Down 16-0 with 36 seconds left in the first quarter, Hewitt-Trussville quarterback Peyton Floyd scrambled 26 yards for a touchdown on fourth-and-8, sparking the Huskies’ 45-37 comeback against Vestavia Hills in a Class 7A, Region 3 matchup.

The Rebels (3-4, 1-3) busted out to an early lead thanks to a pair of touchdown passes from quarterback John Paul Head, who hit Lane Whisenhunt for a 2-yard score on a jump pass with 8:38 remaining in the first. After a Hewitt-Trussville safety on the Huskies’ first possession, Head hit Warren Ainsworth for a 24-yard score.

With its backs against the wall, Hewitt-Trussville (5-3, 3-2) answered. Floyd’s second touchdown pulled the Huskies within two points. On the 12-yard run, Floyd trucked a Vestavia defender falling forward into the end zone. From there, the race was on.

“I didn’t expect them to jump out 16-0,” Hewitt-Trussville coach Josh Floyd said, “but I knew this game was going to be like this. Vestavia always plays our tails off. This is I think the fourth year in a row that it’s come down to basically the last play.”

This year that last play was taking a knee at the Vestavia 1.

The Huskies didn’t allow themselves to get down despite falling behind by three scores early.

“I think we can always find a way to win,” Peyton Floyd said. “We get better every week, more chemistry every single week. I think the O-line is getting better and giving me more time. I’m really proud of them.”

Floyd was 18-for-25 passing for 212 yards with four touchdowns (two rushing, two passing.) Jacqson Melton led all rushers with 29 carries for 152 yards and two touchdowns.

Vestavia coach Robert Evans said wants the Rebels to focus on the fact they still control their own destiny in the Region 3 playoff hunt.

“The effort has not been the problem for us,” Evans said. “It’s been the execution in the big games. Credit to Hewitt-Trussville. They played a more physical game tonight, and they broke more tackles, so you give credit where credit is due. They outplayed us tonight … Everything we want from our season is before us. We have to win the next two to get in the playoffs. If we do that, we’ll have a chance to play meaningful football in November, and that’s been the goal all along.”

The Rebels’ Head was 16-for-29 passing 236 yards and two touchdowns. William Tonsmierer led the ground game with nine carries for 63 yards.

Play of the game: Floyd’s 17-yard pass to Brett Moseley with 6:38 left in the first half put six on the board and marked the turning point in the game as Hewitt-Trussville went ahead for the first time in the game, 21-16.

By the numbers: 80 — Number of plays from the Hewitt-Trussville offense. Vestavia Hills’ offense produced 62.

Stat sheet: The Huskies rolled up 512 yards of offense compared to the Rebels’ 379, and Hewitt-Trussville ran the ball 54 times for 300 yards, which was one of the game’s key factors.

They said it: “We’ve got to figure out how to get over the hump with the top three guys in our region, because we’re knocking on the door. We just can’t get over that right now. We’ve got to figure that out.” — Evans

“I think early in the season we wouldn’t have responded the way we did tonight, but we’ve become really close. That’s the thing I’m most proud of is responding the way we did and never giving up.” — Peyton Floyd

“We’ve had some guys who are out, and had some other guys step up. We had some guys really tough up tonight.” — Josh Floyd

What’s next? Hewitt-Trussville visits Spain Park next Friday. Vestavia Hills travels to Oak Mountain.