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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain defensive back Jayden Aparicio (24) tackles Pelham wide receiver Cortez Tolbert (2) in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain defensive lineman Daveon Johnson (95) moves in to tackle Pelham quarterback Clayton Mains (15) in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain running back Le’Kamren Meadows (6) runs the ball guarded by Pelham linebacker William Felton (14) in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
The Oak Mountain student section cheers for the Eagles following a touchdown at the end of the first half of a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain running back Marty Myricks (1) runs the ball in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
The Oak Mountain marching band performs the halftime show from the stands in the rain during a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
The Oak Mountain marching band performs the halftime show from the stands in the rain during a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain running back Marty Myricks (1) carries the ball in a game against Pelham at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain tight end Jackson Blackwell (85) breaks away from a tackle by Pelham defensive back Kesean Griffin (9) in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain linebacker Jacob Porco (3) moves in to tackle Pelham quarterback Clayton Mains (15) in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain quarterback Will O’Dell (18) passes the ball to Marty Myricks (1) in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain quarterback Will O’Dell (18) catches the snap in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain tight end Jackson Blackwell (85) is pushed out of bounds by Pelham linebacker William Felton (14) after catching a pass in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain quarterback Will O’Dell (18) carries the ball guarded by Pelham defensive back Kameron May (26) in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain quarterback Will O’Dell (18) runs through a tackle to score for the Eagles in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain defensive back Sean Ray (12) catches a punt as a face mask is called on Pelham defensive back Javian Gee (27) in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain kicker James Whatley (16) kicks the extra point in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain defensive lineman Daveon Johnson (95) blocks Pelham offensive lineman Cash Tatum (54) in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
The Oak Mountain student section cheers in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain defensive back Drowdy Hackbarth (17) and Oak Mountain defensive back Robert Yoder (10) combine to tackle Pelham wide receiver Jacob Gibbs (6) in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain quarterback Will O’Dell (18) passes the ball downfield in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain defensive back Drowdy Hackbarth (17) and Oak Mountain linebacker Jacob Porco (3) block the Pelham ball carrier on the run in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain head coach Shane McComb talks with the defense during a timeout in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain tight end Jackson Blackwell (85) catches a pass in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain quarterback Will O’Dell (18) rusn the ball up the middle in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain running back Marty Myricks (1) is brought down by the Pelham defense in a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
The Eagles take the field at the start of a game at Pelham High Shool’s Bobby Haynes Field on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
PELHAM – The rivalry game between the Panthers and Eagles came down to the last play, but Oak Mountain High School would not come away from Ned Bearden Stadium with its fifth straight win over Pelham. In a back-and-forth game on a wet field, Pelham knocked off Oak Mountain 24-21.
The game was knotted up 14-14 at halftime, with both teams trading off rushing touchdowns. Pelham’s Clayton Mains, a shifty dual-threat senior quarterback, struck first with an 8-yard scramble in which he broke numerous Oak Mountain defenders.
Mains would strike again before halftime with a 75-yard designed quarterback keeper on a third-and-long. Mains finished with 150 rushing yards and 55 passing yards.
The Oak Mountain offense largely relied on junior quarterback Will O’Dell, who led the team in rushing attempts with 11. He also finished 19-of-32 through the air for 140 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. O’Dell’s 11-yard passing touchdown went to senior Jackson Blackwell, a tight end who outmuscled the coverage to end a third-quarter drive.
“Were they as focused as they should have been?” Oak Mountain coach Shane McComb pondered after the game. “Hat’s off to Pelham, not to take anything away from them, they played hard and are a great football team, but I don’t think we executed very well tonight. I don’t think we played a very good football game.”
O’Dell rushed for 58 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown run, the Eagles’ first score with 9:36 to go in the first half. Marty Myricks rushed for 37 yards the play before, which would end up being Oak Mountain’s longest play of the game. Myricks finished with 56 yards on the ground and led the team with 5 catches for 49 yards.
Pelham relied heavily on its ground game, as Mains attempted just 12 passes in the game, completing five with one interception. Running back Michael Grayson had 19 rushes for 105 yards for the Panthers. Bishop Rellah, a two-way player, turned in the last score of the game, a 4-yard rush with 7:03 left in the contest.
Both kickers, Jake Garner for Pelham and James Whatley for Oak Mountain, were 3-for-3 on PATs. Garner added a 37-yard field goal in the third quarter.
“At the end of the day, they’re going to have to pick their head up tomorrow and get ready for a league opponent,” McComb said. “It’s a long season.”
Oak Mountain begins Class 7A, Region 3 play next week when it welcomes Hewitt-Trussville to Heardmont Park. Pelham has an open date next week before starting region play against Briarwood on Sept. 15.
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