By BRANDON SUMRALL | For the Reporter

TRUSSVILLE – A Class 7A, Region 3 matchup between the Oak Mountain Eagles and Hewitt Trussville Huskies on Friday, Sept. 7, turned into a heavyweight slug fest as the teams went blow-for-blow all night. However, it was the Huskies that managed to make the last play in a back-and-forth affair for a 52-47 win over the visiting Eagles.

“I am proud of our kids and the way they battled,” Oak Mountain head coach Cris Bell said after the game. “Just a bunch of average guys that just play their hearts out and I wouldn’t trade them for anybody.”

Hewitt Trussville wasted little time highlighting their passing game as University of Alabama committ Paul Tyson connected with JaVarrius Johnson for 46 yards that set the Huskies up with a first-and-10 at the Eagles’ 34. Two Huskie first downs later and Cameron Bledsoe capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to put Hewitt-Trussville up 7-0.

Oak Mountain proved with its third play from scrimmage that it was ready for a battle as Evan Smith took the snap and bounced off left tackle for a 70-yard touchdown run that tied the game 7-7.

The tie was short lived, however, as Tyson found Johnson once again, this time for a 66-yard touchdown strike to give the Huskies a 14-7 lead.

A fourth-and-3 on their ensuing possession saw the Eagles forced into a rare punt from the Huskies’ 44-yard line were the ball bounced into the end zone for a touchback.

A pair of quick first downs by Hewitt Trussville moved the Huskies out to their own 41 where Tyson handed off to Armoni Goodwin who raced 59 yards for a Hewitt-Trussville touchdown to make it a 21-7 score late in the first.

A failed fourth-and-six for Oak Mountain at the Huskies’ 36-yard line led to a turnover on downs that set Hewitt-Trussville up at its own 36 where a pair of 24- yard passes from Tyson to Sean Jackson moved the Huskies down inside the red zone. There Tyson connected with Dazalin Worsham for a 4-yard touchdown to make it a 28-7 Hewitt lead.

“We dug ourselves a whole early, you can’t get behind 28-7,” Bell said. “The good thing is our kids fought back.”

An 82-yard scoring drive, however, was the answer for Oak Mountain as Smith capped off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to make it a 28-13 Hewitt Trussville lead, late in the second quarter.

The ensuing Huskies’ possession saw Tyson complete another pass, although this time to an Eagles defensive back who returned the interception down to the Hewitt 1-yard line where Luke Percer went in from 1 yard out to make it a 28-20 game with 2:21 remaining in the half.

The two-minute Huskie offense proved to work just fine, however, as Hewitt drove 76 yards in under two minutes to allow Parker Coburn the opportunity to send a 14-yard field goal through the uprights while sending the game to the halftime break with Hewitt Trussville leading 31-20.

An 8-yard opening drive of the second half saw the Eagles in the end zone once again thanks to a 15-yard touchdown run by Percer that pulled the Eagles to within five, 31-26, early in the second half.

The blow-for-blow theme continued with the Huskies’ next possession as a 66-yard scoring drive ended on a 2-yard touchdown run by Tyson. The extension to the Huskie lead was short lived, however, as Percer fielded the ensuing kickoff at his own 1-yard line and proceed ninety-nine yards for an Oak Mountain touchdown that made it a 38-26 game with 3:56 remaining in the third.

A 55-yard bomb between Tyson and Johnson kept the score feat going, only to be answered with an 18-yard touchdown run by Percer that brought the score to 45-40 in favor of the Huskies with 11:55 to play.

Hewitt-Trussville then went to work on the clock with its ensuing possession as the Huskies pounded away on the ground behind Cameron Bledsoe on their way to another touchdown as Tyson capped the drive with a 6-yard touchdown run that put Hewitt out in front 52-40 with 7:18 remaining.

Down 12 with less than seven minutes to play, the Eagles started at their own 45. A 6-yard and 16-yard run by Percer moved them near midfield where a 5-yard run by Smith and a 16-yard run by Percer set Oak Mountain up first-and-10 at the Hewitt thirty. One play later, Percer broke loose for a 30-yard touchdown that pulled the Eagles back to within five, 57-42.

Sporting a five-point lead with just under six minutes to play, the Huskies set up their ensuing possession at their own 28-yard line. Tyson proceeded to lead Hewitt on a strong 72-yard drive that ended with him diving into the end zone, but instead of a touchdown, he fumbled the ball which was recovered by a Oak Mountain defender at the 1-yard line.

With just 46 seconds remaining, two failed attempts to escape their own end zone saw a third down play come to a completed pass along with a couple of laterals that ultimately ended with a tackle deep inside their own territory that brought an end to an incredible game.

“What a gutty effort on their part,” Bell said. “As many weapons as they have on offense, they are tough to stop. We needed one more stop and we got it, it was just too late and on the 1-yard line.

Percer lead the Oak Mountain rushing attack with 180 yards on 20 carries with 4 touchdowns. Garrison Frisch and Jacob Fitzgerald each had 9.5 tackles to lead the Eagle Defense.