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Photo by Todd Lester
Hoover defensive back Keith Christein (2) and Hoover defensive back Jay Avery (3) combine to tackle Oak Mountain wide receiver Sawyer Smith (23) during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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An Oak Mountain band member performs during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Oak Mountain linebacker Cole Kelly (33) returns an interception during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Hoover quarterback Brewer Smith (16) tackles Oak Mountain linebacker Cole Kelly (33) after an interception during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Oak Mountain defensive back Bobby Laury (24) looks to tackle Hoover wide receiver Jordan Woolen (6) during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Hoover running back LaMarion McCammon (3) tries to evade Oak Mountain linebacker Cole Kelly (33) during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Oak Mountain linebacker Garrett Murphy (16) intercepts a pass during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Oak Mountain defensive back Devan Moss (8) returns a kickoff during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Oak Mountain quarterback Will O'Dell (18) passes to Oak Mountain defensive back Devan Moss (8) during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Oak Mountain linebacker Garrett Murphy (16) intercepts a pass during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Oak Mountain linebacker Garrett Murphy (16) returns an interception during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Oak Mountain running back Trey Vassell (5) runs the football during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Oak Mountain defensive back Bobby Laury (24) defends a pass to Hoover wide receiver Jordan Woolen (6) during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Oak Mountain wide receiver D.J. Stone (6) catches a pass during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Oak Mountain wide receiver Sawyer Smith (23) attempts a catch while surrounded by Hoover defenders during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Hoover defensive back Keith Christein (2) and Hoover defensive back Jay Avery (3) combine to tackle Oak Mountain wide receiver Sawyer Smith (23) during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Hoover defensive back Jay Avery (3) and Hoover defensive lineman Michael Nixon (43) look to tackle Oak Mountain wide receiver Sawyer Smith (23) during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Oak Mountain quarterback Will O'Dell (18) attempts a pass during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Hoover quarterback Jonah Winston (14) sheds of the tackle of Oak Mountain linebacker Cole Kelly (33) to score a touchdwon during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Hoover defensive back DJ Estes (5) looks to tackle Oak Mountain wide receiver D.J. Stone (6) during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Oak Mountain defensive back Robert Yoder (44) tackles Hoover wide receiver KJ Law (4) during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Oak Mountain linebacker Jacob Porco (3) and Oak Mountain defensive back Robert Yoder (44) combine to tackle Hoover running back LaMarion McCammon (3) during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Hoover defensive lineman Jordan Norman (4) sacks Oak Mountain quarterback Will O'Dell (18) during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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Oak Mountain defensive back Devan Moss (8) defends a pass during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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An Oak Mountain band member performs at halftime during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
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An Oak Mountain band member performs at halftime during a game between Hoover and Oak Mountain on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham. Photo by Todd Lester
BIRMINGHAM -- KJ Law and Brody Stacey had been waiting for their big moments this season. Both delivered in Class 7A No. 4 Hoover High School’s 40-0 win over Oak Mountain at Heardmont Park on Friday night.
Law, a major player in the Bucs’ offense, scored his first three touchdowns of the season. Stacey, a junior quarterback, was pressed into action when starter Brewer Smith suffered a second-quarter shoulder injury.
Law scored the Bucs’ first three touchdowns. He scored on a 17-yard reverse in the second quarter and, on Stacey’s second play after Smith’s injury, caught a ball across the middle and took it 56 yards for a score. Law finished with 88 rushing and 82 receiving yards.
In the third quarter, Law went around right end and scored from 71 yards out.
"We’ve been waiting all year for KJ and KJ’s been waiting all year for that,” Hoover head coach Wade Waldrop said. "Nobody deserves that more than him because he’s also a kid that, every day, is a leader by example and works hard.”
Stacey finished 10-of-22 for 197 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. His second touchdown went for 53 yards to Freddie Dunson. He had not played much this season except for a couple of drives late in a blowout win over Bartlett (Tenn.) in the second game.
"We’ve just got to be ready,” Stacey said. "That’s why we practice. We’ve got to be ready to go in and make the best of it. I was just ready because of the position my coaches put me in.”
Waldrop said they would know more in a couple of days about the severity of Smith’s shoulder injury.
“He threw some big balls and made some big completions and did a good job of leading our offense,” Waldrop said. "That kid shows up every day and works so hard. So proud of him. He’s a program kid and does everything he’s asked to do."
The Bucs (6-1, 4-0 in Class 7A, Region 3) also held out star running back Ahamari Williams with a foot injury suffered last week against Mountain Brook. Waldrop said he hopes to have Williams back sooner than later.
"Every team has done a good job of getting extra hats in the box and forcing us to throw the ball a little more these past couple of weeks, and I think we made them pay the price tonight,” Waldrop said.
Hoover got field goals of 40 and 27 yards from Peyton Argent, and a late touchdown of 34 yards from Noah Shubach to Jonah Winston.
Garrett Murphy intercepted both passes for Oak Mountain (2-5, 0-4), losers of four straight now, but neither led to points. He returned the first one for a touchdown that would have cut the score to 14-7, but an illegal block was called. He intercepted a third-quarter pass, but fumbled it right back to the Bucs on the return.
"I don’t really think it was a block in the back,” Oak Mountain head coach Tyler Crane said. "He hit him right in the face. Those kind of plays hurt when you get two picks and don’t get anything out of it. We’ll continue to work, continue to get better and keep rolling.”
The Hoover defense got four interceptions off Oak Mountain quarterback Will O’Dell, two from Jay Avery.
Hoover will face Tuscaloosa County at home next Friday, and Oak Mountain travels to Thompson on Thursday.
