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Hillcrest wide receiver Jaylin Cooke (13) is tackled during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover wide receiver Jonah Winston (4) sprints away from Hillcrest defensive lineman Adrian Love (9) during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover wide receiver Jonah Winston (4) goes up and makes a grab during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover game captains wide receiver Jonah Winston (4), linebacker Trey Sanders (6), wide receiver Hunter Purdue (0), and quarterback Kaleb Freeman (7) head to midfield for the coin toss before a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover running back Paxton Weatherly (20) tries to escape from two Hillcrest defenders during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover safety DJ Waluyn (1) brings down Hillcrest running back Jacobi Harris (5) during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover running back Paxton Weatherly (20) hits the hole during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover defensive end Javon Pulliam (7) and Hoover defensive tackle Tyson Bacon (44) team up to tackle Hillcrest quarterback Jordan Shambley (2) during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover quarterback Kaleb Freeman (7) throws a pass during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Action during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover safety Brady Crutchfield (24) and Hoover safety DJ Waluyn (1) bring down Hillcrest wide receiver Austin Cherry (11) during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover quarterback Kaleb Freeman (7) runs the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover defensive end Javon Pulliam (7) stops Hillcrest quarterback Jordan Shambley (2) during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover wide receiver Jonah Winston (4) runs the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover wide receiver Jeremiah Tabb (2) evades Hillcrest cornerback Devon Jones (7) after a catch during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Band Director Ryan Fitchpatrick leads the Hoover band during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover linebacker Trey Sanders (6) and Hoover safety DJ Waluyn (1) tackle Hillcrest running back Jaye'veon Lowe (6) during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover fans during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover students Hope Harper and Sawyer Poe were crowned Homecoming Queen and King during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover safety DJ Waluyn (1) signals a touchdown during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover running back Keilan Jefferson (23) breaks into the endzone for a touchdown during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover defensive end Justyn Hartley (0) and Hoover linebacker Trey Sanders (6) stop a Hillcrest ballcarrier during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover linebacker Nate Johnson (40) and Hoover cornerback Jackson Lassiter (22) tackle Hillcrest wide receiver Gunner Webb (14) during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover wide receiver Hunter Purdue (0) reaches the ball across the goal line during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover safety DJ Waluyn (1) tackle Hillcrest running back Jacobi Harris (5) during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover linebacker Trey Sanders (6) and Hoover cornerback Jordan Williams (2) tackle Hillcrest running back Jaye'veon Lowe (6) during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover defensive end Javon Pulliam (7) deflects a pass thrown by Hillcrest quarterback Jordan Shambley (2) during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover wide receiver Jeremiah Tabb (2) makes a great catch on a tipped ball during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover wide receiver Jeremiah Tabb (2) is brought down after a catch during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover running back Paxton Weatherly (20) eyes Hillcrest inside linebacker Miles Madden (24) while running the ball during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Hoover quarterback Kaleb Freeman (7) throws a pass during a game between Hoover High School and Hillcrest High School on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson
HOOVER -- The Hoover High School football team fell into an early 22-0 hole against Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday night, but its rally fell short in a 34-26 home loss.
"I am proud of our guys for fighting back and giving ourselves an opportunity to win it at the end," said Hoover head coach Chip English. "We have to find ways to stop the ball and not turn the ball over. It's early in the season and it hurts, but we need to go back, regroup and there is a lot still in front of us."
The Patriots (3-0, 1-0 Class 7A, Region 3) wasted no time, marching 88 yards on seven plays on their opening possession. Star wideout Kahden Smith hauled in three catches on the drive, including a 44-yarder on third down that set up Jacobi Harris' 5-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead.
After forcing a punt, Hillcrest again struck quickly. A personal foul on the return gave the Patriots a short field, and quarterback Jordan Shambley finished a three-play, 35-yard drive with a 7-yard keeper to make it 14-0.
Things unraveled further for Hoover (1-2, 0-1) when a muffed kickoff return set Hillcrest up at the Bucs' 1-yard line. Harris punched it in on the next play, and a successful 2-point conversion extended the advantage to 22-0 less than six minutes into the game.
"The sequence of events right at the beginning could not have gone any worse for us," said English.
Hoover steadied itself late in the first quarter. James Bryant connected on a 37-yard field goal to put the Bucs on the board, and the offense began to find rhythm in the second quarter. A 13-play drive ended with Kaleb Freeman's touchdown run at 9:59 in the second quarter to bring the score to 22-10.
Jeremiah Tabb made a spectacular play on the next Bucs drive. The senior receiver tipped a ball to himself and grabbed it on third-and-long for a 33-yard gain. The drive was capped by Keilan Jefferson's short scoring plunge. A failed 2-point try left the Bucs trailing 22-16 at halftime.
Hillcrest responded with a long drive in the third quarter, though Hoover's defense held inside the 10, forcing a 23-yard field goal by Elijah Miller.
The Bucs countered with splash plays by Tabb, who had gains of 9 and 27 yards. His big plays keyed a drive finished off by sophomore running back Malik Boggan, who scored from 7 yards out to cut the deficit to 25-23.
The Patriots regained control early in the fourth. Harris broke through for his third touchdown of the night, and after a Miles Madden interception on the next drive gave Hillcrest prime field position, Miller booted a 37-yard field goal for a 34-23 advantage.
Hoover's Jonah Winston delivered a 37-yard catch-and-run the following drive to bring Hoover to the 10-yard line. The next three plays amounted to only a few yards, and Hoover opted to let Bryant kick a 24-yard field goal with 3:43 to play instead of going for it on fourth-and-goal from the 7-yard line. English said it was "an easy call" to make it a one-score game.
Harris immediately ripped off a 13-yard run on the opening play of the next drive and on a decisive third-and-6 shortly after, Harris burst through the line for a 20-yard gain that iced the game.
Harris finished with 21 carries for 102 yards and three touchdowns. Smith added eight catches for 158 of Hillcrest's 162 passing yards.
Shambley finished 9-for-15 for 162 yards, while Freeman was 15-for-31 for 208 yards and the interception.
Hoover was led by Tabb, who finished with five catches for 84 yards receiving.
This was the Patriots' first win over the Buccaneers in eight attempts.
Next week, Hoover hosts Hewitt-Trussville, while Hillcrest travels to Vestavia Hills.
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Southlake Orthopaedics is a proud sponsor of our Hoover football coverage this fall.