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Photo by David Leong
Oak Mountain quarterback Will O'Dell (18) is pursued by Hillcrest defensive lineman Adrian Love (9) during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Oak Mountain running back Marty Myricks (1) carries the ball during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Hillcrest quarterback Bryson Kimbrough (12) is tackled by Oak Mountain linebacker Colton Moore (8) during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
The Oak Mountain marching band entertains the crowd during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Hillcrest running back Jacobi Harris (4) is tackled behind the line of scrimmage during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Oak Mountain captains prepare for the coin toss before a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Oak Mountain players rush the field before a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Oak Mountain head coach Shane McComb paces the sideline during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Oak Mountain players study game film during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Oak Mountain quarterback Will O'Dell (18) looks for an opening in the line of scrimmage during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Oak Mountain kicker Josh Renfro (96) kicks the extra point during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Hillcrest wide receiver Kahden Smith (3) is tackled by Oak Mountain defensive back Robert Yoder (10) during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Oak Mountain quarterback Will O'Dell (18) is sacked by Hillcrest defensive lineman Jeremiah Beverly (94) during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Oak Mountain kicker Ben Mielke (28) punts the ball away during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Hillcrest quarterback Bryson Kimbrough (12) is almost sacked by Oak Mountain offensive lineman Luke Kelly (69) dduring a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Oak Mountain defensive back Jayden Aparicio (3) and defensive back Cole Kelly (33) tries to break up a completed pass to Hillcrest wide receiver Kahden Smith (3) during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Hillcrest running back Christian Richey (2) is tackled by a flock of Oak Mountain Eagles during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Oak Mountain quarterback Will O'Dell (18) passes the ball during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Hillcrest wide receiver Jordan Chambers-Smith (11) is taken down by Oak Mountain defensive back Colby King (6) during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
The Oak Mountain marching band seniors celebrate Senior Night during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Oak Mountain quarterback Will O'Dell (18) is sacked by Hillcrest defensive lineman Jeremiah Beverly (94) during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Oak Mountain quarterback Will O'Dell (18) is sacked by Hillcrest defensive lineman Jeremiah Beverly (94) during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Oak Mountain defensive back Averick Wallace (21) attempts to block a pass by Hillcrest quarterback Bryson Kimbrough (12) during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Oak Mountain tight end Jacob Moore (11) is taken down during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Oak Mountain tight end Jacob Moore (11) catches a touchdown pass during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Oak Mountain defensive back Jayden Aparicio (3) recovers the on-side kick during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Oak Mountain defensive back JC Schwender (12) pursues Hillcrest running back Christian Richey (2) during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
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Photo by David Leong
Oak Mountain senior cheerleaders celebrate Senior Night during a game between Oak Mountain and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at Heardmont Park.
BIRMINGHAM – Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa scored touchdowns on its first seven possessions and ran away with a 50-36 win over Oak Mountain at Heardmont Park on Friday night.
In fact, the only possession that Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa did not find the end zone came in the game’s waning seconds as the Patriots bled out the clock.
“Defensively, we played hard, we just got our butts whipped,” said Oak Mountain head coach Shane McComb. “Up front, we didn’t do what we were supposed to do. Almost every single play we were supposed to go low and we were standing straight up getting driven back. We couldn’t stop them up front. We played hard, fought hard, they were just bigger and stronger than we were.”
Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa quarterback Bryson Kimbrough was superb, completing 11-of-15 passes for 204 yards while running 14 times for 94 yards and three touchdowns. Sophomore running back Christian Richey led the Patriots in the ground game with 159 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries. Freshman Jacobi Harris finished with 12 rushes for 62 yards and two touchdowns.
Oak Mountain quarterback Will O’Dell had a monster night by completing 18-of-25 passes for 354 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for 109 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries. He did, however, throw three interceptions.
The first came in the waning seconds of the first half as Oak Mountain (3-6, 1-6 in Class 7A, Region 3) threatened to cut into a 28-13 deficit. Hillcrest’s Miles Madden brought the interception out of the end zone but was then tackled in the end zone for a safety.
Trailing 43-29 after three quarters, O’Dell was again intercepted in the end zone, this time on fourth-and-goal by Hillcrest’s Jamichael Watson. Hillcrest subsequently scored on Kimbrough’s third rushing score of the game. Oak Mountain answered quickly on a 20-yard touchdown from O’Dell to Jacob Moore, cutting the deficit to 50-36, and two plays after recovering an onside kick O’Dell was picked off by Ja’Marion Bennett.
Between both teams, Heardmont Park was treated to 1,011 yards of combined offense. Hillcrest (6-4, 3-4 in region) lit up the scoreboard first on Richey’s 38-yard run. The Eagles tied the game two minutes later when O’Dell scored on a 1-yard keeper. Harris took the lead back for Hillcrest on a 3-yard run in the first quarter, and Kimbrough’s 2-yard keeper pushed the Patriots to a 21-7 lead early in the second quarter. O’Dell broke free for a 53-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 21-13 before Kimbrough capped a 10-play, 64-yard drive with a 2-yard run.
Oak Mountain quickly scored out of halftime on a 56-yard touchdown from O’Dell to running back Marty Myricks, making it a 28-22 game. Richey then broke off a 30-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-two to put the Patriots up 36-22. Oak Mountain scored four plays later on a 55-yard pass from O’Dell to Zach Fitzgerald. Harris answered on the ensuing drive with an 18-yard touchdown run to put Hillcrest up 43-29. Hillcrest’s final touchdown was Kimbrough’s 12-yard keeper that capped a 10-play, 80-yard drive and ate five minutes of fourth-quarter clock.
For Oak Mountain, Myricks finished with 27 yards on seven carries and four catches for 73 yards and a touchdown. Fitzgerald brought in four passes for 173 yards and a score. Moore had three grabs for 32 yards and a touchdown, and Boston Brewer caught three passes for 55 yards.
“Last week [at Hewitt-Trussville] we didn’t even get off the bus,” McComb said. “We weren’t ready to play at all. We didn’t want to play. This week we came out and we wanted to play. We just didn’t execute. We played hard on defense but we didn’t execute on defense at all up front.”
The 2024 season is now over for Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa. Oak Mountain will complete its season next week in a non-region game against rival Chelsea at Heardmont Park.
“I don’t care if you’re 0-9 or 3-6 like us at the moment, if you can’t get fired up to go play your crosstown rival at home and finish the season to send the seniors off the right way and also to create momentum to go into our next offseason and make another big jump to Year 3 – obviously we were a much better football team than we were last year – if we make that same kind of jump for Year 3 we’re going to be right in the mix,” McComb said. “It’s important for us next week to finish the season and get us some momentum for our offseason.”
Hornets shut out in region finale
Chelsea High School suffered a 34-0 loss at Benjamin Russell on Friday night in the Class 6A, Region 5 finale.
Benjamin Russell running back T.J. Wilson ran for 136 yards to lead the way for the home team, while receiver Cederian Morgan had 101 receiving yards and two touchdowns, plus a rushing touchdown.
Chase Stracener led the Hornets offense, breaking long runs of 45 and 35 yards, but was otherwise stymied.
“Offense did not play very good at all,” Chelsea head coach Todd Cassity said. “Probably the worst offensive performance we’ve had all year. We had some health issues, sickness issues throughout the week. I don't know if that bothered us or what, but we can’t make an excuse.”
With the loss, Chelsea dropped to the No. 4 seed in the region, meaning the Hornets will travel to Saraland for the first round of the state playoffs Nov. 8.
Chelsea will travel to county rival Oak Mountain next week to wrap up the regular season.
“We’ve got at least two more, we’re going to play like we’re ready to play three, four, five more,” Cassity said. “This won’t be any problem for these guys to get up for that last one, which is Oak Mountain. We got to lick our wounds; we got beat up a little bit tonight, just get ready for next week.”
Samuel Higgs contributed to this report.
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