Spartans dominate Vestavia Hills in season opener
MOUNTAIN BROOK – The Spartans’ first play of the game paid homage to legendary Vestavia Hills High School head coach Buddy Anderson.
John Colvin handed off to Cole Gamble, who ran the ball off right tackle. He ripped off 27 yards, and that was a sign of things to come.
“We started out the game, we ran the old Buddy Anderson play and darn, if it wasn’t our best play,” Mountain Brook High School head coach Chris Yeager said following the game.
Mountain Brook dominated on Friday night, opening up the 2021 season with an emphatic 33-3 win over crosstown rival Vestavia Hills at Spartan Stadium.
“It was a good start,” said Yeager, whose team comes off a Class 6A semifinal appearance last fall.
It was the first game in the Vestavia (0-1) tenure of Sean Calhoun, who took over for Anderson after 43 years leading the Rebels.
“It was a beautiful night and a beautiful atmosphere,” Calhoun said of his first game at Vestavia. “They’re good and we know it. If you don’t match the execution, you’ll get behind.”
Mountain Brook (1-0) benefitted from great field position all night. Three of the Spartans’ four scoring drives in the first half began on the Rebels’ side of the field. The other one began at their own 48-yard line.
The Spartans jumped ahead late in the first quarter on George Cain’s 3-yard touchdown run following Jones Beavers’ fumble recovery. Trent Wright picked up a loose ball on Vestavia’s next possession, taking it inside the 5 and setting up Reed Harradine’s 19-yard field goal to put the Spartans up 10-0 after a quarter.
In the second quarter, Colvin established a connection with Jake Thompson. Thompson scored on receptions of 16 and 12 yards in the frame, sandwiched around a Mountain Brook safety. Thompson caught another touchdown in the third quarter, finishing the night 55 yards on five catches.
Mountain Brook led 26-0 at the half and Thompson’s third score made it 33-0 early in the third. Vestavia Hills tacked on a 21-yard field goal by Ben Keene in the final minute to wrap up the scoring.
In Colvin’s first start, he excelled, completing 11-of-17 passes for 172 yards and the three scoring strikes to Thompson.
“We’ve told him over and over, he’s a first-year starter but he’s got the talent to do it,” Thompson said of his quarterback. “We’ve been giving him the confidence and he came out here and balled tonight.”
Colvin was aided significantly by an experienced receiving core. Jackson Beatty caught three balls for 77 yards and Sims Brown went for 38 yards on three catches.
Mountain Brook’s defense was stellar all night as well, holding Vestavia Hills to just 118 total yards. It was a tough start for the Rebels’ first foray into the spread offense. New quarterback Mitchell Towns went 11-of-19 for 80 yards. Keown Richardson grabbed four passes for 28 yards and Cole Turner caught three balls for 22 yards.
Tucker Smitha was the Rebels’ leading ball carrier, going for 29 yards on 14 rushes.
“Our kids, they’re not going to quit,” Calhoun said. “Our kids are not going to lack any effort. Are there things we’ve got to clean up? Absolutely. That starts with me. I’ve got to do a better job during the week.”
After the game, Calhoun stood on the field as jubilant Mountain Brook students made their way to the field to celebrate the Spartans’ victory. It is a memory he will hold for some time.
“The only way that I know to do is to keep working hard. This will be in my mind for a long time. I want our kids to experience this,” he said. “We’ve got Homewood next week and we’ll be ready.”
Vestavia Hills heads to Homewood next week for another local rivalry game, while Mountain Brook heads to Huntsville.