Kaleb Freeman Powers Hoover Past Opelika 21-7 in 6A Showdown

OPELIKA, AL — Kaleb Freeman accounted for three touchdowns and Hoover’s defense stiffened when it mattered most as the sixth-ranked Bucs handed Opelika a 21-7 loss Thursday night at Bulldog Stadium.

The victory pushed Hoover to 2-0 and spoiled the head-coaching debut of Opelika alum Jonathan Chandler. Freeman threw for 159 yards and ran for two scores, while the Bucs leaned on a bend-but-don’t-break defense that outmuscled the Bulldogs at the goal line and forced a costly turnover.

First Half Action

Neither team found the end zone in a scoreless opening quarter, but Hoover took control in the second.

Freeman put the Bucs ahead 7-0 when he walked in untouched from 2 yards out, capping a drive that leaned on a well-executed misdirection fake handoff. The lead grew to 14-0 with 4:07 left before halftime, when Freeman connected with Jordon Ward on a 56-yard screen pass that turned into a foot race to the end zone. Ward broke free and outran the Opelika secondary for the score.

Freeman finished 13-of-19 for 159 yards, and Ward hauled in seven catches for 120 yards.

Opelika avoided a shutout on the final play of the half. A 10-play drive ended with Austan Cristiaan finding Matthew Pritchett on an 8-yard touchdown pass, trimming the deficit to 14-7 at the break. Braiden Howard set up the drive with a 27-yard return that gave the Bulldogs the ball at the Hoover 45.

Key Turning Points

The game turned on defense in the second half.

Hunter Wetherholt intercepted a pass on Opelika’s opening possession after intermission, stalling the Bulldogs’ bid to tie the score. Then, early in the fourth quarter, Opelika faced fourth-and-1 at the Hoover 8. Khonor Latham burst through and dropped Cristiaan behind the line of scrimmage, ending the threat and keeping the Bucs in front. Hoover also blocked an Opelika field-goal attempt to protect the lead.

The Bulldogs controlled the ground game, outgaining Hoover 205-69 rushing behind Jalen Nelson, who piled up 131 yards on 24 carries. But Opelika struggled to move the ball through the air, as Cristiaan and starter Whit Cooper combined for just 36 passing yards.

Hoover sealed it late. After finding little running room for three quarters, the Bucs churned out a drive and Freeman scored on a 9-yard run with 1:01 remaining to make it 21-7. Steele Witschy went a perfect 3-for-3 on extra points.

Final Outlook

The win moved Hoover to 2-0 and improved third-year coach Chip English to 18-8 with the Bucs. His defense has now carried the team in back-to-back wins, following a 14-8 season-opening victory over Muscle Shoals.

For Opelika, the loss opened Chandler’s tenure on a tough note. The Opelika alumnus and 10-year assistant inherited a program coming off a run to the 7A state runner-up finish, and his Bulldogs showed grit on the ground even in defeat. Cleaner execution in the passing game and in the red zone could quickly flip results.

Both teams turn their attention to region play next week. Hoover opens Region 3 competition on Sept. 4 at No. 5 Hewitt-Trussville, a marquee early-season test. Opelika returns home to host Region 2 foe Enterprise as it searches for its first win of the season.