HOOVER, Alabama -- A 17-yard touchdown pass from Jack Hutcheson to Leonard Wood with 3:00 left in the game was the difference as Hoover goes on to defeat Vestavia Hills 31-28 in a semifinal 6A AHSAA playoff game. "It's just like a layup in basketball," said Bucs QB Jack Hutcheson. "You just don't want to miss him. Leonard make a great route and a great catch." With the win, the Bucs continue their 29 game winning streak and will play Auburn next Friday night at 7:00 p.m. at Bryant Denny Stadium.

The Bucs touchdown was setup by the Hoover defense. With Vestavia Hills leading 28-23 with 5:14 left in the game, the Rebels punted to Marlon Humphrey at the Bucs 47 yard line. Humphrey calls for a fair catch but a Rebels defender tackles the Bucs cornerback and draws a 15-yard penalty and Hoover was in business at the Rebels 38-yard line. A big Alex Elam 16-yard reception and a Bradrick Shaw 8-yard run setup the winning Hoover touchdown. "Coach gave the signal for the play and we had to stick it in the endzone," said Bucs WR Wood. "We refuse to loose and we stuck together as a team. We knew when we took over on the last drive, we wanted to pound it, pound it into the endzone."

Hoover (14-0) went for a two point conversion and scored when Hutcheson hit Charles Mollica on a two point conversion and a three point lead in the closing moments of the game. "I had faith in our team that we could get it done on offense on that last drive," said Bucs CB Humphrey. "We talked about being down at the half that we worked to hard for this not to get to the championship game that we could turn this around."

To open the game, Hoover started the scoring when Shaw scored on a 4-yard touchdown run around the left end. John Schmith kicked the extra point for a Bucs 7-0 lead. That lead was short lived because Vestavia Hills came right back on a Landon Crowder 8-yard touchdown scramble. Wesley Hatchett kicked the extra point and the game was tied after the first quarter.

After Hoover goes three and out on their next possession, the Rebels pull the special teams play of the night when Tim Gully blocked a Bucs punt that was recovered on the Hoover 3-yard line. A few players later, Jordan Johnson scores on a 5-yard touchdown run and the Rebels take the lead and the momentum in the second quarter. "Our formations and getting balanced slowed them down a little in the first half," said Rebels RB Johnson. "I'm so proud of our team. Before the game, we were hungry after losing to them earlier this season. We proved to everyone that we have a great team, we just came up short in the end."

Hoover closed the gap at 14-10 when Schmith kicked a 34-yard field goal with 7:56 left in the second quarter. A key Hutcheson to Wood 51-yard pass play setup the Bucs field goal. The Rebels put a drive together and with 2:53 left in the half, Johnson scores on a 45-yard touchdown run. A Crowder to Kyle Sitzler 31-yard pass play setup the big Johnson run. Vestavia Hills goes into the locker room at halftime with a 21-10 lead.

With Vestavia Hills (11-3) getting the second half kickoff, the Rebels didn't waist anytime as they score again on a Christian Palmer 8-yard touchdown run. Another big run of 49-yards by Johnson setup the touchdown and the Rebels took a huge 28-10 lead. "This was a great high school football game tonight," said Rebels Head coach Buddy Anderson. "We just came up a little bit short but our kids played their hearts out tonight and I'm very proud of this football team."

Midway through the third quarter, a Humphrey 25-yard punt return put the Bucs in good field position and on a few plays later, Shaw gets a 24-yard run up the middle running through Rebel tacklers to put the ball inside the Rebels 10-yard line. The next play, Hutcheson hits Cooper Carden on a 9-yard touchdown pass play. The two point conversion failed but the momentum was swinging back to Hoover as the Vestavia Hills lead was cut to 28-23.

With 8:30 left in the game, the Rebels drove to the Hoover 38-yard line and on a 4th & 2 play, Johnson was stuffed by the Bucs defense and that really brought the Hoover players and crowd back into the game. Hoover had to punt the ball but changed the field position to setup the winning drive for the Bucs. "We showed class, they showed class, they are probably the classiest team we played all year," said Rebels DE Dalton Campbell. "We were playing smart the first half, our coaches did a great job of getting us ready. It was great to get this far, we just came up short to get to T-town."