Hoover (AL) finds a way in thrilling win over Western (FL): 5 takeaways

The Buccaneers proved Saturday afternoon that in Chip English's debut that everything will be just fine in Hoover

Hoover defeated Western 17-14 in the Broward County Classic High School Football Showcase / Hoover Football/X

There was plenty of reasons to believe the Hoover Buccaneers (Alabama) weren't going to be prepared for the big stage of the Broward County Classic High School Football Showcase.

One of them was how would the team respond to interim head coach Chip English in his first game as the program's head coach, especially that the role had come unexpectedly just over a couple weeks ago.

English, a former Albertville and Grissom head football coach, had been promoted to interim head coach at Hoover, after then-head coach Drew Gilmer and then-defensive coordinator Helms were placed on indefinite administrative leave, following an incident during a practice earlier this month was caught on video.

The Buccaneers responded to all of the controversy surrounding the football program with a resounding 17-14 victory over Western, giving English his first win as the program's interim coach.

We give you five takeaways from Hoover's win over Western:

Hoover needed this win

There's no easy way to say this, but Hoover needed this win more than Western in the worst way.

When you look back over the last several weeks and all the news surrounding the program, the Buccaneers needed some good to come to it and they did in the form of a win. Traveling from Alabama to Florida, full of motivation in a multitude of different ways, Hoover had the Yellowhammer State at their back pulling for them. Hoping on flights this morning and landing back home will feel that much better for the Buccaneers at The Met.

English working his way to interim tag being removed

If there's another positive Hoover can take from this victory is the fact they can begin to look a little closer at possibly removing the interim tag from English's title. English has been a head coach twice before and didn't find the success he'd hope for before eventually landing at Hoover as initially the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach. Thrust into the role of head coach, English leading Hoover to a win over a very good Western team begins the conversation of a potential long term stay as the lead man.

Both defenses impressed on the night

It would be unfair to say one defense played much better than the other, with just a handful of plays really separating these two when it came down to it. Western held Hoover to 142 yards of offense while Hoover was at 203 against the Wildcats' offense. It's safe to say both defenses really came to play in one of the country's most prestigious high school showcases around.

The Wildcats joined the club of South Florida teams that didn't win

It's not like Western was the only team that wasn't able to pickup a win over the opposing team they faced on Saturday. There was a club of teams that ended the day with a loss, including Plantation American Heritage, Chaminade Madonna and St. Thomas Aquinas. That's not counting Cardinal Gibbons, who also lost, 49-20 to Lake Mary. It was a tough classic for Broward County teams overall.

Western has to turn it around quickly

The Wildcats have literally no time to lick their wounds from the loss as they have to go on the road and make the quick trip to face a Plantation American Heritage team smarting from a 37-28 loss to Milton (GA). That's not going to be an easy task for Ratkevich's who also have to face Chaminade Madonna, St. Thomas Aquinas and West Boca Raton throughout the course of the season. There's certainly not many gimmes on the Wildcats' schedule.

50 Week 2 Florida high school football games to watch

Monarch (FL) edges out Peachtree Ridge (GA) in opener of Broward County Classic: 5 takeaways

Milton (Georgia) outlasts Plantation American Heritage (Florida) in Broward County Classic

Bishop Gorman (NV) pulls off comeback win over St. Thomas Aquinas (FL)

St. John Bosco (CA) wears down Chaminade Madonna (FL) in penalty-filled game

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-- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @sblivefl