1 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain's Like Percer (12) runs with the ball in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
2 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain's Jackson Kimbrell (10) throws a pass in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
3 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain band in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
4 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Vestavia Hills running back in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
5 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain's Mingyu Le (17) chases the quarterback in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
6 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain's Daniel Salchert (26) in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
7 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Vestavia Hills' Coleman Petway (14) pitches the ball in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
8 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain's Jack Simmons (52) attempts to make a tackle in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
9 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Action from a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
10 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Action from a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
11 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain band performs at halftime in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
12 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain cheerleaders in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
13 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain band performs at halftime in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
14 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain band performs at halftime in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
15 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Action in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
16 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Action from a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
17 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain's Connor Webb (15) attempts to make a tackle in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
18 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain's Jaylin Gaines (5) in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
19 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Action from a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
20 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain's Ethan Duncan (25) runs with the ball in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
21 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain's Daniel Salchert (26) runs with the ball in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
22 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Vestavia Hill's William Schaffield (32) carries the ball in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
23 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain's Matthew Pflaum (88) makes a tackle in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
24 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain's Matthew Pflaum (88) and Jake Tice (30) in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
25 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Action from a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
26 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain's Daniel Salchert (26) carries the ball in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
27 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Action from a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
28 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Vestavia Hills' Coleman Petway (14) rolls out in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
29 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain's Peter Kolar (92) attempts to make a tackle in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
30 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Vestavia Hills cheerleaders in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
31 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain's Connor Wilson (34) runs with the ball in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
32 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain's Goom squad in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
33 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain's Jackson Kimbrell (10) in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
34 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain's Jackson Kimbrell (10) carries the ball in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
35 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain's Jackson Murphy (14) attempts to make a tackle in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
36 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain band performs at halftime in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
37 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain band performs at halftime in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
38 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Vestavia Hills students in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
39 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain celebrates in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
40 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain's Jordan Davis (56) in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
41 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Action from a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
42 of 42
Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain Football
Action from a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
BIRMINGHAM -- Oak Mountain head coach Cris Bell challenged his team all week.
He called on his Eagles to flush the first three weeks from their system. He knew he had a good team in his locker room, a team better than its 0-3 start.
“They answered the call this week,” Bell said.
Answer the call, they did. Oak Mountain rolled to a 34-7 Class 7A, Region 3 win over Vestavia Hills on Friday night at Heardmont Park. The Eagles are now 1-3 overall, with a 1-1 region record.
In just his second start, sophomore quarterback Jackson Kimbrell found his groove, passing for 117 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 69 more yards and another score.
“He did great,” said senior running back Daniel Salchert. “He was making great reads. He’s just an athlete.”
Oak Mountain defense stands tall
The Oak Mountain defense played solid all night against Vestavia Hills on Friday, Sept. 9, 2016 at Heardmont Park.
Oak Mountain grabbed the lead early in the second quarter when Jaylin Gaines darted 16 yards for the game’s first score. A blocked point-after attempt left the Eagles with a 6-0 advantage.
Vestavia Hills (1-2, 0-2) answered quickly. Junior quarterback Coleman Pettway darted 23 yards to give the Rebels a 7-6 lead with 5:30 left until halftime. Salchert scampered 75 yards to pay dirt two plays later to give Oak Mountain a 12-7 halftime lead.
With 4:54 left in the third quarter, Kimbrell connected with junior Ethan Duncan for a 61-yard touchdown to break the game open. Salchert ran the ball in for the two-point conversion and a 20-7 lead. On the Eagles’ next possession, Kimbrell rushed 27 yards for a touchdown with 1:54 left in the third quarter. Salchert added a four-yard touchdown run with 2:15 left in the game to round out the scoring.
Salchert finished with 101 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries.
“We just had a chip on our shoulder from last year,” Salchert said. “Vestavia gave it to us last year. We just knew we could do it.”
Kimbrell said he was much more relaxed in his second career start.
“Got the first game jitters out of the way,” he said. “Just a lot more composed this game. We did what we were supposed to. We were just hungry, hungry for success. Vestavia has always been a big rival. We wanted it more than they did.”
Vestavia Hills head coach Buddy Anderson said he knew that Oak Mountain had a formidable offense.
“In this region, you’ve got to be ready to play every Friday night or you’ll get it handed to you,” Anderson said. “We got it handed to us tonight. If you’re not ready to play, you’re going to get it handed to you.”
Vestavia Hills plays host to Huffman next week. Anderson said he’s seen film of Huffman’s 21-11 win over Oak Mountain.
“They’re very impressive,” he said.
Oak Mountain takes on Thompson next week.
“We should go out and do the same thing we did tonight,” Kimbrell said.
