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The Spain Park Jaguars couldn’t find a rhythm offensively nor stop the run defensively in a difficult 32-7 loss to Vestavia Hills on Oct. 16. (For the Reporter/Dawn Harrison)

By CHRIS REIN | Special to the Reporter

HOOVER – Vestavia Hills (2-6, 2-4) outran Spain Park (2-6, 0-6) in a battle to avoid the bottom spot in the 7A Region 3 standings Friday night, Oct. 16, at Jaguar Stadium.

“We can’t stop the run defensively and they wore us out on the run,” said Spain Park head coach Shawn Raney.

Vestavia Hills finished with more than 300 yards rushing, paced by their backfield trio of tailbacks Taiyo Crawford and Bryant Agee and fullback Landon Neese.

After forcing a Spain Park punt on their opening possession, Vestavia Hills ate up most of the first quarter with a 14-play, 90-yard drive, all on the ground, taking eight minutes off the clock. Taiyo Crawford’s 2-yard run on fourth-and-goal and Matthew McMeans’ point after made it 7-0.

Spain Park answered with a 14-play, 64-yard drive of their own, but Bennett Meredith’s quarterback sneak on fourth-and-1 from the 6-yard line ran into a solid wall, and the Jags turned the ball over on downs.

Vestavia again drove the length of the field, with a 38-yard pass from Braden Glenn to Cole Turner moving the ball to the Spain Park 35. The drive stalled inside the Spain Park 30, but McMeans hit a 45-yard field goal to extend the lead to 10-0.

After forcing a Jaguar three-and-out, Vestavia needed only one play to add to its lead, as Agee raced 67 yards untouched around the right side.

Spain Park answered by driving to the Vestavia 14-yard line, but a blocked field goal attempt as time expired left the Jaguars in a 17-0 halftime hole.

Vestavia Hills picked up where it left off in the third quarter, as another long pass from Glenn to Turner set up Glenn’s 3-yard sneak, making it 24-7. Glenn finished the night a perfect 5-of-5 for 98 yards.

Spain Park finally got on the board early in the fourth quarter with a 14-yard pass from Meredith to Jaylen Ward, but Vestavia answered with a 23-yard touchdown run by Landon Neese and a trick play, 2-point conversion to close out the scoring.

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