Resilient Eagles enter final stretch of regular season

Things can change quickly in Class 7A, Region 3.

Just ask the Oak Mountain High School football team, as it has witnessed that fact firsthand. Jackson Kimbrell was forced to take over at quarterback early in the season after an injury to Wyatt Legas, and the Eagles scuffled to a 0-3 start.

But they picked themselves up and rallied to defeat Vestavia Hills convincingly, 34-7, in early September. That kind of fight and resilience will need to stay on display in the final month of the regular season as the Eagles play three consecutive region games in October.

On Oct. 7, the Eagles will meet Tuscaloosa County, looking to knock off the Wildcats for the third consecutive season. Oak Mountain won 27-6 in 2014 and a lower scoring, 15-7, result last fall. The win last year was the first of the year for the Eagles, after a similar 0-3 start to the season, and began a strong finish to the year.

The Eagles are also looking for their third straight win against Mountain Brook, who they will host Oct. 14. The Spartans led the overall series 6-4, but last fall, Oak Mountain scored the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter and held off Mountain Brook to win 21-14.

Oak Mountain remains at home Oct. 21 to host Spain Park. The Eagles ended their drought in 2014, snapping an eight-game losing streak to the Jaguars to take some pressure off the matchup. They also made last year’s game interesting against the eventual state finalist, as Spain Park took home a hard-fought 20-10 victory.

The Eagles will make a lengthy trip to Hazel Green to round out the season in a non-region matchup, on Oct. 28. The two teams have never met on the gridiron, but Hazel Green did advance to the playoffs for the first time in four years in 2015.