Carver-Montgomery and Vestavia Hills Looking to Learn a lot about their own Teams in Kickoff Classic
If ever experience on defense was needed, Vestavia Hills High School’s season-opening battle with Montgomery-Carver High School would certainly be a game warranting it.
The Class 7A Rebels, who reached the quarterfinals of the Class 7A state playoffs last season under second-year head coach Robert Evans, return only three defensive starters from that strong team.
The Wolverines are coming off a playoff season in Class 6A last year – and have added many of last year’s returning players from Sidney Lanier High School’s Class 6A playoff team when the two schools merged this school year. New head coach Bobby Carr says a number of players on this year’s Carver team are being sought after by Division I college programs all across the nation. Among those players are outstanding offensive player such as running back and Alabama commit Anthony Rogers, wide receiver and Texas A&M commit T.K. Norman, and talented quarterback T.J. Russell, who passed for more than 2,000 yards last season and finds himself on the radar of virtually every top college program in the South.
Vestavia Hills will have their work cut out for them when the two teams kick off at 7 p.m., Friday night in a game that will be televised lived over the AHSAA TV Network and the live streamed over the NFHS Network as its Game of the Week.
There are three very good reasons, however, the Rebels are optimistic. Last year’s top three leading tacklers are all back this season, ready to lead the pack of hungry newcomers and take up right where they left off in 2023. Add seven more who played regularly in the Rebel’ two-deep rotation and the returning experience is much better that it appear at first glance.
Friday’s battle will be the second feature game of the 2024 Kickoff Classic, which opens the season officially tonight with T.R. Miller High School taking on Reeltown’s Rebels at Cramton Bowl in the first featured game.
Both games are scheduled to get underway at 7 p.m., and both are being televised over the AHSAA TV Network and live streamed over NFHS Network. The AHSAA Radio Network will also broadcast both games. The broadcast crew for TV and radio will be Caleb Brooks and Tommy Wood for Thursday’s game, and the duo of James Verrett and Luke Robinson for Friday’s contest. WOTM TV will be handling the video production.
The Vestavia Rebels’ defense will be looking for big efforts from linebackers Jacob Watson, Grayson Bruno, and free safety Spence Hanna, who registered 70, 66 and 55 tackles last season.
“We have seven more players who gained a lot of experience in our two-deep playhing rotation,” he said.
Offensively, Evans’ squad must replace graduated quarterback John Paul Head, who passed for 1,786 yards and 16 TDs last year and rushed for 1,175 yards and 22 scores. William Tonsmeire returns to the backfield after rushing for 842 yards and four TDs last season. He averaged 7.1 yards per carry. Charlie Taffe, who saw limited action last year, has moved into the position. He rushed for 170 yards last season and was 3-for-3 passing for 53 yards and one TD. Chase Webb, who had nine catches for 174 yards and three TDs last season, is the leading receiver returning. He also returned 11 kickoffs for 352 yards and two TDs – the longest a 99-yard scoot. A major strength is the Vestavia kicking led by punter/kicker Owen Simpson, who was 10-of-11 on field goals in 2023 with a long of 49 yards and averaged 36.8 yards on 23 punts. He also kicked 30 of his 72 kickoffs into the end zone for no return. Blocking up front will be led by senior guards J.D. Livingston and Landon Page.
As for Carver, Carr says he is proud of the way the Lanier and Carver players have worked together from the get-go. “It has really been something to experience,” said Carr, who said he wasn’t sure what to expect when he arrived six months ago. “There are big expectations for our team this year with the merging of Carver and Lanier,” he said. “We’ve got a total of 17 starters with D1 offers. However, talent only takes us so far, so we’ve really been focusing on doing all the little things right.”
Russell had a banner year as a junior completing 142-of-267 passes for 2,420 yards and 25 touchdowns. T.K. Norman is back as of Russell’s top targets. He notched eight TD receptions last season.
Defensively, the linebacking corps will be a strength with Kendarious Reynolds, Noah Maye, Stephon Andrews, and Greg Tate. Defensive end Donjavion Brown and Strong safety Jacobi Freeman are also leaders on defense. Brown led the Wolverines in tackles last season \with 133 – including 31 tackles for losses and six sacks. Maye totaled 126 tackles with 20 resulting in lost yardage.
Carr, who comes into the AHSAA for the first time after winning 10 state titles in the AISA, said the players have accepted the challenges he and his coaching staff and put in front of them. He said they stressed from day one about showing up each day.
“We’ll never achieve the big things until we can learn to do all the little things correctly,” he said. “The kids are working hard each day to get better. We are really excited about matching up with Vestavia in the AHSAA Kickoff Classic. I have a ton of respect for their program and their coaching staff.”
Evans, who was a standout football and baseball player in high school at VHHS, has plenty of respect for the Wolverines’ program and Coach Carr. He also has plenty of respect for his own team, which improved plenty from year one to year two. Expectations are high as the Rebels prepare to battle in rugged Class 7A, Region 3. However, he points out that Carver is competing in rugged Class 7A, Region 2. Teams from those two regions have met in the Class 7A state finals every year since 2018.
“The Rebels are excited about playing the most challenging and difficult schedule Vestavia has ever played,” said Evans. “Each week will be a tough test for our team.”
And that first test will be Friday night at Cramton Bowl in the AHSAA’s 19th Kickoff Classic. TG