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Todd Lester
Spain Park WR Cooper Kelley (10) fights off defenders during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park WR Jaylen Ward (1) runs after a chatch during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park RB Justin Pegues (5) tosses the football on a lateral during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park QB Bennett Meredith (3) attempts a pass during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park RB Justin Pegues (5) runs the football during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park WR Cooper Kelley (10) makes a touchdown catch during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park WR David Moultry (2) looks to elude Oak Mountain LB Mattox Vines (59) during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park QB Kerec Hill (19) runs the football during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park DB Braden Brock (31) and Spain Park LB TJ Metcalf (18) tackle Oak Mountain WR Noah Young (2) during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park DB Jack Kendrick (12) tackles Oak Mountain RB Cade George (10) during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park WR David Moultry (2) makes a sideline catch during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park WR Cooper Kelley (10) breaks along run during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park WR Cooper Kelley (10) fights off a devenderduring a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park QB Kerec Hill (19) catches a pass over Oak Mountain DB Zach Taylor (24) during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park RB Zamir Farris (28) returns a kickoff during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain DB Zach Taylor (24) breaks up a pass during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain RB Mark Johnson (4) scores a touchdown during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park RB Justin Pegues (5) runs to the pylon during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park WR David Moultry (2) makes the catch but can't get his fee t inbounds a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park LB Ethan Gutowski (27) looks to prevent Oak Mountain RB Judah Tait (33) during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain WR Noah Young (2) catches a touchdown pass Vs D31\during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
A Spain Park coach congratulates RB Justin Pegues (5) after scoring a touchdown during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park RB RB Justin Pegues (5) rounds the corner during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park QB Kerec Hill (19) during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Oak Mountain DB Chase Schwender (43) attempts to tackle Spain Park RB Justin Pegues (5O) \during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Spain Park RB Zamir Farris (28) fights off Oak Mountain DB Jimmy Harris (13) during a game between Spain Park and Oak Mountain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
BIRMINGHAM — The Eagles took it to the limit.
The Oak Mountain High School football team blasted Spain Park 48-17 in a key Class 7A, Region 3 game at Heardmont Park, a victory that sets up the Eagles well for a playoff berth.
“We’re feeling pretty good right now,” said Oak Mountain head coach Cris Bell. “That was a good one.”
Oak Mountain quarterback Evan Smith threw two touchdown passes, caught a touchdown and rushed for another.
“Evan is just slippery,” Bell said. “Evan goes from standing still to full speed in a blink. And that’s ... Evan’s fast.”
Oak Mountain (5-1, 3-1 in region) scored touchdowns on all four of its first-half drives. Judah Tait scored from 3 yards out, Smith passed to Mark Johnson for a 28-yard score, Johnson found the end zone on a 12-yard rush and quarterback Titus Tucker connected with Smith on a 42-yard bomb. The Eagles led 27-10 at the half.
“Titus put it right on the money and Evan ran under it,” Bell said of the final Oak Mountain touchdown of the first half.
Spain Park (2-4, 0-4) got a 19-yard field goal from Drake Tabor and a 17-yard touchdown from quarterback Bennett Meredith to Cooper Kelley in the first half.
Oak Mountain kept its foot on the gas pedal in the third quarter, scoring on its first three drives. Tait bolted up the middle for a 51-yard touchdown, Smith scored from 9 yards out and Noah Young hauled in a 26-yard pass from Smith to go up 48-10. Spain Park scored late in the third quarter on a 1-yard run by Justin Pegues.
Smith finished 5-of-8 for 68 yards and two touchdowns through the air. He caught the 42-yard TD and rushed nine times for 100 yards and a score. Tait gained 140 yards on 15 carries to lead the Eagles. Young led the receivers with four catches for 46 yards.
For Spain Park, Meredith completed 26-of-40 passes for 354 yards and a touchdown. Kelley has 114 yards on five receptions. Pegues also caught five passes for 94 yards. Spain Park managed just 49 rushing yards in the game.
This is the first time since 2014 that Oak Mountain has started 5-1. That team finished 10-2 with a second-round playoff appearance.
“We can’t become complacent,” Bell said. “I thought we did a great job up front on both sides of the ball.”
Spain Park travels to Hoover next week, while Oak Mountain hits the road for Tuscaloosa County.
Click here to view and purchase photos from the game.
