Vestavia Hills ran to its first victory over rival Hoover since 2015.

The Rebels (4-0 overall, 1-1 in Class 7A, Region 3) rolled up 354 yards rushing on 52 carries, as quarterback John Paul Head led the way with 219 rushing yards and three touchdowns in front of the home crowd at Buddy Anderson Field at Reynolds Stadium.

“The game plan was to come out running the ball, and I was able to do just that,” Head said. “We are a good football team. The defense really stepped up tonight, and my O-line allowed me to hit some holes.”

Hoover (1-3, 1-1) scored with 46 seconds remaining on Freddy Dunson’s eight-yard run. The Bucs have allowed 113 points and scored just 70 so far this season.

“This win was special to me because I grew up not liking Hoover, even though I coached there (as an assistant) for eight years,” said Vestavia second-year coach Robert Evans, a star on the Rebels’ 1998 state title team. “So I took this game personal. I wanted to not just win but dominate the game.”

Key sequence: With Vestavia holding a 3-0 lead early in the second quarter, the Rebels stopped Hoover on a fourth-and-2 play at the Vestavia 31. William Tonsmeire ripped off a 52-yard run two plays later, and Head then scored on a 9-yard run run for a 10-0 lead.

Coachspeak: This is a huge win, not just because it’s Hoover. I thought that we were the better team coming into the game. We were the more physical team tonight. We had a good plan tonight.” – Evans

“Our defense played good tonight. They really set the tone in the first half. … It’s been a while since we beat Hoover like (we did) tonight. I’m really proud of our team.” – Evans

He said it: “We just have to stay humble and execute our game plan to have a really good season.” – Head

Did you know?: Vestavia was playing at home for the first time during the 2023 regular season.

Stat sheet: Vestavia led 20-0 at halftime. … Head ran 30 times for 219 yards and scored on runs of 9, 2 and 2 yards. He also threw for 65 yards. … Owen Simpson kicked field goals of 27 and 35 yards. … Tonsmeire ran 16 times for 125 yards. … Hoover’s Noah Schubach completed 14-of-24 passes for 154 yards. He threw one interception. … Jonah Winston caught five passes for 61 yards to lead Hoover’s receiving corps.

By the numbers: Vestavia finished with 419 yards of total offense, with 354 on the ground and 65 in the air. Hoover had 223 total yards, with 69 yards on the ground on 20 carries.

What’s next?: Hoover plays Hewitt-Trussville at home next week, while Vestavia is at home against Spain Park.