The #4 Vestavia Hills Rebels will play the #3 Hewitt-Trussville Huskies at Huskies Stadium on Friday night. This will be the first region game for both teams, and both are looking for a region win. The Rebels are coming off a big win against #3 Auburn (42-14) last week and were dominant against the Tigers. Hewitt-Trussville got a win over 6A Gadsden City (56-7) and has been rolling in their first two games of the season.
Vestavia Hills (2-0) plays fast and looks to keep you off balance, giving you a variety of different looks. Quarterback Charlie Taaffe has been the key to the Rebels' offense that keeps that train on the right track. "He has gained so much more experience," said Rebels head coach Robert Evans. "Essentially, he is a senior being in his third year of varsity football. Gained a lot of experience last season playing all those high-end teams. The game has slowed down a little bit for him, and he is making great decisions and taking care of the football." Last week against Auburn, Taaffe completed 15-of-20 passing for 233 yards and a touchdown with 96 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns. A big weapon on offense. Quarterback Price LaMaster will be sneaking in and out on offense and can throw the ball at any time when he is in the game.
The Rebels' running game, along with Taaffe, will be Carson Purdy, Noah Boylan, and Major Weaver. Purdy scored two touchdowns against Auburn. Purdy and Boylan are a good one-two punch that can catch the ball out of the backfield if needed.
The receiving core has Grayson Harper, Luke Stubbs, Will Ainsworth, Braxton Hunt, and Zachary Laws. Harper was the big target for the Rebels last week. He caught 10 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown. Auburn had a hard time keeping up with him in the Rebels' offense.
The Rebels' offensive line has William Gwathney, Caleb Boylan, Pearson Tucker, Jackson Deal, and Copeland Styles. Styles is a significant body at 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds. The junior lineman is a good run blocker and an improved pass protector for his frame.
Kickers Sloan Morgan and Grayer Manown handle the kicking duties for the Rebels. Also, Morgan handles the punting duties. In three punts last week, Morgan averaged 38.7 punt with one punt downed inside the 20-yard line.
The Rebels' defense includes Rush Harper, Haines Bridges, Paxton Ussery, and Josh Arendall, all on the defensive front. Linebackers Grayer Manown, Daniel Richardson, and Nick Williams will play significant roles this week. Defensive backs Walker Hogue, Owen Wilbanks, and Parker Simpson will play a crucial role in slowing down the Huskies' receivers' speed. Manown had a big game against Auburn with eight tackles, and Hogue had seven tackles last week.
The Huskies have rolled in their two wins, but will play their most talented team this week in Vestavia Hills. The Huskies suffered a significant blow last week when quarterback Zach Benedict went down with an apparent injury during a long run against Gadsden City. In two games, Benedict completed 12 of 16 passes for 289 yards with two touchdowns and added 105 rushing yards and two touchdowns. With Benedict possibly out for this game, insert freshman quarterback Jack Floyd. In two games, Floyd has completed 11 of 14 passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns with 153 yards on 12 carries and two touchdowns. Linebacker Parker Floyd played quarterback for the Huskies last season.
"Football is a team game and we need all 11 guys to play great football together," said Huskies head coach Josh Floyd. "Jack played well in the first two games. He has shown what he can do. Injuries have affected us at the start of the season, and we hope to have them back soon. It is never about one player. We have to play great defense and have great special teams with our offense to be successful each week."
The running game has Deuce Alston and CJ Davis. Both can score anytime they touch the football. Davis has 83 yards on 10 carries with an 8.3 yards per carry average with a touchdown. Wide receiver James Kelly is another big piece to the Huskies' offense. He is the fastest player on the team and can run or catch the football. This season, Kelly has 83 yards on 10 carries and a touchdown with one reception for 11 yards."James is a special player and he can do so many things," added Floyd. "He is a big physical kid, a physical blocker, and can take the top off as a receiver and can take snaps in the backfield." Wide receiver Dylan Cope is another big-time weapon with great speed and great hands.
Floyd has a lot of options with Alston, Davis, Kelly, and Cope that can go to receiver or go in the backfield for a running play. All four have great speed and quickness. You throw in Floyd at quarterback, the Rebels' defense will be tested like no other.
Other receivers are Jackson Martin and Riley O'Neill at tight end and Demetri Hall at receiver.
The Huskies' offensive line has Calvyn Speigner, Josh Moore, Jackson Reeves, Micah Fantroy, and Jackson Webb. The offensive line has experience and has done a great job of blocking in its first two games this season.
Kicker Nathan Fritz handles the kicking duties for the Huskies.
The defensive line has Baasel Alabsi, Michael Ross, Preston Bozeman, and D'ante Seals. At linebacker, Antonio Wynn, Parker Floyd, Denarrious Crawford, Harrison Malone, and Jayden Berry. Floyd runs the defense and was the leading tackler last season. The secondary has Will Phillips, Ethan Ridley, Hayden Chauvin, Simeon Watson, and Caden Ali. Phillips is a player who can pick off a pass or make a tackle in the opposing backfield, and you'd better know where he is on the field.
Last season, the Huskies' defense was #1 in Class 7A, and they return eight starters from last season's group. They have only given up one touchdown on the season and it was an early touchdown to Gadsden City last week.
