On September 15, cars were scattered across the grass and crammed in parking lots as hundreds upon hundreds of people descended upon Reynolds Stadium to watch a historic rivalry unfold. The rain fell occasionally, but it couldn’t dampen the energy of the crowd as they witnessed Vestavia’s first victory against Hoover since 2014. In a 26-7 rout against the Bucs, Vestavia’s victory snapped an eight-year losing streak to the Bucs, and it was the largest margin of victory against Hoover since 1998. It was also Vestavia’s Senior Night, with the seniors being recognized before the game.
Coach Evans, as reported in the Vestavia Voice, stated, “This is a huge win, not just because it’s Hoover. I thought we were the better team going in and that proved to be true.” The Rebels certainly were the better team, and it showed. Throughout the game, Vestavia never trailed, with their largest lead being 26.
Hoover held on in the first quarter, with the lone points being a 27-yard Vestavia field goal from junior Owen Simpson. While the scoreboard revealed a close game, a pair of close plays could have easily changed the direction of the game from the beginning. The Bucs muffed a punt, but the play was overturned after a call by the refs. Later on in the quarter, Hoover quarterback Noah Schuback fumbled the ball, but he was ruled down first.
The second quarter, however, marked the beginning of a 26-0 run for Vestavia. The team got the ball around the midfield mark after a fourth-down stop and shortly made it to the end zone with a terrific run by William Tonsmeire. Quarterback John Paul Head capped off the drive with a highlight-reel run that appeared on social media outlets such as MaxPreps and SportsCenter Next. Two minutes later, Head tallied in another touchdown run, putting the Rebels ahead 17-0. The 1st half ended with a Simpson field goal from 36-yards out to push Vestavia to a commanding 20-0 lead.
During halftime, many Hoover fans trickled out of the stadium as rain fell. Hoover's band performed, and this was followed by a James Bond-inspired performance by the Vestavia Marching band.
The third quarter opened with little hope for Hoover. Their first possession of the ball ended shortly with a punt, and Vestavia marched down the field again with a 5-minute drive capped off by another Head touchdown run. After a missed extra point attempt, the Rebels held a 26-0 lead, the largest of the game. With 46-seconds left in the quarter, the Bucs finally added points with a 8-yard touchdown run by Fred Dunson. Hoover tried an onside kick, but it was recovered by Vestavia.
The fourth quarter sealed the victory for the Rebels as they ran out the clock, with neither team scoring. According to Al.com, Vestavia finished with 419 yards of total offense, with 354 on the ground and 65 in the air. Hoover had 223 total yards, with 69 yards on the ground on 20 carries. Vestavia faced Spain Park the next week, where Vestavia won 26-8, while Hoover lost to Hewitt-Trussville 28-7. On October 6, Vestavia (4-1) will play Chelsea and then face Hewitt-Trussville on October 13.
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