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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Hoover quarterback Bennett Meredith (3) passes the ball to Hoover running back Ahamari Williams (1) in a game against Oak Mountain at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Hoover safety Jay Avery (3) reaches out in an attempt to intercept a pass intended for Oak Mountain wide receiver Cade George (10) in a game at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Hoover defensive lineman Corey Warren (16) moves in on coverage of Oak Mountain quarterback Evan Smith (9) in a game between Oak Mountain and Hoover at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Hoover quarterback Bennett Meredith (3) throws a pass as Oak Mountain linebacker Mattox Vines (57) moves in on the tackle in a game at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Hoover quarterback Bennett Meredith (3) makes the handoff to Hoover running back Kamal Amerson (26) in a game against Oak Mountain at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Hoover running back Kamal Amerson (26) is brought down on the carry by Oak Mountain linebacker Carter Lehman (22) in a game between Oak Mountain and Hoover at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain running back CJ Branson (1) is brought down by Hoover outside linebacker DJ Estes (5) in a game between Oak Mountain and Hoover at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Hoover kicker Peyton Argent (37) punts the ball in a game between Oak Mountain and Hoover at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain quarterback Evan Smith (9) runs the ball as Hoover defensive lineman Markus Clark (9) moves in on the block in a game between Oak Mountain and Hoover at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain quarterback Evan Smith (9) holds out the ball for the handoff to Oak Mountain running back CJ Branson (1) in a game between Oak Mountain and Hoover at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain quarterback Evan Smith (9) throws a pass as Hoover linebacker Terrell Jones (7) moves in on coverage in a game between Oak Mountain and Hoover at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Hoover running back Kamal Amerson (26) runs the ball towards the end zone to score for the Bucs in a game against Oak Mountain at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain quarterback Evan Smith (9) catches the snap in a game between Oak Mountain and Hoover at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
The Hoover Bucs celebrate following a touchdown in a game between Oak Mountain and Hoover at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain quarterback Evan Smith (9) runs the ball towards the corner of the end zone to score a touchdown in a game against Hoover at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Hoover running back Ahamari Williams (1) is brought down by the Oak Mountain defense in a game at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Hoover cornerback Jacob Finley (17) covers Oak Mountain wide receiver Cade George (10) in a game between Oak Mountain and Hoover at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain quarterback Evan Smith (9) runs the ball as Hoover linebacker Terrell Jones (7) moves in on coverage in a game between Oak Mountain and Hoover at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain running back CJ Branson (1) is tackled by Hoover defensive lineman Corey Warren (16) in a game between Oak Mountain and Hoover at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain quarterback Evan Smith (9) throws a pass in a game between Oak Mountain and Hoover at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain athlete Garrett Murphy (16) punts the ball in a game between Oak Mountain and Hoover at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain athlete Garrett Murphy (16) kicks the extra point following a touchdown in a game against Hoover at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain defensive back Corbit Grundhoefer (3) secures the ball as Hoover safety Dallas Beck (28) moves in on coverage in a game at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain running back Trey Vassell (5) carries the ball as Hoover defensive lineman Corey Warren (16) moves in to block the run in a game at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Hoover quarterback Bennett Meredith (3) steps back to throw a pass in a game against Oak Mountain at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Hoover kicker Peyton Argent (37) punts the ball in a game between Oak Mountain and Hoover at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Hoover running back Ahamari Williams (1) runs the ball as Oak Mountain linebacker Jah’ki Mullens (6) and other members of the Eagles’ defense move to make the stop in a game at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Hoover running back Ahamari Williams (1) runs the ball in a game against Oak Mountain at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain athlete Evan Smith (9) attempts a pass in a game against Hoover at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Hoover defensive lineman Corey Warren (16) moves in on coverage of Oak Mountain quarterback Evan Smith (9) in a game between Oak Mountain and Hoover at Heardmont Park on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
HOOVER -- Evan Smith had another special game for Oak Mountain High School, but the power run game of Hoover and Ahamari Williams was too much at the end, as the Buccaneers held on for a 28-21 win in a battle of unbeatens at Heardmont Park.
Smith scored three touchdowns, scoring on runs of 3, 42 and 11 yards as the Class 7A No. 9 Eagles (4-1, 2-1 in Region 3) rallied from down 21 early in the second quarter, but Hoover linebackers Terrell Jones and Bradley Shaw fell on a fumble by the Eagles’ C.J. Branson around midfield with six minutes left and the Bucs (5-0, 3-0) were able to run out the clock, highlighted by a fourth down conversion by Williams.
Williams finished with 112 yards on 24 carries to lift No. 2 Hoover.
“He’s a physical player,” Hoover head coach Josh Niblett siad. “He’s tough to tackle and he’s really good after contact. He does a really good job hanging onto the football and doing the little things right.”
Hoover quarterback Bennett Meredith accounted for two rushing touchdowns and threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Woolen in the first half to build the 21-0 lead.
Smith scored on his 3-yarder late in the first half and a special teams mistake meant the Eagles had to start the third quarter at their 1-yard line, but they went 99 yards, punctuated by the 42-yard run by Smith, to cut the Bucs’ lead to 21-14.
But Oak Mountain was called for unsportsmanlike conduct, too much celebrating, on the touchdown, and had to kick off from its 20. Hoover went up 28-14 on just two plays, scoring on a 23-yard run by Kamal Amerson.
Smith scored on an 11-yard run early in the fourth quarter and the Eagles held Hoover to three and out to get the ball back, but lost it on the fumble and didn’t have another chance as they had used all three timeouts earlier in the half.
“He was running and the ball just coughed up and it just flew,” Jones said. “It was getting kicked around. I put hands on it and Bradley put hands on it and we covered it up.”
Smith rushed for 105 yards on 18 carries. He completed just 8 of 30 passes, but those went for 153 yards. Some nice passes were dropped, and Hoover defenders got plenty of pressure on him.
“Evan played his guts out,” Oak Mountain head coach Tyler Crane said. “So did (two-way player and kicker) Garrett Murphy.”
Hoover has now won all 20 games it has played against Oak Mountain, the last five coming against Smith. The wins certainly have not gotten easier.
“The guy they’ve got at quarterback, he’s a baller,” Josh Niblett said. “He’s a baller. That guy, it felt like we’ve been going up against him for five or six years. He’s a special player and he’s had a special career but when we needed to make a play, we were able to make a play.”
Crane and the Eagles will regret missed opportunities. Hoover’s second touchdown was set up when Keith Christein blocked a punt and the Bucs recovered at the 1.
“Shooting ourselves in the foot and mental mistakes,” Crane said. “We said nobody could beat us but we beat ourselves. Hey, hats off to Hoover. They played a really good game and played a clean game and didn’t make many mistakes. We did and that’s the seven points that beat us.”
Meredith finished with 105 yards passing. He did throw an interception to Oak Mountain’s Devan Moss.
Hoover steps out of region play for a tilt at Prattville next week. Oak Mountain is off until Oct. 1, when the Eagles play at Spain Park.
