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Hoover wide receiver Fred Dunson (0) is brought down after a run during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Julia Freeman.
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Hoover wide receiver Fred Dunson (0) carries the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Julia Freeman.
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Hoover linebacker Cooper Darty (13) and Hoover defensive back Dylan Bunkley (21) rush the quarterback during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Julia Freeman.
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Action during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 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 Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Julia Freeman.
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Hoover wide receiver Fred Dunson (0) fights for extra yards during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
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Hoover wide receiver Fred Dunson (0) evades a tackler during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Julia Freeman.
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Hoover defensive back Caleb Cook (23) is tackled during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Julia Freeman.
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Action during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
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Hoover running back Kamal Amerson (26) tries to break a tackle during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
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Hoover head coach Wade Waldrop during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
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Hoover wide receiver Jonah Winston (4) sprints for the end zone during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
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Action during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
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Hoover Cheerleaders during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
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Hoover offensive lineman push back the Oak Grove defensive line during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
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Hoover running back Kamal Amerson (26) is brought down after a run during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Julia Freeman.
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Hoover tight end Christopher Warren (1) is tackled after a reception during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
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Hoover wide receiver Jordan Woolen (6) slips a tackler and heads upfield after a reception during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
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Hoover wide receiver Fred Dunson (0) breaks through the line for a nice gain during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Julia Freeman.
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Hoover wide receiver Jonah Winston (4) breaks free during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
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Hoover wide receiver Fred Dunson (0) is brought down from behind during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
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Hoover wide receiver Jonah Winston (4) pulls defenders down the field for more yards during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
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Members of the Hoover Buccanettes perform during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Julia Freeman.
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Action during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Julia Freeman.
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Hoover offensive linemen Storm Fain (55), Trot English (59), and Rashad Smith (73) provide pass protection during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
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Hoover wide receiver Jonah Winston (4) throws a pass during a game between Hoover High School and Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 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 Oak Grove(MS) High School on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
HOOVER – Hoover High School head coach Wade Waldrop put his football team through a stringent challenge in the first two weeks of the season. On Friday, Waldrop said he saw growth from his team.
Unfortunately, for the Bucs, they came up short once again with a 28-21 overtime loss to Oak Grove, which is one of the top high school programs in Mississippi.
“Very disappointed we lost the game,” Waldrop said following the game. “Second game in a row, we made mistakes that hurt ourselves. I thought we grew up a lot from last week to this week. I thought we played physical football against a very physical, big, strong football team. We had a chance to punch that thing away and didn’t get it done.”
The winning points came on the opening play of overtime when Oak Grove quarterback Anthony Maddox and receiver Damari Jefferson connected on a 10-yard touchdown pass. Hoover immediately fell in a hole when Oak Grove linebacker Malachi Henderson, who was sensational all night, tackled Fred Dunson for a 4-yard loss. Three consecutive incomplete passes ended the game.
Not long before that, though, it looked like Hoover was going to put the winning points on the board at the end of regulation. The Bucs used a 16-play drive to set up what could have been a winning field goal. Running back Kamal Amerson, who finished with 141 yards on 28 carries, Dunson and Chalmers got tough yardage on the drive that covered 65 yards and stalled at the 16-yard line. But Hoover kicker Matthew Daibes slid his 33-yard attempt wide left with 1:40 left.
“We made two mistakes on the last two exchanges right there,” Waldrop said of the gut-check type drive. “If we do a better job of coaching it up, our kids don’t make the mistakes right there.”
It was a frustrating end to an entertaining game. Hoover quarterback Noah Schuback completed three passes in the first half. Two of those completions went for big-strike touchdowns. Schuback hit Jordan Woolen on a slant pass and the Hoover receiver turned it into a 48-yard touchdown early in the second quarter. The Bucs closed the first half scoring on a 34-yard pass from Schuback to Chris Warren with 21 seconds left before halftime.
Hoover dominated the first half, statistically, but turned the ball over twice. The Bucs had 211 first half yards on 32 plays with Amerson rushing for 80 yards on 15 carries. Oak Grove had 127 yards on 19 first half plays but provided a big play – an 85-yard punt return for a touchdown by Nehemiah Taylor – on special teams. The other touchdown – a 47-yard touchdown pass from Maddox to Tajii Burkett – came after a potential touchdown pass was called back because of an ineligible receiver penalty.
The Bucs broke the tie early in the third quarter after Jordan Moultrie’s blocked punt set Hoover up at the Oak Grove 6-yard line. It took two 3-yard runs by Jonah Winston to give Hoover a 21-14 lead. Oak Grove stormed back quickly and tied the game on a 40-yard pass from Maddox to Prentiss Woodland.
That set up the eventful final minutes.
Hoover now turns its attention to the Class 7A, Region 3 opener at Spain Park.
“I think the two games we’ve played prepared us for region play,” Waldrop said. “We got to find a way to eliminate mistakes and grow up.”
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