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Photo by Erin Nelson
Tuscaloosa County running back Kevin Riley (6) moves through the Oak Mountain offense to score the game winning touchdown against the Eagles at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Oak Mountain wide receiver Sawyer Smith (23) takes the ball to the end zone in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Oak Mountain linebacker Garrett Murphy (16) moves in on coverage as Tuscaloosa County wide receiver Dre Brown (0) carries the ball in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Oak Mountain head coach Tyler Crane talks to the offense following a touchdown in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Oak Mountain linebacker Garrett Murphy (16) tackles Tuscaloosa County running back Kevin Riley (6) in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Oak Mountain running back Trey Vassell (5) runs the ball as he’s tackled by Tuscaloosa County linebacker Clayton Allen (2) in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Oak Mountain running back Davion Foster (2) returns the kickoff in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Oak Mountain defensive back Devan Moss (8) blocks Tuscaloosa County quarterback Sawyer Deerman (5) on the run in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
The Oak Mountain Spirit of Cahaba marching band performs during halftime as the Eagles face Tuscaloosa County in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Oak Mountain quarterback Will O’Dell (18) passes the ball in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Oak Mountain running back Trey Vassell (5) runs through a tackle attempt by Tuscaloosa County wide receiver Roman Wright (16) in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
The Oak Mountain sideline reacts as Tuscaloosa County scores in the final seconds of the game to claim victory over the Eagles at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
The Oak Mountain Spirit of Cahaba marching band performs during halftime as the Eagles face Tuscaloosa County in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
The Oak Mountain Spirit of Cahaba marching band performs during halftime as the Eagles face Tuscaloosa County in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
The Oak Mountain cheerleaders rally behind the Eagles in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Oak Mountain linebacker Colton Moore (48) intercepts a pass intended for Tuscaloosa County wide receiver Coleman Cooper (13) in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. 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 Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Oak Mountain wide receiver D.J. Stone (6) catches a pass as Tuscaloosa County defensive back Landon Smith (22) moves in on coverage in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Oak Mountain running back Trey Vassell (5) carries the ball as he’s brought down by the Tuscaloosa County defense in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Oak Mountain quarterback Will O’Dell (18) passes the ball in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Oak Mountain defensive back Devan Moss (8) and Oak Mountain defensive back Robert Yoder (44) move in on coverage as Tuscaloosa County wide receiver Dre Brown (0) catches a pass in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Oak Mountain running back Davion Foster (2) blocks Tuscaloosa County wide receiver Coleman Cooper (13) in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Oak Mountain linebacker Garrett Murphy (16) blocks Tuscaloosa County running back Kevin Riley (6) on the run in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Oak Mountain quarterback Will O’Dell (18) scores for the Eagles in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Oak Mountain linebacker/kicker Garrett Murphy (16) kicks the extra point in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Oak Mountain defensive back Devan Moss (8) runs through a tackle attempt by the Tuscaloosa County defense in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 34-31. Photo by Erin Nelson.
NORTHPORT — Heartbreaking was the only way Oak Mountain High School could describe it.
After leading Tuscaloosa County for most of the game, the Eagles held a slim 31-28 lead in a key Class 7A, Region 3 contest Friday night.
But Tuscaloosa County made its way down the field, setting up a fourth and goal from the 1-yard line with just seconds remaining. An offsides penalty by the Eagles defense moved the Wildcats to the 1-foot line, setting up an easy game-winning touchdown carry by feature back Kevin Riley to give the Wildcats the 34-31 victory and drop Oak Mountain to 2-3 overall, 0-3 in region.
“Both teams played really hard,” Oak Mountain head coach Tyler Crane said. “They made the plays when they needed to.”
Oak Mountain took a 31-20 lead with 11:07 remaining in regulation on a 20-yard touchdown reception by Jackson Blackwell, but Tuscaloosa County scored two unanswered touchdowns afterward, one on a 1-yard rush by Riley at the 8:13 mark in the fourth — after which the Wildcats made the two-point conversion to cut the Oak Mountain lead to 31-28 — and the second on Riley’s game winner at the end of regulation.
County scored on the second play of the game when the Riley ran it in from 83 yards out. The extra point failed, giving the Wildcats a 6-0 lead with 11:12 go in the first quarter.
Oak Mountain got on the scoreboard at the 6:48 mark in the first on a Garrett Murphy 42-yard field goal to cut the Wildcats’ lead to 6-3. The Eagles’ defense then forced a three-and-out on Tuscaloosa County’s next possession, and Oak Mountain jumped ahead 10-6 on an 11-yard touchdown carry by quarterback Will O’Dell with 3:04 left in the frame.
The Eagles got a stop on defense again at the end of the first quarter, and a long punt return gave Oak Mountain good field position to enter the second. With 9:47 remaining, O’Dell scored his second touchdown on a 1-yard quarterback keeper, and Murphy’s PAT put the Eagles up 17-6.
The Wildcats hit several lengthy passes on a late second-quarter drive, but Oak Mountain kept County from reaching the end zone as time expired, and the Eagles maintained a 17-6 advantage at halftime.
Riley scored his second touchdown with 8:51 left in the third quarter on a 5-yard carry, but Oak Mountain responded when O’Dell found Sawyer Smith for a 62-yard touchdown pass to put the Eagles ahead 24-13 with 7:59 left in the third.
Tuscaloosa County quarterback Sawyer Deerman had a 30-yard touchdown run with 2:07 left in the third to make it 24-20 Oak Mountain heading into the fourth.
The Eagles finished with 216 rushing yards, 164 of them coming courtesy of Trey Vassell, who finished with 30 rushes. O’Dell went 8-for-13 passing for 124 yards and two touchdowns.
The Wildcats improved to 4-1 overall, 2-1 in region play. Tuscaloosa County takes its open date next week, while Oak Mountain hosts Briarwood in a non-region contest.
