Bucs Down Opelika in Triple Overtime Nailbiter
By Jackson Hillis
Hoover, AL – Hoover Buccaneers kicker Matthew Daibes sent the ball sailing through the uprights in triple overtime on Friday night, capping off another thrilling bout of playoff football at the Hoover Met. The Bucs hosted the Opelika Bulldogs in a matchup well reminiscent of the 2012 6A championship game, even down to the result. Opelika entered the game as the subject of recent controversy around head coach Bryan Moore. Moore, who was photographed attending the Buccaneers’ first round game with a student media pass, was suspended for the Bulldogs’ second round matchup.
The Bucs received the opening kickoff, getting a first down on their inaugural drive before punting the ball away to just past midfield. Opelika had seemingly favorable field position on their opening drive but were quickly stifled by the Bucs defense. Over the ensuing possessions, Hoover would seem to be firing on all cylinders. After a short run from back JR Mosley, Hoover quarterback Mac Beason would quickly deliver a 35-yard strike to Demarion Gardner, opening up scoring at 7-0 Bucs after a Daibes extra point. Then, following a critical special teams error by the Bulldogs on the next possession, they took over inside the redzone. Beason would convert almost immediately on a pass down the middle to a wide open Ar’mari Towns, lofting the Bucs lead to 14-0, then 16-0 after a safety on Opelika’s very next drive.
For most of the first half, Hoover controlled almost every aspect of the game as Opelika yielded to unforced errors and miscues. However, this wouldn’t last long, as the Bulldogs found the endzone late in the second quarter on a long touchdown run broken off by running back Blake Johnson, bringing the score to 16-8 following a successful two-point conversion. The Bulldogs would log their only interception of the night on a tip-drill pick brought down by DB Kevian King. Opelika wouldn’t be able to score off the turnover, though, and entered the half still down 16-8.
Though the Bucs entered the half with the lead, the momentum leading up to the recess was certainly in favor of the Bulldogs, who were narrowly prevented from capitalizing on the earlier Hoover turnover by way of a deep PBU by Bucs DB Tre Darden as time dwindled down. Despite the interception, head coach Chip English was pleased with the Buccaneers’ quarterback play in the first half. “(Beason) was perfect until that last throw, so we’ve just got to settle in and make sure our eyes are where they’re supposed to be, and we’ll be good,” said English, who served as the school’s quarterback coach until he was called up earlier this year.
Opelika started out of the half with a vengeance, quickly scoring a touchdown and ensuing two-point conversion to tie the game at 16 just minutes out of the break. Catastrophe struck further for the Bucs on the proceeding kickoff, with the Bulldogs forcing and recovering a fumble, leaving Hoover’s defense with a short field to defend. Opelika wasted no time off the turnover, swiftly driving down and scoring on a short touchdown run by fullback Slade Clayton. A successful extra point set the score at 23-16 Bulldogs early in the third quarter, the rest of which would remain scoreless.
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The next action would come a few minutes into the 4th quarter, as the Bucs drove down quickly with a nifty toss pass from Beason to fellow senior back AJ Allen, who would be downed inside the 5-yard line. A quarterback keeper from Beason and extra point tied the game 23-23 with 8 minutes to go in the 4th quarter. The next 4 drives from both teams would be unable to produce any scoring, and the second-round playoff game would enter overtime.
Opelika received first possession in the overtime period, and both teams would trade field goals over the next two overtime possessions. The Bulldogs entered the third possession tied at 29, after predominantly running the ball during their first two tries, they looked to pass. Quarterback Karson Moss’s pass to the endzone was picked off in an exceptional effort by Hoover DB Jeremiah Robinson in what essentially sealed the game. Postgame, Robinson attributed the pick to his team for putting him in position to make the play: “It’s really the whole defense…I really appreciate my team, I can say I made the pick, but hey, it’s really my team that did it”
The Bucs would take over on offense, with Beason attempting one quarterback run for a few yards, and then sending out the field goal unit. Hoover boot Matthew Daibes, who was already 6-6 on kicks for the night, iced the game with a 20-yard game winning field goal to send the Hoover Buccaneers to the 7A semifinal round. Beason finished 12/17 for 180 yards and two touchdowns to one pick, accumulating 67 yards on the ground on only ten carries. This marks another installment of a string of strong performances by the senior transfer out of Gardendale.
The semifinal berth marks the 25th season in a row that the Hoover Buccaneers have made it to the third round of the AHSAA playoffs, a streak hearkening all the way back to the legendary Bucs teams of the early 2000s.
Hoover will travel to the Wiregrass next Friday night to face the 8-4 Enterprise Wildcats in the Class 7A semifinals.
