By Lee Davis
Any time Hoover and Vestavia Hills meet in football, the odds are that something special is going to happen.
Certainly that was true Oct. 16, when the underdog Rebels shocked the Bucs 20-13 in what had to have ranked as one of long-time Vestavia coach Buddy Anderson’s sweetest victories.
As fate would have it, the pair met again Friday night in the second round of the Class 7A playoffs, and the result was anything but a fall rerun.
Hoover dominated the Rebels 24-0 at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. C.J. Sturdivant scored two touchdowns for the Bucs, and Hoover quarterback Chris Vacarella connected with Shedrick Jackson for a score. Jayden Jordan’s interception of a Vestavia pass in the third period set up Sturdivant’s second score.
The Bucs’ impressive victory sent them to the third round of the playoffs, where they will meet cross-town rival Spain Park on Friday. The Jaguars also defeated Hoover in the regular season, taking a solid 17-0 victory on Oct. 1.
“The first time we played Vestavia they did some things we weren’t prepared for,” Vacarella said. “This time we had a better idea of what they would do. We worked on those things all week and knew that we had to execute better to win this time.”
Vacarella also praised his team’s defense. “They really stepped up,” he said. “They had a big role in our win. I’m glad I don’t have to play against them.”
The Hoover quarterback said he was looking forward to the rematch with Spain Park. “It’s always special to play them, but the main thing is that it’s a playoff game,” he said. “We’ll try to do the same thing as we did before the Vestavia game. We’ll study the film and learn from our mistakes in the first game. I think we are now playing at a much faster pace than we did in the loss.”
Spain Park earned their way to the next round with a 13-10 win over James Clemens. The Jags scored 13 fourth quarter points to rally from a 10-0 deficit.
“We challenged our guys at halftime, because I felt we got whipped in the first half,” Spain Park coach Shawn Raney said. “Our guys really showed up in the second half. I’m so proud of them.”
Crosby Gray’s 25-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth period cut the margin to 10-3. The hosts tied the game when Chase Young intercepted a Jet pass and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown. Gray’s kick evened the score.
Spain Park took the lead when Gray converted a 41-yard field goal attempt.
James Clemens’ hopes for a comeback died when the Jets fumbled a punt return at their own 17, and the Jags’ Will Dailey recovered.
“In a playoff game, a team has to keep fighting,” Dailey said. “Always keep your head up and don’t stop pushing.”
In Class 6A, heavy underdog Homewood fell to defending state champion Clay-Chalkville in a 40-39 thriller.
With his team trailing 40-33 with only 3:12 remaining in regulation play, Homewood quarterback Carson Griffis scored on a 44-yard draw play. Instead of attempting an extra point kick and a probable overtime period, Patriot coach Ben Berguson chose to go for the two-point conversion.
“I didn’t want to get into overtime with them,” Berguson said. “I thought this (going for two) was our chance to win.”
The gamble failed. Griffis’ pass in the end zone was intercepted by the Cougars’ Jamarlin Sewell to preserve the victory.
A late Homewood threat died when the Patriots were stopped on a fourth down and one situation at Clay’s 31-yard line.
Sewell’s heroics climaxed a back and forth battle during which the offense usually dominated the defense. Griffis was a star for the Patriots, passing for 222 yards and rushing for 80 yards.
Also in Class 6A post-season play, Briarwood saw its season end with a 27-0 loss to Austin.