HOOVER, Alabama -- Costly first half turnovers and four first half rushing touchdowns give the Hoover Bucs a 42-7 win over Gadsden City in Class 7A semi-final game at the Hoover Met. The Bucs had short fields in all four of their touchdown possessions in the first half and that was the difference in the game.
Hoover (11-2) held Gadsden City to 107 yards off total defense and couldn't get their bread and butter running game going throughout the night. "The defense is playing exceptionaly well," said Bucs head coach Josh Niblett. "Were not really big but we are fast and physical. We do a great job of running to the ball. We did a pretty good job of getting to the quarterback tonight."
Neither team scored in the first quarter but the Bucs scored 28 points in the second quarter and blew the game wide open. A Bradrick Shaw 4-yard touchdown run with 9:14 left in the half started the ball rolling for Hoover. The Bucs scored again with 7:00 left in the half, Shaw raced 54-yards for a touchdown around the right end for a score. The Bucs led 14-0.
The Bucs scored again with only 2:12 left in the half on a Marcus Webb 6-yard touchdown run. On the kickoff, Gadsden City fumbled the ball and the Bucs recovered deep into Titans territory. A couple of plays later, Shaw scores on a 1-yard run for his third touchdown of the second quarter with only :24 seconds left in the half. Hoover led 28-0 at the half.
In the second half, the Bucs came out of the locker room ready to finish the game as quarterback Jack Hutcheson hit Leonard Wood on a 29-yard touchdown play for Hoover. With only 2:12 left in the third quarter, Webb scored ona 6-yard touchdown run and the Bucs led 42-0. "We really couldn't handle those big guys up front," said Titans head coach Matt Scott. "You can't beat this team if you can't score points and we had a hard time in the run and passing game. You have to have better ball security when you are playing a game like this."
The Bucs defense held Gadsden City in check for most of the night scoring with 5:55 left in the game. "We executed our play calls on defense and wanted to attack on defense," said LB Darrell Williams. "I just wanted to use my speed off the edge and get into the backfield."
Gadsden City scored their only touchdown of the game on a Ahmad DeRamus pass to Darnell Mooney on a 12-yard slant play. Senior Gabe Ford led the Titans ground game with 61 yards on eight carries. "We lost to a great team," said Titans RB Ford. "We had a great season and I'm proud of our football team even though we came up short tonight."
