Winning by one point isn't much, but it's still winning.
For Hoover High, it might as well be a million.
Winning just three games a year ago, the Tornado football team's
defense stepped it up a notch in the fourth quarter against host
Mountain View in a nonleague game and held onto a 28-27
season-opening victory.
The win was preserved with an interception by defensive back Armen
Shekerdemian with 2:02 to play on Hoover's own 14-yard line. The
Tornadoes clinched the victory when Shekerdemian batted away a Hail
Mary pass from Viking quarterback Leander Benjamin in the end zone as
time expired.
"It's just making good plays," Shekerdemian said. "It's game-time
decisions and you [have to] make good plays. I'm just glad my
teammates and I could get this win."
Making the win even sweeter was the fact that Hoover squandered
away advantages of, 8-0, and, 21-4, before taking the lead for good
on 4-yard touchdown run by Alex Pantoja with 4:58 to play.
Hoover Coach Dennis Hughes admitted while that the win wasn't
pretty, the Tornadoes would take it.
"Anytime you win, it's a great thing," Hughes said. "It's no
secret we've struggled, so when you get a win it's great. Tonight we
had so many opportunities to lose, but our kids came back."
Hughes added that the victory showed his team how to win, even
when it didn't look possible.
"We did not play too smart tonight and had a lot of penalties and
mistakes," Hughes said. "But they learned you have to prepare every
time to be out there not just in body, but in mind.
"Sometimes the best way to learn is a game like tonight. You have
to be committed. I'm really glad we got this win."
Pantoja, a standout senior, led his team with 141 rushing yards
and scored twice, including a 42-yard scamper in the third quarter.
Teammate Terran Sprewell had 79 rushing yards.
