By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – The Shelby County Wildcats took the field for the final time in the 2019 season on Friday, Nov. 1, and had no problem taking care of St. Clair County, trouncing the visiting Fighting Saints 61-21 for its largest margin of victory this season on senior night.

The Wildcats piled up nine total touchdowns on the night, with eight of those touchdowns coming on the ground, as Raheem Montgomery led the way with two rushing touchdowns.

Shelby County scored two rushing touchdowns in the first seven minutes of the game and never looked back as the Wildcats ended the season with a three-game winning streak after starting 0-7.

“Our offense is built around the run game and if we can establish the run game early it really opens a lot of things and opens up the offense,” Shelby County head coach Heath Childers said. “We love to attack the off-tackle area and that’s what the whole offense is built off of… the power run game. The offensive line did a great job tonight.”

Shelby County’s first two touchdowns came on a 2-yard score by Raheem Montgomery and a 7-yard run from Isaac Montgomery following a fourth down stop at midfield as the Wildcats held a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The one touchdown through the air for Shelby County came early in the second quarter, when senior quarterback Chase Holliman lofted a 24-yard touchdown pass to Isaac Montgomery in the back of the end zone to make it 20-0 after the missed extra point. Holliman accounted for one touchdown through the air and one on the ground in his final game.

After Shelby County muffed a punt which later lead to a St. Clair County touchdown, the Wildcats capped off the first half with two more big scores.

The longest touchdown of the night for Shelby County came with 6:20 left in the second quarter when Greg Oliver Jr. took it 68 yards to the house on an impressive run where he reversed field to make it 27-7.

After another defensive stop, the Wildcats scored the final touchdown in the first half on a 13-yard run by Ericsson Goodman to take a 34-7 halftime lead.

The second half was more of the same success for Shelby County, as the Wildcats scored on their opening possession of the third quarter on a 37-yard touchdown run by Tyrese Goodman to extend the lead to 40-7.

Other touchdowns in the second half included a 10-yard run by Raheem Montgomery, a 22-yard run by Kaden Cardwell and an 11-yard run to cap off the 40-point win.

Childers said he was proud of his team to fight through adversity after starting the season 0-7.

“I can’t say enough about the players and the assistant coaches,” Childers said. “We had a rough start, and we lost four really close ballgames on the way to an 0-7 start and it would’ve been easy for those guys to of tanked but they didn’t. They kept showing up, they kept fighting and good things happen to people who don’t quit and I can’t say enough about the character of these kids and the assistant coaches. I’m proud of all them.”

The win against St. Clair County marks the Wildcats longest winning streak in 10 years with three straight wins. The previous longest win streak by Shelby County came in 2009 when they reeled off eight wins in a row.

Shelby County finished the 2019 season 3-7.