TRUSSVILLE, Alabama – In a game that had all the intensity of a playoff showdown, Hewitt-Trussville delivered a statement win Friday night, knocking off Vestavia Hills 28–14 at Husky Stadium in the Region 3 opener for both teams. The Huskies leaned on their star running back, a poised freshman quarterback, and a relentless defense to secure the victory before a packed, energized home crowd.

Hewitt-Trussville scored first in the game when Jack Floyd hit James Kelly on a 12-yard touchdown pass, and the Huskies took the early 7-0 lead with 46 seconds left in the first quarter. With 5:44 left in the second quarter, Carson Purdy scored on a 1-yard run to tie the game at 7-7.

The Huskies moved the ball down the field late in the first half, but a pass thrown in the end zone went incomplete as time expired, and the game stood at 7-7 going into halftime. The Huskies took the second-half kickoff and marched the ball down the field, and Deuce Alston scored on a 2-yard touchdown run to put the Huskies up 14-7 with 8:13 left in the third quarter. 

Vestavia Hills tied the game again with 4:51 left in the third quarter on a Purdy 6-yard touchdown run, and the game was tied at 14-14.

For much of the evening, the contest swung back and forth, with neither side able to separate until a single explosive play turned the momentum for good. That moment came midway through the third quarter when senior running back Alston—a University of Kentucky commit—broke through a crease and sprinted 73 yards down the sideline for a touchdown. The score snapped a 14–14 tie and set the stage for Hewitt’s control of the game down the stretch. With 4:06 left in the third quarter, Hewitt-Trussville led 21-14. 

“It was just one of those plays where everything clicked,” Alston said afterward, still catching his breath after rushing for 155 yards and two touchdowns. “The O-line opened it up, I hit the hole, and after that it was just me and daylight. Touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, but I couldn’t do it without the guys blocking for me. We’re a brotherhood.”

The Huskies didn’t just need Alston’s fireworks; they also relied on the calm of freshman quarterback Floyd. Starting in place of the injured Zach Benedict, Floyd showed poise far beyond his years. He opened the scoring late in the first quarter with a touchdown strike to receiver James Kelly, then sealed the win in the fourth with a 13-yard keeper into the end zone. Along the way, Floyd managed the offense effectively, avoiding costly mistakes against a Vestavia defense known for discipline. Floyd had 118 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown and was 5 of 7 passing for 69 yards and a touchdown.

Vestavia Hills, coming in 2–0, proved its toughness as well. The Rebels matched Hewitt blow for blow in the first half, tying the game at 7–7 on a second-quarter rushing touchdown and again at 14–14 with a methodical third-quarter drive. Their offensive line carved out some running lanes early, and the defense tightened to keep Hewitt-Trussville from pulling away. But as the night wore on, the Rebels struggled to create explosive plays, and Hewitt’s defensive front began to take over. For the night, Charlie Taaffe completed 14 of 20 passes for 152 yards with 55 yards on 19 carries. 

The Huskies’ defense, led by Denarrius Crawford, Harris Tuggle, and Kelly, turned up the pressure in the final minutes. Sacks and backfield stops derailed Vestavia’s last-ditch comeback attempts. “We knew it would come down to who could finish,” Crawford said. “Our job was to get after their quarterback and stop the run. We took pride in closing it out.”

Hewitt head coach Josh Floyd praised his team’s toughness after a physical battle. “That was a dang good Region 3 football game,” he said. “Vestavia is an outstanding football team, and they made us earn everything. But I’m proud of how our guys responded. We took some punches, and we kept fighting.”

The win pushed Hewitt-Trussville to 3–0 overall and 1–0 in region play, setting up a major test next week at Hoover. Vestavia, now 2–1 and 0–1, will regroup at home against Hillcrest in a non-region contest.

For Hewitt-Trussville, though, Friday was about more than a strong start in region play. It was about resilience, depth, and the emergence of new leaders. With Alston’s star power and Floyd’s composure, the Huskies showed they have the balance to compete with anyone in the state.

“This is why you come to Hewitt—to play in games like this,” Alston said with a smile. “We’re just getting started.”