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   The best of the best in Alabama High   
  School Football over the past 100 seasons.






2023 Team Previews 

  



Hoover Buccaneers

Head Coach: Wade Waldrop (second season)
Career Record: 17 seasons, (111-77)
At Hoover: one season, (11-2)
Stadium: Regions Park
2022 Enrollment:  2,046
Rank:  2nd in the AHSAA, 2nd in Class 7A

 History 
Overall Record:   537-180-7   (75.0%)
Last 25 years:   296-50   (86.0%)  (Rank: 2nd in the AHSAA, 1st in Class 7A)
Since 2010:   155-25  (86.1%)  (Rank: 4th in the AHSAA, 1st in Class 7A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2022
Last Region Championship:   2022
Last Winning Season:   2022
Last Losing Season:   1998

 2022 
Class:  7A              Region:   3
Record:  11-2
Region Record:   7-0, (first)
Playoff Record:   Semi-finals loss to Thompson by the score of 40-10.
Final ASWA Poll:   1st
Scoring:  358 (27.5)
Defense:  152 (11.7)


 2023 
Class: 7A              Region:   3
Strength of Schedule: 73-47 (61%) (13th in the AHSAA, 3rd in Class 7A)
Region Strength:  39-39 (50%)
Non-Region Strength:  34-8 (81%)




 2022 Results 
 8/19   Auburn  (7A)   14-17   L  
 8/26  vs. Bartlett TN    56-7   W  
 9/2  vs. Spain Park  (7A)  *  24-10   W  
 9/8  vs. Vestavia Hills  (7A)  *  20-14   W  
 9/16  @ Hewitt-Trussville  (7A)  *  17-7   W  
 9/23  @ Mountain Brook  (6A)   26-14   W  
 9/30  @ Oak Mountain  (7A)  *  40-0   W  
 10/7  vs. Tuscaloosa County  (7A)  *  31-13   W  
 10/14  vs. Chelsea  (7A)  *  38-0   W  
 10/21  @ Thompson  (7A)  *  9-0   W  
 10/28   OPEN 
 Playoffs 
 11/4  vs. Bob Jones    45-19   W  
 11/11  vs. Hewitt-Trussville    28-11   W  
 11/18  vs. Thompson    10-40   L  


 2023 Schedule 
 8/25  vs. Auburn  (7A)       
 9/1  vs. Oak Grove MS        
 9/8  @ Spain Park  (7A)  *      
 9/15  @ Vestavia Hills  (7A)  *      
 9/22  vs. Hewitt-Trussville  (7A)  *      
 9/29  vs. Mountain Brook  (6A)       
 10/6  vs. Oak Mountain  (7A)  *      
 10/13  @ Tuscaloosa County  (7A)  *      
 10/20  @ Chelsea  (7A)  *      
 10/27  vs. Thompson  (7A)  *      
 11/3   OPEN 
 11/10  @ James Clemens        
 11/17  @ Hewitt-Trussville        



Class  7A Region  3
Team 2022 Record Region Scoring                            
Hoover (7A) 11-2 7-0358-152
Thompson (7A) 11-3 6-1413-181
Hewitt-Trussville (7A) 8-4 5-2410-223
Vestavia Hills (7A) 7-5 4-3411-234
Tuscaloosa County (7A) 6-4 3-4251-295
Spain Park (7A) 3-7 1-6177-245
Chelsea (7A) 1-9 1-6150-340
Oak Mountain (7A) 3-7 1-6140-304


 2023 Preview 


       Hoover completed the 2022 season with a 11-2 record. Last year Hoover captured the region three title and a number one seed in the Class 7A playoffs. They finished region play with a 7-0 record. Hoover made a nice playoff run in 2022, reaching the semi-finals before falling to a very good Thompson team by the score of 40-10.

       The defense was very stingy last season as Hoover ranked 14th in the AHSAA. The defense allowed only 11.7 points a game.

       Over the past two seasons the Buccaneers have Finished 23-3 and will be looking to continue that winning tradition. As one of the best football programs in the state since 2010, Hoover has gone a combined 155-25. Their 86.1% winning percentage ranks 1st in Class 7A over the past thirteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Hoover has finished a combined 296-50. Their 86.0% winning percentage ranks 1st in Class 7A and 2nd in the AHSAA. The Buccaneers have been successful on the football field with twenty-four winning seasons during this time. Their last losing season was 1998.




       The Buccaneers are led by head coach Wade Waldrop who is entering his second season at the helm. His team finished with a 11-2 record in his first season at Hoover. Under his direction the Buccaneers have qualified for the playoffs once. They have won one region crown with Coach Waldrop. His 111 wins rank 50th among active coaches in the AHSAA. Over the course of his career, Coach Waldrop's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of twelve times and won four region championships.

       The Bucs lost a lot of talent to graduation on a very good defense last season. Hoover will return seven players on offense and five on defense. The Buccaneers have one of the toughest overall schedules in Class 7A. Their opponents had a combined record of 73-47 last season. That ranks 3rd in Class 7A and 13th in the AHSAA.

       The Buccaneers enter the 2023 season riding a 9 game regular season winning streak. Hoover has won 14 consecutive region games.

       While most teams rebuild during the off season, Hoover has been a consistent winner the past few years and will simply reload this season. The Buccaneers are considered one of the favorites for the region three championship this season and a home game in the first round of the playoffs. The Buccaneers have successfully qualified for the playoffs every year since 1999 and expect to be included again when November rolls around.

      Receiver Jordan Woolen will return after grabbing 39 passes good for 614 yards and 4 TDs as a junior last season.

      LB Bradley Shaw will anchor the defense from his linebacker position again in 2023. He is considered one of the best in the state.

       The Buccaneers open the 2023 season at home against non-region opponent Auburn on Friday, August 25 at Regions Park. Last year the Auburn Tigers finished with an overall record of 12-2 and in second place in Class 7A region two. The Tigers lost in the Class 7A State Championship game last season when they were defeated by Thompson. They final score was 49-24 in the Super Seven finals in Auburn.

       Hoover and Auburn have met a total of 3 times on the football field. The Buccaneers have a 1-2-0 record against the Tigers. They last met in 2022 with Auburn winning by a score of 17-14.

       The Buccaneers lost a ton of talent to graduation off the 2022 squad. Replacing these players will be a key to another successful season. Hoover lost 7A All-State  kicker Peyton Argent to graduation. He was named to the first team last season. Also graduating were teammates linebacker Kaleb Jackson, offensive lineman Ethan Hubbard, defensive lineman Jordan Norman, defensive back Jay Avery and defensive back DJ Estes.

       The Buccaneers return 7A All-State Senior linebacker Bradley Shaw. He was named to the first team last season.

  


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Robby James has won nine AISA State Championships during his career at Catherine Academy, Morgan Academy and Marengo Academy.