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Photo by David Leong
Hoover quarterback Kaleb Freeman (7) carries the ball during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills kicker Sloan Morgan (20) kicks the extra point during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Hoover marching band entertains the crowd during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills marching band entertains the crowd during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills quarterback Charlie Taaffe (11) looks for a receiver during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills wide receiver Luke Stubbs (14) celebrates his punt return touchdown during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills students cheer on their team during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Hoover running back JR Mosley (3) scrambles over Vestavia Hills linebacker Daniel Richardson (18) during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Hoover quarterback Kaleb Freeman (7) throws a short pass to Hoover running back CJ Cowley (26) during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Hoover running back CJ Cowley (26) tries to break free from Vestavia Hills cornerback Will Bochnak (10) during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills head coach Robert Evans congratulates his team on their win over Hoover after a game on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills team captains prepare to take the field before a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Hoover team captains prepare to take the field before a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Hoover running back JR Mosley (3) avoids a tackle by Vestavia Hills defensive lineman Rush Harper (24) during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Hoover running back JR Mosley (3) is stopped by Vestavia Hills defensive lineman Rush Harper (24) and defensive lineman Josh Arendall (93) during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Hoover kicker James Bryant (96) kicks the extra point during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Hoover head coach Chip English talks to an official during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills wide receiver Luke Stubbs (14) runs the ball during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Hoover head coach Chip English watches from the sidelines during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills quarterback Charlie Taaffe (11) throws the ball downfield during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills running back Noah Boylan (2) is tripped up by Hoover safety Caleb Cook (5) during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills running back Noah Boylan (2) is tripped up by Hoover safety Caleb Cook (5) during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Hoover quarterback Kaleb Freeman (7) passes the ball during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Hoover wide receiver Hunter Purdue (0) is taken down by Vestavia Hills safety Walker Hogue (26) during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills running back Noah Boylan (2) celebrates his touchdown with teammate offensive lineman Pearson Tucker (54) during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills head coach Robert Evans paces the sideline during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Hoover wide receiver Hunter Purdue (0) sprints for the endzone while being pursued by Vestavia Hills safety Walker Hogue (26) during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills wide receiver Zachary Laws (3) runs the ball during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills quarterback Charlie Taaffe (11) gets rid of the ball while being pressured by Hoover linebacker Trey Sanders (6) during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills wide receiver Luke Stubbs (14) is tackled by Hoover cornerback Caden Smith (21) and cornerback Jackson Lassiter (22) during a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on Fri, Oct. 24, 2025, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium. Photo by David Leong.
VESTAVIA HILLS – At times, Vestavia Hills High School head coach Robert Evans seems to have utter disregard for doing things in a conventional manner.
On the opening kickoff, he called an onside kick, but Hoover recovered.
His call later in the game worked to perfection and helped turn the momentum in a 39-30 win over Hoover on Friday night in the Class 7A, Region 3 finale.
Vestavia’s offense opened the second half with an assertive drive, taking a 25-24 lead on Carson Purdy’s 3-yard run.
The Rebels’ defense then pinned Hoover deep, and quarterback Charlie Taaffe went deep to return the punt. Taaffe received the punt, took about three steps, then pivoted and threw a lateral across the field to Luke Stubbs, who had plenty of space and scored from 35 yards out.
“That was a good play call,” Taaffe said. “We worked on it like two times during the week, never knew we were going to do it.”
That play pushed Vestavia to its second win in three years over its biggest rival.
“We put in fakes all the time,” Evans said of the team’s special teams work. “We put it in this week and thought it would be a good idea.”
The rivalry between the two programs has long been recognized as one of the state’s most fierce, but it had added meaning Friday night with playoff spots on the line. Many in the stadium had one eye on the Prattville vs. Thompson game. A Prattville win would have eliminated the loser from the playoffs.
But Thompson prevailed, and both Hoover and Vestavia Hills will advance to the postseason, the Rebels as the No. 3 seed from Region 3 and Hoover as the No. 4 seed.
“That’s almost of secondary importance,” Evans said of winning the rivalry game. “When you can beat them, it’s sweeter. Any time you beat Hoover, it’s kind of a big deal, because they have good coaches, good players, good program, we’ve got respect for them. But they’re a rival and when you beat them it’s a good day.”
Both offenses ruled the evening for the most part, running up and down the field with great efficiency. Hoover began the game with a promising drive that ended with James Bryant’s 45-yard field goal. Vestavia also attempted a field goal on its opening possession, but it was blocked.
Hoover opened the lead to 10-0 on Kaleb Freeman’s 14-yard pass to Jeremiah Tabb. It was the first of three touchdown throws by Freeman on the night. He completed 20-of-24 passes for 222 yards.
Vestavia cut into the lead with Charlie Taaffe’s 1-yard scoring run. The Rebels converted a surprise two-point conversion to make it 10-8 early in the second quarter. Taaffe was 14-of-22 passing for 148 yards, but he rushed for 115 yards and a score.
Freeman threw a 34-yard touchdown to Jonah Winston and a 65-yard touchdown to Hunter Purdue before the half was over. Noah Boylan’s 5-yard touchdown run and Sloan Morgan’s 37-yard field goal cut the Hoover lead to 24-18 at halftime.
The Rebels were the better team in the second half, with Carson Purdy giving his team its first lead at 25-24 on his 3-yard run.
After Vestavia’s punt return made it 32-24, Hoover had a chance to tie it following CJ Cowley’s 4-yard touchdown run. The Bucs were assessed an excessive celebration penalty, backing them up 15 yards. Still, they went for two and nearly converted a long scoring play.
With the score at 32-30, Purdy put the final touches on the contest with a 3-yard touchdown run with less than four minutes to play. Purdy was outstanding in the game, rushing 18 times for 125 yards and two scores.
JR Mosley was Hoover’s leading rusher in the game, going for roughly 80 yards. Purdue had 99 yards on four grabs, while Tabb had four catches for 47 yards. Winston finished with six catches for 50 yards.
Grayson Harper had three catches for 40 yards for Vestavia, while Stubbs had four grabs for 47 yards.
Hoover’s regular season concludes with a 6-4 record, and the Bucs have an open date next week ahead of a playoff road trip to top-ranked Central-Phenix City on Nov. 7.
Vestavia Hills is 7-2 now and hosts Montgomery Catholic next Thursday night to cap off the regular season. The Rebels will travel to Auburn in the first round of the playoffs. The Rebels throttled Auburn 42-14 in Week 2.
“To think It’s going to be that kind of game [again] is ludicrous,” Evans said. “They’ve got a good program.”
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