Three scoop and scores propel Hoover to win over Oak Mountain
Published 11:07 pm Friday, October 3, 2025
The Oak Mountain Eagles surrender three sack fumbles for touchdowns in a 48-21 loss to the Hoover Buccaneers on Friday, Oct. 3, dropping to 3-3 on the season to begin the month of October. (For the Reporter/Barry Clemmons)
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By TYLER RALEY | Staff Writer
NORTH SHELBY – On a night of football at Heardmont Park where a win was crucial for two football teams, one element became a clear differing factor as the Oak Mountain Eagles took on the Hoover Buccaneers on Friday, Oct. 3.
After winning the toss and electing to receive the opening kick, Hoover was forced to punt after the Oak Mountain defense put an end to its drive.
The punt was downed on the Eagles 5-yard line, and as their quarterback Charlie Vacarella took his first snap of the night, he kept the ball to run to the left side before being tackled by Jovon Pulliam in the backfield.
Even worse though, the ball was picked up by Bucs linebacker Trey Sanders, who ran it into the end zone for an early Hoover touchdown, making the score 7-0.
The Buccaneers recorded three scoop and scores tonight, ones that propelled them to a dominant win over Oak Mountain 48-21 in front of a packed house.
The Eagles got the ball back from that disaster with the hopes of moving the ball down the field, and after making some progress, gave up a sack and threw an incomplete pass before giving the ball back to Hoover.
The Bucs then went to work again, and with big throws from quarterback Kaleb Freeman to Hunter Purdue and Jeremiah Tabb, they got the ball into the red zone where JR Mosley ran the ball up the middle from the 2-yard line to make the score 14-0 with 2:31 left in the first.
Unfortunately for Oak Mountain though, that blow was about to get worse, as on the ensuing possession, Vacarella got sacked again and fumbled. The loose ball was picked up by Joe Johnson, who again ran the ball to pay dirt, quickly making things 21-0 still in the first quarter of play.
The Eagles offense did not stop fighting though as they held the ball into the beginning stages of the second quarter.
Vacarella moved the ball down the field, and with the help of some Hoover penalties, got into the red zone. That was when the Bucs defense sent things to a crucial fourth down from the 8-yard line, ready to pounce. Vacarella sent a message though, throwing ball up to the back of the end zone where Patton Knight caught the ball for a touchdown, making it 21-7.
Oak Mountain sensed blood in the water and took advantage, gaining defensive pressure and forcing Hoover into two more punts.
As the clock ticked down, the Eagles got the ball back and put themselves in scoring position with just less than a minute to go in the first half. After two near touchdown passes were called incomplete, Vacarella took things into his own hands and scrambled to the end zone with 22 second left, making it 21-14 before the half.
An interception from Jayden Aparicio-Bailey on a deep ball from Freeman ended the half, before a scuffle broke out that sent the Bucs’ Tabb out for the game via an ejection for throwing a punch.
As Oak Mountain came out of the half, it got the ball to start the third quarter with a chance to make noise. However, nothing came of it.
In fact, punts were traded back and forth for most of the third quarter. That was until Hoover got the ball and saw two big runs from Mosley set the offense up close to the end zone, a place Freeman reached a few plays later on a 7-yard read option play to make the score 28-14.
A punt from the Eagles on the next drive gave the ball back to the Bucs, who took things deep down the field quickly before the fourth quarter commenced, and on the first play of the final period, CJ Cowley ran the ball up the middle for a score to extend the lead to 34-14.
The situation worsened when Vacarella was sacked once again on the next drive, fumbling to Justyn Hartley, who took it 30 yards back to the house to make the score 41-14 and putting the nail in the coffin on the night.
Each team added one more score with Oak Mountain getting a rushing touchdown from Marty Myricks and Hoover getting one from Jonah Winston, putting the score where it ended at 48-21.
Eagles head coach Shane McComb touched on the fact there was some positive fight in the second quarter heading into the half, but it did not cover up the struggles on the offensive line and with the fumbles.
“I’m happy how we fought back in that first half, we didn’t lay down, but you’re not going to win a game when you give up three sack fumbles for touchdowns,” McComb said. “That’s a winnable football game for us and you’re not going to win when you give up three sack fumbles for touchdowns, that’s ridiculous.”
For the Oak Mountain defense, it was a night that saw a lot of positives from a pressure standpoint, especially with the forced interception at the end of the half from Aparicio-Bailey.
McComb emphasized that while it was momentous in numerous ways for the defense, it was all taken away by the turnovers on the other side. Despite that, he was proud of the way they did not waver.
“It’s not easy when you’re watching sack, fumble, touchdown, sack fumble, touchdown and continuing to go out there and play well, but they did,” McComb said. “They played well to finish that first half—a great turnover at the end, got the energy going. We come out we give up a sack fumble for a touchdown again. It just takes the winds right out. All the energy we had got taken out when they get another scoop and score.”
Overall, Vacarella was 16-for-25 through the air for 137 yards with the one passing touchdown to Knight. He also attacked on the ground, rushing 10 times for 60 yards and one trip to pay dirt. Myricks also posted a solid night on the ground with 15 carries for 99 yards and his lone touchdown late.
Now for the Eagles, a 3-3 record and 1-3 region record sits on their resume with a road test ahead next Thursday at Vestavia Hills on Oct. 9, a must-win game if they want to keep any chances at the playoffs alive.
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