Eagles Shutout Tigers in Home Opener
Oak Mountain began their 2007 campaign with revenge on their minds and the state playoffs in their sights. The first obstacle in their way, the Fairfield Tigers, posed as a formidable opponent, but the Eagles defense out lasted a very athletic bunch to a final score of 10-0. Over the last few seasons, Oak Mountain has had one of the most vaunted defenses in the region 6 and this year seems to be no different. Holding the Tigers to only 88 yards of total offense, they made it difficult for Fairfield to get anything going all night. Countering the stout defensive play was the Eagles’ running game on offense producing a whopping 239 yards, with first-time starter QB Drew McKnight accounting for 153 of it on his own.
Oak Mountain received the ball to open the season, and their first drive did not go as planned. After a big first down run by junior QB McKnight, his first high school pass attempt was completed, but to Fairfield instead. The Eagles defense, with their backs to the wall came out with a vengeance to amend for last years defeat. After a loss of three on their first play from scrimmage, the Tigers threw three straight incompletions to put the Eagles offense back on the field. McKnight and Co. would not put to waste what the defense gave them, marching the ball 70 yards on 13 plays, the majority of it on the legs of McKnight, and RB’s Eric McKelvy, and Ross Ware. McKnight did however go 2-2 on the drive, hitting senior wide-outs Michael Connell and Michael Nordyke. The drive stalled at the 6 yard line, however, and resulted in a 22 yard FG by all-county kicker Ben Phillips. The 3-0 lead would hold for the remainder of the quarter.
The second quarter began with Oak Mountain’s defense again forced inside the red-zone after a huge kickoff return to the 25. But again the defense rose to the occasion, senior DE Donald Gwarjanski made a huge tackle for loss forcing Fairfield to throw into the endzone to keep the drive alive. After two incompletions by Fairfield’s talent QB Jarius McFarland, the Tigers were forced to hand over the ball on downs for the first of five times. After another long drive by the Eagles offense ending also in a 3 and out, the defense were given some breathing room, forcing three and outs and holding up the 3-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The second half began with Fairfield taking over on offense and it was more of the same from the staunch front seven, forcing the Tigers to punt and win over great field position for the offense. A huge 29 yard scamper by Drew McKnight again put kicker Ben Phillips inside his range, however this time the 37 yard attempt in the rain was no good. Taking over at the 20, Fairfield again went three and out and this time the Eagles capitalized on the good field position going 42 yards on 8 plays, all on the ground, capped off by a 3 yard run by Eric McKelvy. The 10-0 lead would be all the Eagles offense would need to seal the victory.
The only scare in the closing quarter faced by the Eagles defense was the 54 yard return off of Punter Peter Boehme’s 30 yard punt from midfield, putting the Tigers at Oak Mountain’s 26 yard line. But the Tigers would not move a yard closer and again turned the ball over on downs. The offense came back onto the field and never had to leave as the drive ended in the victory formation and QB Drew McKnight on a knee.
Fairfield presented a great test for Oak Mountain as it moves into the meat of their schedule, and region play in the coming weeks. Starting the season with a win should give the team confidence heading into practice in preparation for next week’s game against the always tough Vestavia Hills Rebels. Oak Mountain will be at home for the next two weeks before heading to Minor continuing in region play. Friday night’s shut out marks their first since defeating Homewood 21-0 on September 15th last season.
Jack L.