By David Knox
Sports Editor
TRUSSVILLE — If you’re going to be Alabama’s state champion in football, you’re going to have to beat Hoover.
That’s Hewitt-Trussville’s challenge Friday night on Husky Field at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium.
The Huskies (11-0), ranked No. 18 in the country by USA Today, are hungry to get a shot at the king of Alabama prep football.
The Buccaneers (7-3) are the defending state champions, and have won four of the past five, 12 overall.
They have been in the state championship game every season since coach Josh Niblett arrived in 2008 except once, when they lost 7-6 to Spain Park in the 7A semifinals in 2015. And they’d been to 15 of the past 17 state title games.
The legacy goes back to Rush Propst and in the early days to Bob Finley, but the Bucs are on a streak of domination that Alabama has never seen.
As Niblett has often said, every team is different. But history is hard to ignore.
Hewitt has lost to the Bucs twice in the Josh Floyd era, 38-0 in 2015 and 38-24 in 2014. The Bucs hold a 15-3 lead in the series. Hewitt’s last win was in 1997.
The Bucs have done it different ways, and this season it’s been defense and the running game with the pass mixed in.
In mid-August, junior Peyton Wilson, brother of John Parker and Ross, former star Hoover quarterbacks, decided to give up football to concentrate on baseball. He was battling senior Jalen Parker for the starting job.
Wilson, an Alabama baseball commitment, was probably going to at least split time with Parker, since he was likely the better passer.
So Parker, a dual-threat athlete, took the reins and he’s led them back to the quarterfinals. There’s really no question which team has faced the tougher schedule.
Hoover not only competed in Class 7A, Region 3 with Thompson, Mountain Brook, Spain Park and the like, the Bucs went to Georgia to take on powerful Grayson and hosted Meridian, Miss., and Florida’s IMG Academy, the No. 2 team in the country. Their only in-state loss was to unbeaten Thompson, the second-ranked team in 7A.
The two teams have two common opponents, and they beat them both: Hoover beat Spain Park 27-24 and Sparkman 49-7.
The Huskies beat the Jaguars 33-21 and the Senators 34-27.
The Huskies have by far the gaudier offensive stats. They are averaging 46.6 points per game and 526.8 yards of total offense per game. The Bucs are averaging 36.2 points and 368.6 yards of total offense.
But they don’t play the game on paper, or by previous meetings. They play it with the kids in the pads on Friday night.
And Hoover’s got a bunch of good ones, as always.
“They have a lot of team speed on both sides of the ball,” Floyd said.
“They’ve got two really good running backs (Larry McCammon and Vonte Brackett) that run hard, break tackles and can take it the distance anytime.”
McCammon, a junior with over 1,000 yards rushing, already has offers from UAB and Troy.
“And you’re talking about two receivers who are committed to Auburn. Both of those kids are obviously pretty special.” George Pickens, a junior, is a matchup nightmare at 6-foot-5, has 31 catches for 462 yards. Shadrick Jackson, a senior, is a great-nephew of Bo Jackson. He’s hauled in 38 passes for 696 yards and five touchdowns.
“You have two SEC receivers, a Division I running back on offense.”
Parker doesn’t have the numbers Paul Tyson has, but he’s been effective, Floyd said.
“The quarterback’s played well for them. He’s got a good arm, can make a lot of throws. And they’re huge on the offensive line. Start with that, that’s obviously the makeup of a good offensive team.”
Parker has thrown for 1,800 yards and 12 touchdowns with three interceptions.
Tyson has broken the HTHS record for TD passes with 33 touchdowns and is approaching 3,000 yards passing.
Elliott McElwain has been the workhorse running and receiving, compiling 1,772 yards of offense and 17 scores.
He’s just one of a kennel full of weapons for the Huskies to call on.
Defensively, Floyd said the Bucs are like they always are — a bunch of hard-nosed, disciplined players with a lot of speed.
“Every spot, they have good football players.”
Special teams have also been an asset for the Bucs — in kicking, return game, and everywhere else.
“Hate to keep repeating myself, but they have a lot of speed. That’s why they’re such a challenge.”
Floyd has been pleased with his defense most of the season. Simon Miskelley and Trevor Sisk have led the way as run-stoppers at linebacker, cleaning up the grunt work of down linemen and the secondary of George Steele, Malachi Moore, Creed Parker, Cody Madison, T.J. Alexander and Myles Mason have been consistent is handling the pass threat. Tyler Antkowiak and Christian Renda have provided pressure on the quarterback.
“We’ve been pretty consistent on defense and I think that was the key Friday night (against Spain Park).”
Hewitt likes to play uptempo, especially when they get the defense on its heels, but “every game is different,” Floyd said.
“We have slowed it down to take some time off the clock or to finish it out, but we prefer to go fast. Just depends on the flow.”
Execution and taking care of the football are keys and not giving up big plays on defense, but overall Floyd said that’s usually the story at this point of the season.
“We’ve got to play really well. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing at this stage. It’s the quarterfinals of the state playoffs, you’ve got to play well to win.
“It’s going to be fun. We’re looking forward to it.”
Tribune’s Keys to the Game:
Hewitt-Trussville has to execute offensively.
The Huskies need to cash in every opportunity, and not shoot themselves in the foot — no silly penalties, no turnovers, no breakdowns on defense for big plays.
Hoover has more team speed overall, but the Huskies have as much talent on the field.
The more-physical team and the one who wins the trenches is still the one who has the best chance of surviving to the semifinals. X-factors:
Hoover’s Jacquez Allen, a change-of-pace RB/athlete with blistering speed; Hewitt’s Myles Mason, who’s been mostly under the radar, might get more than the usual time on offense.
Tribune prediction: Hoover 34, Hewitt-Trussville 31