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Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Hoover WR Jeremiah Tabb (2) scores a TD during the Hoover vs. Fairhope week one playoff game at the Hoover Met on Nov. 7, 2024.
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Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Hoover WR Jonah Winston (4) scores a touchdown during the Hoover vs. Fairhope week one playoff game at the Hoover Met on Nov. 7, 2024.
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Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Hoover players emerge from the locker room during the Hoover vs. Fairhope week one playoff game at the Hoover Met on Nov. 7, 2024.
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Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Hoover Rb AJ Allen (28) pushes through defenders during the Hoover vs. Fairhope week one playoff game at the Hoover Met on Nov. 7, 2024.
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Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Hoover WR Ar'Mari Towns (7) blocks for RB AJ Allen (28) during the Hoover vs. Fairhope week one playoff game at the Hoover Met on Nov. 7, 2024.
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Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Hoover WR Jonah Winston (4) runs around TE Christopher Warren (1) during the Hoover vs. Fairhope week one playoff game at the Hoover Met on Nov. 7, 2024.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Fairhope's Fisher Southall (9) make a catch while being covered by Hoover's Tre Darden (0) during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Hoover ILB Trey Sanders (6) tackles player during the Hoover vs. Fairhope week one playoff game at the Hoover Met on Nov. 7, 2024.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's Avery Crawford(3) is brought down by Fairhope's August Faulkner (31) during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's Tre Darden(0) tackles a Fairhope ball carrier during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Hoover K Matthew Daibes (90) kicks off the ball during the Hoover vs. Fairhope week one playoff game at the Hoover Met on Nov. 7, 2024.
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Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Hoover WR Ar'Mari Towns (7) jumps for the ball during the Hoover vs. Fairhope week one playoff game at the Hoover Met on Nov. 7, 2024.
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Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Hoover's drum line during the Hoover vs. Fairhope week one playoff game at the Hoover Met on Nov. 7, 2024.
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Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Hoover dance member holds up a glowing heart during the Hoover vs. Fairhope week one playoff game at the Hoover Met on Nov. 7, 2024.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's Jeremiah Tabb(2) scores during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Members of the Hoover band perform during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover game captains Jonah Winston(4), Tre Darden(0), Toby Richard(76), and Trot English(62) lock arms on the way to midfield for the coin toss during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Action during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's Christopher Warren(1) makes a catch during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's Tyson Bacon(44) and Hoover's Trey Sanders combine to stop a Fairhope ballcarrier during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Members of the Hoover band perform during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's AJ Allen(28) is tackled by Fairhope's Blake Westry (1) during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Action during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's AJ Allen(28) evades a tackler during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's AJ Allen (28) is slowed down by Fairhope's Obie Watkins (12) during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's Jeremiah Tabb (2) is tackled by Fairhope's Mason Henderson (11) during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's Demarion Gardner (5) makes a nice catch during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's Mac Beason (15) runs the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's Jeremiah Tabb (2) runs the ball after a catch during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's Cameron Torbor (5) locks up Fairhope's Cooper Gardner (6) during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Hoover's JR Mosley(13) is tackled by Fairhope's Mason Henderson (11) during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, AL. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover's Christopher Warren(1) goes high to make a catch during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, AL. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover's AJ Allen(28) is tackled by Fairhope's Blake Westry (1) during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, AL. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover head coach Chip English during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's Trey Sanders (6) makes a tackle during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's AJ Allen (28) carries the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's Mac Beason (15) fakes a handoff to Hoover's JR Mosley (13) during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Members of the Hoover band perform during a game between Hoover High School and Fairhope High School on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
HOOVER – The Hoover High School football team opened the Class 7A playoffs with a strong performance, surging to a 35-10 win over Fairhope on Thursday night at the Hoover Met.
The Buccaneers (9-2 overall) excelled in all facets, totaling 436 yards on offense, while limiting the Pirates to minus-20 rushing yards.
“There is a lot to clean up,” said Hoover head coach Chip English. “Even in a win that is 35-10, you feel good about it, but at the same time, you don’t because of the mistakes. We’ll iron those out and get back on track.”
Hoover quarterback Mac Beason orchestrated a smooth opening drive, covering 80 yards in nine plays before connecting with Jeremiah Tabb for a 10-yard touchdown to give Hoover an early 7-0 advantage.
After a few defensive stops by both teams, Beason and Tabb linked up again in the second quarter, this time for a 32-yard score. Tabb's impressive footwork allowed him to break free from his defender and stretch Hoover’s lead to 14-0.
Fairhope (5-6) responded quickly with a 53-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Andrew Robertson to Bryon Martin, narrowing the gap to 14-7.
The Bucs kept up the momentum with a 13-play drive, capped by a powerful 10-yard touchdown run from senior AJ Allen. Allen evaded multiple defenders to push Hoover’s lead back to two possessions at 21-7 with 3:43 left in the second quarter.
A late interception from Beason allowed Fairhope a chance to score again before halftime. The away side managed to drive downfield with a pair of big completions – a Fisher Southall 34-yard catch, and then to Jahaven Johnson for 30 yards. An eventual 34-yard field goal closed the first-half scoring at 21-10.
At the half, Hoover’s defense limited Fairhope to just 110 total yards while the offense, led by 117 rushing yards and Tabb’s two-touchdown performance, steadily controlled the game’s pace.
Fairhope opened the second half with a promising drive but fumbled at the 14-yard line, where Hoover’s Justyn Hartley recovered the ball.
Early in the fourth quarter, Hoover’s offense struck twice in quick succession. JR Mosley punched in a 4-yard touchdown run to extend the Bucs' lead to 28-10, and less than a minute later, AJ Allen broke loose for a 62-yard score, putting Hoover up 35-10.
Fairhope’s struggles continued when a mishandled read option on fourth-and-2 led to another fumble recovery by Hoover, this time by Jovon Pulliam. In the final minute, DJ Waluyn intercepted a Fairhope pass to seal Hoover’s victory.
Beason finished 14-of-25 for 182 passing yards with two touchdowns and an interception, completing passes to six different receivers.
“Mac was really lights out,” said English. “I thought he dealt the ball when he needed to when they gave us the looks we wanted, and got the receivers the ball.”
The dynamic rushing duo of Allen and Mosley combined for 229 yards. Allen led the game with 146 yards on 12 carries, while Mosley ran the ball 18 times for 83 yards.
Tabb finished the game with four receptions for 68 yards and the two scores.
Southall led all players with four catches for 105 yards.
This game was the first ever meeting between the two programs.
Hoover carries a five-game winning streak into the second round of the playoffs, where it will face the winner of Opelika versus Florence on Friday night. The Bucs would host Opelika but travel to Florence, depending on the outcome of that game.
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