Rebels Capture First Region Win Over Hillcrest, 42-24
By Jordan Wald
Vestavia Hills wasted no time setting the tone Friday night at Thompson Reynolds Stadium, jumping out to a commanding 21-0 first-quarter lead on its way to a 42-24 victory over 7A, Region 3 foe Hillcrest.
Rebels quarterback Charlie Taaffe had an outstanding night, rebounding from a rough outing against Hewitt-Trussville a week earlier. Taaffe accounted for 290 total yards and five touchdowns, completing 8 of 17 passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 143 yards on 21 carries with three rushing scores.
Vestavia Hills struck first just two minutes into the game when Taaffe broke free for a 26-yard scramble up the middle. On the Rebels’ next possession, Carson Purdy capped a short drive with a 9-yard touchdown run. Moments later, Taaffe connected with Price LeMaster on a deep 57-yard strike to push the lead to 21-0 before the end of the first quarter.
Hillcrest finally responded in the second quarter, putting together a 72-yard drive capped by a 35-yard touchdown pass from Kahden Smith to Jacobi Harris. Later in the quarter, Hudson Hall drilled a 40-yard field goal to cut Vestavia Hills’ lead to 21-10.
Vestavia answered immediately, as Taaffe found Braxton Hunt for a 14-yard touchdown to give the Rebels a 28-10 halftime lead.
The Rebels’ momentum carried into the third quarter when Taaffe broke free again, this time for a 36-yard touchdown run, pushing the lead to 35-10 and putting the game out of reach for Hillcrest.
The Hawks battled back late in the period, cutting the margin to 35-18 on a short touchdown run followed by a two-point conversion.
However, Taaffe wasn’t finished, adding his third rushing touchdown on a 1-yard plunge in the fourth quarter. The Rebels tacked on one final score in the closing minutes on a 34-yard pass to Jaylin Cooke. Final score: Vestavia Hills 42, Hillcrest 24.
Vestavia Hills racked up 473 yards of total offense — 176 passing and 297 rushing. Purdy led the running game with 67 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown. Noah Boylan added 48 yards on 12 attempts, while Luke Stubbs chipped in with two carries for 36 yards.
Hunt was the leading receiver with three catches for 68 yards and a touchdown, while LeMaster’s lone catch went for a 57-yard score.
The Rebel defense also turned in a solid performance, forcing two fumbles and limiting Hillcrest to just 280 total yards — 164 passing and 116 rushing.
With the win, Vestavia Hills improved to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in Region 3 play. The Rebels will travel to Alabaster next Friday for a crucial region matchup against defending 7A state champions Thompson.
Homewood Dominates Woodlawn, 52-8, to Stay Undefeated
By Loyd McIntosh
Homewood continued its dominant start to the 2025 season with a 52-8 rout of region foe Woodlawn Friday night to remain undefeated four weeks into the season.
The Patriots took control early, scoring at will and building a 42-0 lead by halftime. On defense, Homewood held Woodlawn to just 120 total yards of offense. The Colonels managed negative-30 rushing yards in the second half, while the Patriots intercepted three passes and consistently set up their offense with excellent field position.
The Patriots’ offense needed only 266 yards on 37 plays to secure the 44-point victory. Senior quarterback Kaleb Carson continued his outstanding season, completing 6 of 9 passes for 142 yards and 4 touchdowns in just over one half of play.
Wide receiver T.J. Felton caught all three of his receptions for touchdowns, finishing with 91 yards. J.T. Watts added a 29-yard touchdown catch.
On the ground, Homewood rushed for 126 yards on 23 attempts. Chappy Chapleau led the running backs with 50 yards on 8 carries and a touchdown. Davis Griffin added 42 rushing yards and a touchdown on 6 carries, plus 22 receiving yards. Reid Goldstein chipped in 38 rushing yards and a 23-yard touchdown on 4 carries.
Through four games, Homewood has outscored opponents 179-22. With the win, the Patriots improved to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in Class 6A Region 5 play, remaining tied for first place with defending state champion Parker High School.
The Patriots will host region rival Jackson-Olin on Friday, September 19. The Mustangs (2-1, 1-0) have shown dramatic improvement after going winless in 2023 and finishing 1-9 in 2024. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Waldrop Stadium.
