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By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

NORTH SHELBY – For only the third time in school history, the Oak Mountain Eagles are 3-0 thanks to a dominating performance against Huffman to open region play with a 31-0 victory at Heardmont Park on Sept. 8.

“It feels a whole lot better than it did last year at this time,” said OMHS head coach Cris Bell, referencing the Eagles’ 0-3 start to begin the 2016 season.

The Eagles controlled the game from start to finish, as senior linebacker Jackson Murphy and junior halfback Luke Percer had standout performances. Murphy finished the game with three solo tackles, five assists and a sack, while Percer carried the ball 14 times for 91 yards and a touchdown.

Quarterback Connor Webb completed 7 of 14 passing attempts for 60 yards and a touchdown, while also recording two touchdowns on the ground. Carson Bobo was the Eagles’ leading receiver, reeling in three passes for 28 yards, while Nathan Jones followed closely behind with 27 yards and a touchdown on three receptions.

“They’ve shown a great deal of maturity, really going back to January. They come out every day to work, and they’ve got really, really good focus right now,” Bell said of his team. “We’ve got to maintain it and continue to get a little better each week. It’s a good group and I’m proud to coach them.”

Oak Mountain got on the board late in the first quarter when Jacob Fitzgerald and Murphy ran Huffman quarterback Anthony Wiggins out of the side of the end zone for a safety.

A few minutes into the second quarter, Oak Mountain scored again when Webb ran the ball in from 4 yards out. Ethan Duncan added the 2-point conversion to put the Eagles up 10-0. On its next possession, Oak Mountain added another touchdown when Webb scored on a quarterback keeper on the Vikings’ 1-yard line. Christian Hood’s PAT put the Eagles up 17-0 with four minutes remaining in the first half.

Late in the third quarter, Webb found Jones in the back of the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown pass, and Hood’s PAT widened Oak Mountain’s lead to 24.

After Oak Mountain’s Dylan Hoye intercepted the ball to end the third quarter, Percer added a 2-yard rushing touchdown shortly into the fourth quarter to put the Eagles up by 31.

The Eagles will continue region play on Sept. 15 when they travel to Vestavia Hills, while Huffman will travel to Tuscaloosa County.

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