 9:09 left in the half.
Auburn’s first-half touchdown came with 4:14 left in the half on an 8-yard run by Tyler Flakes. The big play on the drive was a 27-yard pass from Kilgore to Palmer.
Hoover hosts Oak Grove of Mississippi next Friday, in another non-region matchup against a prestigious opponent.
