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The Oak Mountain Eagles couldn't overcome a deep hole early against Hewitt-Trussville, eventually losing 51-21. (For the Reporter/Neal Wagner)

By CHRIS MEGGINSON | Special to the Reporter

TRUSSVILLE – Playing for the No. 3 seed from Class 7A, Region 3, Oak Mountain fell into a 27-0 hole Friday night en route to a 51-21 loss at Hewitt-Trussville.

Evan Smith put the Eagles on the board on a 2-yard touchdown run with 2:33 to play in the first half. Sean Jackson quickly answered on a 57-yard touchdown run, followed by an Ethan Wilson PAT, to give the Huskies a 34-7 halftime lead.

“When you’re down 34-7 against a ball club like that, it’s a tough mountain to climb,” said OMHS head coach Cris Bell. “We got beat up on both sides of the ball up front. We’ve got out physicaled with the style of ball we play.”

HTHS quarterback Cade Carruth picked apart the Oak Mountain secondary, completing 13-of-15 passes for 232 yards and four touchdowns. A 17-yard touchdown pass put the Huskies on the board in the first 1:12 of action. Armoni Goodwin added a 28-yard touchdown midway in the quarter, before Carruth connected with Carter Hollis for a 15-yard touchdown in the final minute of the quarter.

In the second quarter, Oak Mountain worked its way inside the Huskies’ 5, but a fumble gave the ball back to the Huskies, helping set up a quick drive and 34-yard touchdown pass from Carruth to Cayson Zackery for the 27-0 lead.

Smith scored on runs of 17 and 1 yard in the third quarter for the Eagles in the third quarter, but Oak Mountain could not get the stops they needed for a second half rally. Sandwiched between the Smith touchdowns was another Carruth to Zackery touchdown pass of 35 yards.

Hewitt added a 16-yard touchdown by Goodwin and a 40-yard field goal by Ethan Wilson in the fourth quarter.

Oak Mountain averaged 5.8 yards per play in the game, but Hewitt collected 420 yards on 44 plays.

Smith led the Eagles with 149 yards on 15 carries, followed by Judah Tait’s 110 yards on 20 carries. The Eagles’ passing game was shut down though, as Smith went 0-for-6 with an interception. Titus Tucker threw the Eagles’ only completion of the night, a 15-yard pass to Warner Perry.

Oak Mountain (6-3, 4-3 Region 3) will travel to Class 6A, Region 6 champion Clay-Chalkville (8-1) on Friday, Oct. 30 for the regular season finale. As the fourth seed in the Class 7A playoffs, the Eagles will meet Region 4 champion Austin High School in the first round Nov. 6.

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