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Hoover Claims yet another state championship in 2009
During the first decade of the new millennium the Bucs posted 130 wins. That total is the most of any team in any decade since high school football began in the state. Since 2000, the Bucs have played in thirteen of the last fourteen 6A State Championship games, winning eight titles.           Before there was a Hoover, there was Berry High School. In 1963, Berry fielded their first football team and surprisingly finished that first season 4-5. From there the rest is all written as history. In 1969, the Bucs played for their first state championship but came up short in losing to Lee of Montgomery 14-7.           There next playoff appearance in 1977 produced a 13-1 record and the school's first state championship as the Bucs defeated Walker 21-0 at Legion Field. In 1982, Berry completed their first undefeated season with a 13-0-1 record and a share of the state championship when they fought Enterprise to a 10-10 tie.           In 1988, the Bucs reached the 6A title game but came up against possibly the best team in the history of high school football in the state. The Vigor Wolves dismantled the Bucs 41-7, as they had done to every opponent that season. In 1994 a new school was built in Hoover and the Berry High School became the Hoover Bucs.
Following three consecutive losing seasons, in 1999 the Hoover school turned to a young talented coach in hopes of turning the program around. Rush Propst was initially hired as athletic director and football coach at Hoover High School, but stepped down from the AD position after six months.           He adopted a new philosophy on offense with a wide open spread like the state of Alabama had never seen previously. His first season produced a 7-3 record without a playoff appearance, but the framework was set for things to come.           Over the next seven seasons the Hoover Bucs dominated the state of football like none before them. Their record on the field was an amazing 97-7 with five Class 6A State Championships. His other two teams reached the Super Six finals only to lose out on two more titles.	Head Coach Rush Propst
Hoover opened the 2000 season by winning the first five games convincingly before falling to rival Vestavia Hills 34-31. The team won their next five regular season games and rolled into the playoffs with a 9-1 record. They reached the 6A championship game against Daphne having scored at least 28 points in all but one game.           The game matched Daphne's defense against the high powered offense of Hoover. Lance Rhodes riddled the Trojan defense for 343 yards by completing 19 of 37 passes to lead the Bucs to a 28-7 victory and the 2000 6A state title. Rhodes threw three touchdown passes of 51, 10 and 50 yards and ran 4 yards for another score.       The Hoover pass-oriented game plan worked to perfection as Rhodes hit Joey Chambers with a 51-yard screen pass over the middle for a touchdown only 58 seconds into the game. The Bucs came right back on their second possession and drove the ball 70 yards in 6 plays for another score and a 14-0 lead half way through the first quarter.       The Trojans could not get untracked in the first half with six fumbles, two lost, including one at the Bucs 16-yard line in the first quarter. Lee Baker put the Trojans on the scoreboard by returning the second half kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown. Hoover answered with two quick scores of their own when Rhodes threw touchdown passes of 31 yards to Danny Rumley and 51 yards to Chad Jackson.           The 2001 season opened with a seemingly normal 14-12 win over Jess Lanier. The significance of the game is that it would be the last game the Bucs failed to score at least 20 points over the next 56 consecutive games stretching into the 2004 season.            The Bucs rolled through the season and into the championship game where they came up against Daphne once again. This time around the Bucs made the mistakes and the Trojans capitalized on them. Hoover lost four fumbles and although John Parker Wilson completed 25 of 46 passes for 358 yards, he threw four interceptions.          Hoover scored first as Chad Jackson caught a 63-yard touchdown pass from John Parker Wilson on their first possession but little went right after that. Daphne built a 41-14 halftime lead and the title belonged to the Trojans by a final score of 48-14.          John Parker Wilson completed 109 of 189 passes for 1,163 yards during the season. Chad Jackson caught 69 passes for 1,405 yards and 16 scores.          The Bucs bounced back in 2002 to find their way into the championship game with a 12-1 record having lost only to Tuscaloosa County 27-24 during the regular season. That single lose was avenged in the third round of the playoffs with a 31-0 win over the Wildcats.           In the 2002 Super Six title game, the Bucs rolled up 472 yards of total offense and a 29-7 halftime lead against an overmatched Jeff Davis team. They fought off a Volunteer second half rally and held on for a 39-29 victory.           Chad Jackson was considered one of the top prospects in the nation as a senior at Hoover. He caught 68 passes for 1,187 yards and 14 touchdowns. His career catches would total 202 for 3,552 yards and 40 touchdowns. As a junior, John Parker Wilson completed 196 of 322 passes for 2,634 yards.           The 2003 season progresses as the previous three with Hoover rolling over their opponents except a 36-34 loss to rival Vestavia Hills. Once again the loss was avenged in the playoffs when the Bucs defeated the Rebels 31-24 in the semi-finals.
The Bucs arrived at Legion Field in Birmingham to face off against Daphne for the third time of four years. Hoover opened up a 13-3 halftime lead and added a field goal in the third to take a 16-3 lead into the last quarter.           Daphne scored on a Patrick White pass with 7:44 remaining to cut the lead to 16-10 but John Parker Wilson threw a 13 yard touchdown pass to Mason Dueitt with just 1:30 left in the game to assure the win.           Daphne scored in the final seconds but the victory was in hand as the Bucs won a third championship in four years with a hard fought 22-17 win.	Marlon Humphrey
John Parker Wilson completed 314 of 467 passes for 3,821 yards his senior season at Hoover in 2003. Wilson was a three year starter at Hoover. Over the span of his career he completed 615-of-978 passes for 8,170 yards and 78 touchdowns.           Led by Mr. Football Jarod Bryant, the 2004 Hoover Bucs rolled to another Class 6A state championship, defeating rival Prattville 22-7 at Legion Field to cap a perfect 15-0 season. The Bucs started the season ranked No. 1 in the Alabama Sports Writers Association poll and never dropped.           The offensive averaged 36 points a game, the defense gave up 11. Only one team, Vestavia Hills, came within a touchdown of that Hoover team. The Bucs won nine games by 20 points or more points. The defense included linebacker Cory Reamer and defensive back Jahi Word-Daniels.           Jarod Bryant completed 218 of 312 passes for 3,121 yards with 29 touchdowns and only four interceptions as a senior at Hoover. He was also the Bucs second leading rusher with 378 yards on 124 attempts. In the championship game against Prattville he completed 12 of 23 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown. The 2004 Hoover Bucs finished the season ranked #4 in the final USA Today poll.           In 2005, the Bucs opened the season with a 51-29 win over a Tim Tebow led Neese High School team from Florida. They again lost a single game to Tuscaloosa County 39-28 and again avenged the loss in the playoffs (42-8). In the Super Six title game they once again faced a Daphne team for the fourth time in six seasons.           This time it was all Bucs from the opening kickoff as they blocked two first half punts for touchdowns and led 35-0 at the half on their way to a 56-14 win. Ross Wilson threw for 235 yards and two touchdowns to lead the offense.            Cornelius Williams caught 77 passes for 1,299 yards and 18 touchdowns as an all-state performer. The Bucs finished the year ranked #8 in the final USA Today poll. Hoover became the first team to win five championships in a six year span.           The 2006 Hoover Bucs again opened the season against a nation power when they traveled to Oklahoma and promptly defeated Union High School 34-7. There was a midseason loss to another national power John Curtis 28-14 but Hoover had little trouble with the in-state teams before making their reservations to the title game at Legion Field.           A new foe was on the horizon as the upstart Prattville Lions, under the guidance of Coach Bill Clark, were laying in wait. The Lions' running attack proved to be too much for the Bucs as Prattville pulled away for a 35-21 win.           Josh Chapman tallied 97 tackles, 22 for losses, two sacks and one interception for the Hoover Bucs his senior season. Kerry Murphy was a dominant force in the middle on defense for the Bucs. As a senior, he posted 77 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and eight sacks. Junior Ross Wilson was forced to miss a couple of football games in the fall due to injury, but still managed to pass for 2,950 yards with 31 touchdowns in Hoover's high octane offense.           The 2005 and 2006 seasons were the subject of the MTV reality series "Two-A-Days", which turned Coach Rush Propst into a national icon. The TV show seemed to be a mixed blessing as problems arose in the program prior to the 2007 season.           The Bucs opened the 2007 season with a loss at Colerain Ohio before returning to their winning ways in Alabama. Late in the season things began to unravel not only for Hoover but their coach as well. The AHSAA determined Hoover had used a player whose family had not made a legitimate move and was ruled ineligible. The Bucs were forced to forfeit four wins but still managed to hang onto a playoff spot.           Hoover entered the playoffs with a 8-1 record on the field but were 4-5 in the record books. It seemed the fire was gone and the Bucs lost to Vestavia Hills 21-17 in the third round of the playoffs. It was the first time in seven seasons they would not play in the 6A championship game.
As the year ended there were accusations flying in all directions from nearly everyone involved with the Hoover football program. When the dust cleared, Rush Propst was gone. It seemed the Hoover dynasty was over.           Propst was off the Colquitt County in Georgia and the Hoover fans were left shaking their head. The win-at-all cost football program was being dismantled, or so it seemed.           Following the resignation of Rush Propst at Hoover High School in 2008, Josh Niblett was named the head coach at the perennial football power. The hire was in total contrast to Propst. The drama was gone but the question was whether the Bucs could continue to win.	Head Coach Josh Niblett
In 2008 a new era began but the script remained the same. The Bucs reached the Super Six championship game once again riding a 13-1 record to face their newest rival, the Prattville Lions. The Lions jumped out to a 13-3 lead before the Bucs came back to tie the game on a Jimmy Cain one yard run at the end of the third quarter. Prattville's kicker Brian Egan booted a 33 yard field goal with 2:47 remaining in the game to seal the win for the Lions.
Hoover fans support the Bucs	The 2009 team lost only to Vestavia Hills 30-27 during the season and held off a late Prattville charge in the title game to win their first championship since the 2005 season.            On a cold evening at Bryant-Denny Stadium, the Bucs and Lions fought back and forth the entire game before Hoover prevailed 28-23 to claim another title.
The Bucs ended the year ranked #7 in the final USA Today national poll. They were ranked #19 in the ESPN Rise nation poll and #8 in the MaxPreps poll.            In 2010 the Bucs became only the third team of this era to finish the regular season undefeated. Riding a twenty-one game winning streak, the Bucs arrived at Jordan-Hare Stadium to find an old foe across the field. Daphne entered the game with a perfect 14-0 record and left the game with their perfect record intact winning on a T.J. Yeldon one-yard run  and Brandon Roberts' PAT with 10:57 remaining in the game. The final score was 7-6.            The next year it was a different year but the same results. Hoover lost one game to Mountain Brook 19-7 before making their reservations in Tuscaloosa against Prattville in December. The championship game was a classic. The two teams went back and forth before Hoover built a 28-14 lead early in the third quarter.            Not to be denied, the Lions came back to take a 35-28 lead when Stanley Mays scored on a six yard run with just 8:31 remaining in the game. It looked like the two titans would be going to overtime when Connor Short scored on a two-yard run with just 47 second left in the game. Coach Niblett decided to forgo the overtime and make an attempt to win the game in regulation. The move backfired and a Connor Short pass fell incomplete on the two-point try and Prattville won 35-34.            The 2012 season opened with an impressive 35-10 win over Mississippi power South Panola. The Bucs rolled into the championship game where they throttled an overmatched Opelika team 31-0 for their second 15-0 season. The team finished the season ranked #6 in the USA Today poll and #12 in the MaxPreps national poll.
The Bucs shut down the Auburn running attack in 2013.	In 2013, the Hoover Bucs just kept rolling. Another perfect 15-0 season culminated with a 20-3 win over Auburn. The team is riding a school record 30 game winning streak entering the 2013 off season. The Bucs have scored in the past 302 consecutive games dating back to the 1991 season.                       During the past six seasons the Bucs have gone 84-6 while playing in the Super Six championship game each season, winning three of them.
Over the course of the past fourteen seasons the Bucs have played in all but one of the Super Six championship games. There record on the field is 191-15. In the record book it is 187-19. Either way it is impressive.           Their playoff record is 62-6. They won at least thirteen games in all but one season. They have been ranked by the ASWA in every poll since the preseason rankings were released prior to the 2000 season. That is a string of 150 consecutive polls.           All things come to an end but his run could continue for sometime. The Hoover Bucs show no signs of a letdown any time soon. Hoover Bucs   2000-2012 Year Record Championship Game 2000 14-1 Hoover 28-7 Daphne 2001 14-1 Daphne 48-21 Hoover 2002 13-1 Hoover 39-29 Jeff Davis 2003 14-1 Hoover 22-17 Daphne 2004 15-0 Hoover 22-7 Prattville 2005 14-1 Hoover 56-14 Daphne 2006 13-2 Prattville 35-21 Hoover 2007 6-6   2008 13-2 Prattville 16-13 Hoover 2009 14-1 Hoover 28-23 Hoover 2010 14-1 Daphne 7-6 Hoover 2011 13-2 Prattville 35-34 Hoover 2012 15-0 Hoover 31-0 Opelika 2013 15-0 Hoover 20-3 Auburn Hoover 2000 52 Jess Lanier . . . . . . . 6 40 Pelham . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 53 Parker . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 42 John Carroll . . . . . . 7 35 West End Birmingham . . 7 31 Vestavia Hills . . . . . 34 49 Carver Birmingham . . . 6 28 Mountain Brook . . . . . 7 40 Woodlawn . . . . . . . . . . 7 28 Butler . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 35 Hewitt-Trussville * . . 14 38 Decatur * . . . . . . . . . 14 14 Shades Valley * . . . . 0 35 Grissom * . . . . . . . . . 23 28 Daphne # . . . . . . . . . . 7 548 14-1 168 2001 14 Jess Lanier . . . . . . . 12 52 Pelham . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 45 Parker . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 38 John Carroll . . . . . . 6 56 West End Birmingham . . 6 52 Vestavia Hills . . . . . 10 49 Carver Birmingham . . . 14 28 Mountain Brook . . . . . 21 56 Woodlawn . . . . . . . . . . 0 35 Butler . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 42 Grissom * . . . . . . . . . 7 52 Hewitt-Trussville * . . 20 28 Jess Lanier * . . . . . 17 23 Huffman * . . . . . . . . . 8 21 Daphne # . . . . . . . . . . 48 591 14-1 200 2002 42 Lee Montgomery . . . . . 20 38 Decatur . . . . . . . . . . . 6 62 Pelham . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 63 Spain Park . . . . . . . . 8 24 Tuscaloosa County . . . 27 31 Vestavia Hills . . . . . 14 35 Oak Mountain . . . . . . 13 56 John Carroll . . . . . . 39 42 Huffman . . . . . . . . . . . 14 37 Central Tuscaloosa * . 7 21 Minor * . . . . . . . . . . . 17 31 Tuscaloosa County * . . 0 30 Mountain Brook * . . . 22 39 Jeff Davis # . . . . . . 29 551 13-1 223 2003 24 Lee Montgomery . . . . . 14 20 Decatur . . . . . . . . . . . 17 38 Pelham . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 35 Spain Park . . . . . . . . 10 57 Tuscaloosa County . . . 24 21 Evangel Christian LA . 14 34 Vestavia Hills . . . . . 36 38 Oak Mountain . . . . . . 0 36 John Carroll . . . . . . 14 24 Huffman . . . . . . . . . . . 0 50 Huffman * . . . . . . . . . 15 38 Minor * . . . . . . . . . . . 3 24 Hillcrest Tuscaloosa * . 0 31 Vestavia Hills * . . . 24 22 Daphne # . . . . . . . . . . 17 492 14-1 202 2004 33 Daphne . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 49 Thompson . . . . . . . . . . 17 51 Florence . . . . . . . . . . 6 36 Tuscaloosa County . . . 0 21 Vestavia Hills . . . . . 14 24 Mountain Brook . . . . . 0 38 Pelham . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 38 Oak Mountain . . . . . . 20 45 Spain Park . . . . . . . . 17 49 Decatur . . . . . . . . . . . 21 47 Grissom * . . . . . . . . . 19 42 John Carroll * . . . . . 0 24 Spain Park * . . . . . . 7 17 Mountain Brook * . . . 3 22 Prattville # . . . . . . 7 536 15-0 164 2005 51 Nease FL . . . . . . . . . . 29 21 Thompson . . . . . . . . . . 18 51 Florence . . . . . . . . . . 10 24 Spain Park . . . . . . . . 10 28 Tuscaloosa County . . . 39 24 Vestavia Hills . . . . . 6 38 Mountain Brook . . . . . 6 35 Pelham . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 38 Oak Mountain . . . . . . 21 56 Decatur . . . . . . . . . . . 6 56 Hillcrest Tuscaloosa * . 14 48 Bob Jones * . . . . . . . 27 42 Tuscaloosa County * . . 8 28 Oak Mountain * . . . . . 7 56 Daphne # . . . . . . . . . . 14 596 14-1 222 2006 34 Union OK . . . . . . . . . . 7 45 Carver Birmingham . . . 12 40 Spain Park . . . . . . . . 28 42 Mountain Brook . . . . . 8 14 John Curtis LA . . . . . 28 21 Minor . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 28 Vestavia Hills . . . . . 24 44 Homewood . . . . . . . . . . 21 42 Oak Mountain . . . . . . 20 37 Theodore . . . . . . . . . . 7 44 Pell City * . . . . . . . 0 31 Thompson * . . . . . . . . 0 37 Homewood * . . . . . . . . 14 42 Vestavia Hills * . . . 37 21 Prattville # . . . . . . 35 522 13-2 255 2007 17 Colerain OH . . . . . . . 20 59 Carver Birmingham @. . 0 23 Spain Park @. . . . . . . 7 24 Mountain Brook @. . . . 10 20 Minor . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 16 Vestavia Hills @. . . . 7 34 Homewood . . . . . . . . . . 20 21 Oak Mountain . . . . . . 18 59 Theodore . . . . . . . . . . 28 31 Florence * . . . . . . . . 28 44 Hueytown * . . . . . . . . 42 17 Vestavia Hills * . . . 21 365 6-6 213 2008 27 Gardendale . . . . . . . . 7 30 Homewood . . . . . . . . . . 21 16 Camden County GA . . . 44 36 Thompson . . . . . . . . . . 0 24 Oak Mountain . . . . . . 7 34 Spain Park . . . . . . . . 24 28 Mountain Brook . . . . . 21 17 Vestavia Hills . . . . . 2 42 Pelham . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 35 Sparkman . . . . . . . . . . 9 45 Hueytown * . . . . . . . . 13 18 Minor * . . . . . . . . . . . 6 30 Mountain Brook * . . . 20 28 Huntsville * . . . . . . 7 13 Prattville # . . . . . . 16 423 13-2 218 2009 51 Gardendale . . . . . . . . 21 38 Homewood . . . . . . . . . . 24 30 Camden County GA . . . 27 28 Thompson . . . . . . . . . . 0 27 Oak Mountain . . . . . . 0 24 Spain Park . . . . . . . . 21 30 Mountain Brook . . . . . 0 27 Vestavia Hills . . . . . 30 21 Pelham . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 31 Sparkman . . . . . . . . . . 6 58 Hillcrest Tuscaloosa * . 14 27 Jess Lanier * . . . . . 17 34 Bob Jones * . . . . . . . 24 35 Gadsden City * . . . . . 0 28 Prattville # . . . . . . 23 489 14-1 221 2010 14 Byrnes SC . . . . . . . . . 0 44 Spain Park . . . . . . . . 0 60 Oak Mountain . . . . . . 0 50 Thompson . . . . . . . . . . 0 33 Gadsden City . . . . . . 10 29 Pelham . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 48 Homewood . . . . . . . . . . 28 35 Vestavia Hills . . . . . 7 24 Mountain Brook . . . . . 3 20 Bob Jones . . . . . . . . . 13 29 Gardendale * . . . . . . 7 30 Spain Park * . . . . . . 10 35 Clay-Chalkville * . . . 27 44 Mountain Brook * . . . 20 6 Daphne # . . . . . . . . . . 7 501 14-1 149 2011 24 South Panola MS . . . . 13 20 Spain Park . . . . . . . . 0 21 Oak Mountain . . . . . . 14 41 Thompson . . . . . . . . . . 15 35 Gadsden City . . . . . . 21 61 Pelham . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 41 Homewood . . . . . . . . . . 6 34 Vestavia Hills . . . . . 23 9 Mountain Brook . . . . . 17 41 Bob Jones . . . . . . . . . 13 40 Hewitt-Trussville * . . 14 26 Bob Jones * . . . . . . . 17 21 Hillcrest Tuscaloosa * . 14 32 Oxford * . . . . . . . . . . 22 34 Prattville # . . . . . . 35 480 13-2 230 2012 35 South Panola . . . . . 10 45 Hueytown . . . . . . . . . 6 50 Jackson-Olin . . . . . 0 55 Northridge . . . . . . . 7 35 Vestavia Hills . . . . 15 38 Bessemer City . . . . . 7 31 Hillcrest Tuscaloosa . 14 14 Minor . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 28 Tuscaloosa County . . 10 30 Opelika . . . . . . . . . . 7 38 Shades Valley * . . . . 7 49 Pell City * . . . . . . . 26 21 Vestavia Hills * . . . 7 44 Clay-Chalkville * . . . 20 31 Opelika # . . . . . . . . . 0 544 15-0 136 2013 24 Colquitt County GA . . 10 35 Hueytown . . . . . . . . . 0 63 Jackson-Olin . . . . . 0 56 Northridge . . . . . . . 14 17 Vestavia Hills . . . . 7 48 Bessemer City . . . . . 7 28 Hillcrest Tuscaloosa . 6 41 Minor . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 41 Tuscaloosa County . . 0 29 Opelika . . . . . . . . . . 7 41 Huntsville * . . . . . . 7 33 Shades Valley * . . . . 14 22 Florence * . . . . . . . . 21 31 Vestavia Hills * . . . 28 20 Auburn # . . . . . . . . . . 3 529 15-0 133 * Playoff game # State championship game @ Forfeit

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          The Dynasties, a series of articles on Alabama high school football's best teams.

David Parker
  AHSFHS.org
  dparker@ahsfhs.org

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