Oak Mountain

Photo by Keith McCoy

2,346

Joseph Anderson’s senior season was a special way to cap off a special career. A starter in his final three seasons at Montevallo, he totaled 2,346 rushing yards as a senior, which became the most in a single season for any running back in Shelby County history. He added 29 touchdowns and was a powerful leader who could carry the team when he needed to. Now, Anthony Martin will have the tall task of replacing him. Martin has been in the offense for three years and is a physical runner who can set the tone for the offense.

KEY NUMBERS

4

Montevallo has now made the playoffs four years in a row with last year’s senior class becoming the third in school history to make it each year. This year’s seniors will look to continue that trend and make it a fifth playoff appearance in a row and second consecutive senior class to make it all four seasons. Keeping that trend going is something the coaching staff and senior class has pride in going into the new season.

22

One of the most important changes Blake Boren wanted to make when he came back to his alma mater to lead the Bulldogs was defensively. It’s safe to say that he has held true on that focus. After giving up 35.5 points per game in 2019, the Bulldogs have given up 22 or less points per game on average in back to back seasons and are coming off a year in which they gave up 20.6 points per game last year. That is a huge leap from where the defense was a few years ago, especially with most defensive players having to play on both sides of the ball. This year’s defense could possess even more talent as well, while the players know what to expect.

6

The last two seasons, Montevallo has concluded the regular season with six consecutive wins, which has led to the Bulldogs not only making the playoffs but doing so as a three seed in a challenging region. This year, they’ll hope that trend continues in the second half, but they’ll also hope for a strong start with the schedule easier in the first half of the season than the second half.

GOOD LUCK Bulldogs!

Charlie Adams

will both handle important roles, while Rutledge will also help as a physical defensive back. Tolbert can help at the position, while Tim Waters should emerge as a name to watch early in the season. SPECIAL TEAMS

Locks will return to handle placekicking duties for the Bulldogs this season, while punter is still up in the air. Boren said he hopes for one of the team’s best athletes to emerge as the punter to help keep a threat of multiple options on special teams.

Marbury W 30-13 Shelby County W 41-24 @ American Christian L 10-34 @ Bibb County L 13-35 @ Wilcox Central W 49-8 West Blocton W 37-36 Sumter Central W 48-6 Holt W 54-6 @ Dallas County W 49-14 @ Maplesville W 20-7 @ Jackson* L 20-44

*Playoff game

5-YEAR WIN TREND

8

2021 7

2020 9

6

3

2019 2018 2017

OAK MOUNTAIN EAGLES

Off back-to-back seven-win seasons and two consecutive trips to the second round following the playoffs, the Oak Mountain Eagles enter 2022 with the confidence of one of their best two-year stretches in school history.

Now in year two under head coach Tyler Crane, they’ll have to replace All-State athlete and four-year starter at quarterback Evan Smith, but the expectations haven’t changed.

With 13 players returning who got experience a year ago, the Eagles should continue to see improvement on defense with two impressive years in a row, while a new quarterback will have a strong offensive line and several skill players to work with.

That quarterback transition will likely determine this year’s success, but the team has a new belief in all facets of the game and expects to compete once again for a playoff spot in the state’s toughest region.

MEET THE TEAM

QUARTERBACK

You can’t simply replace a guy like Smith. His experience as a four-year starter was enough, but he also totaled 1,110 rushing yards and 1,184 passing yards as one of the state’s best athletes last year. Sophomore Will O’Dell will step into the position looking to try his best to fill as much of the hole as possible. A 6-foot-3, 190-pound quarterback, the potential is there, and Crane has made sure to tell him to be himself and not try to be Smith. O’Dell is gaining confidence as the season nears, while he is starting to understand the offense. He has also taken command as a leader and is an athletic presence with an arm that is improving each day.

RUNNING BACK

At running back, the Eagles will have what the coaches refer to as thunder and lightning. Trey Vassell will return to the position after splitting time last year and is considered the thunder as a powerful runner standing at 5-foot-10, 205 pounds, while Davion Foster will be the lightning as a 5-foot-10, 170-pound shifty back with a lot of speed. Both are seniors and will lead the position, while freshman La’Kamren Meadows is a young back the coaching staff is extremely excited for. Junior Ian Laughlin

Will

O’Dell

CLASSIFICATION

AHSAA Class 7A, Region 3

2021 RECORD

7-5 (4-3)

HEAD COACH

Tyler Crane

RECORD

7-5 (Second year)

ASSISTANT COACHES

Ty Ward, Preston Sanford, John Bullen, Levi Estes, Corey Wells, Gabe Robinette, Mike Talbert, Drew Pickett, Nick Erwin, Mel Hackbarth, Stewart Civils, Andrew Varvoutis, Chris Blight

LAST REGION TITLE

None

LAST PLAYOFF GAME

2021

Davion Foster

will also be able to fill multiple roles as a halfback, running back and tight end.

RECEIVERS

O’Dell will have to rely on some new faces at receiver this season, but it is a very balanced and deep position. Senior DJ Stone will be the leader after playing late last year and showing progress. Now, he is bigger and stronger and will be key to bringing others along. Junior Tristan Vardaman and sophomore Zack Fitzgerald have also made progress and are expected to be key additions this season. Beyond that, depth is a bright spot. Sawyer Smith, Peyton Swann, Davis Stallworth, Walker Shook and others should emerge to play a role.

2022 SCHEDULE

Aug. 19: Northridge Aug. 26: Pelham

Sept. 2: @ Hewitt-Trussville* Sept. 9: Chelsea*

Sept. 16: @ Tuscaloosa County* Sept. 23: Briarwood Sept. 30: Hoover*

Oct. 7: @ Thompson* Oct. 14: Vestavia Hills* Oct. 21: @ Spain Park* Oct. 28: Bye

*Region game

OFFENSIVE LINE

Three returning starters, all with good size, should be a major boost to

Will O’Dell, QB

Just a sophomore, O’Dell was thrown in the fire late last year against the toughest stretch of the schedule and gained the respect of his team. Now, he’s got big shoes to fill as the leader of the offense, but he has shown a lot of upside in the offseason.

Trey Vassell, RB

A team that is going to have to rely heavily on the running back position this year, Vassell returns to the position after splitting time last year. He will be a leader who should play an important role.

Garrett Murphy, LB

The team’s kicker as well, Murphy is an all-around athlete who shined at linebacker last year. He returns 120 tackles, including 16 for loss and should be the leader of a very talented defense.

Emanuel Waller, DL

A transfer from Chelsea, Waller finished last season with 66 tackles and three sacks. The coaching staff sees big things ahead for him this season.

KEY DEPARTURES

Evan Smith

The four-year starter at quarterback is irreplaceable. He finished his senior season with 1,110 rushing yards and 1,184 passing yards, while his athleticism was second to none in the county.

Cade George

A speedy wideout, George was one of the top targets for the offense last season both out wide and out of the backfield.

Gavin Nelson

One of the team’s leading tacklers, Nelson finished the season with more than 90 tackles, including 15 for a loss and six sacks.

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REPLACING A GENERATIONAL

TALENT You can’t simply replace a guy who has totaled more than 6,000 yards of offense and four years of starting experience. Evan Smith was a generational type of talent at quarterback that Oak Mountain may not have for a while, especially after a senior season that saw 1,110 rushing yards and 1,184 passing yards with 28 combined touchdowns. Will O’Dell will step in as a promising sophomore with a frame of 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, but his biggest focus has to be on taking command of the offense and not trying to be Smith. If he can do that and stay composed in the pocket, he’ll have a chance to help this offense succeed, and it may even help in the long run with defenses having to respect more of the field than honing in on one player trying to do it all.

WINNING IN THE TRENCHES

Arguably the biggest key for this year’s Oak Mountain team will come up front on both sides of the ball. If the Eagles want any hope of moving the ball offensively, they’ll have to capitalize on three returning starters to the offensive line opening holes for what should be a talented run game and protecting O’Dell like their own lives depend on it. Defensively, the coaching staff knows the defensive line is where a lot of games are won in this difficult region, and the potential is there for this year’s line to be the best the team has had in years. If those two positions play well, Oak Mountain will very much be in the mix for making the playoffs three straight years for the first time in school history.

DYNAMIC DEFENSE This year’s defense could be special. Some expected a downturn during Tyler Crane’s first year with the Eagles because of what left, but the defense got better last year. Now, they return more talent than they have in a while, including linebackers Garrett Murphy and Carter Lehman, linemen Davis Coggin and Emmanuel Waller and defensive back Devan Moss. The defense could be one of the best in the region this year if they play up to their full potential.

2022 Oak Mountain Roster

NO. NAME POSITION YEAR

2 Davion Foster RB 12 3 Jacob Porco LB 11 4 Tristyn Vardaman WR 11 5 Trey Vassell RB 12 6 D.J. Stone WR 12 7 Ian Laughlin RB 11 8 Devan Moss DB 12 9 Emmanuel Waller DL 12 10 Carter Lehman LB 12 11 Jack Ronilo DL 12 12 Ben Heath QB 9 13 Davis Stallworth WR 9 14 La’Kamren Meadows RB 9 15 Xander Hughes QB 9 16 Garrett Murphy LB 12 17 Drowdy Hackbarth QB 11 18 Will O’Dell QB 10 19 Douglas Darko DL 11 20 Chris Weston DB 12 21 Jacob Moore WR 10 22 Hunter Cox LB 11 23 Sawyer Smith WR 11 24 Bobby Laury DB 12 25 Zach Fitzgerald WR 10 26 Brysan Clanton DB 10 27 J.C Schwender DB 9 28 Seth Tucker WR 10 29 Marty Myricks DB 9 30 James Whatley K 11 31 Mason Mitchell LB 10 32 Jorge Garcia WR 11 33 Cole Kelly LB 10 34 Jacob Helgason LB 12 35 Ethan Watson DL 9 36 Micheal Dooley RB 10 37 Owen Wells LB 10 38 David Jimenez DB 12

NO. NAME POSITION YEAR

39 Hunter Gaskins LB 11 40 Adrian Borja TE 9 41 Kennedy Silas DB 9 43 Parker McDaniel DB 10 44 Robert Yoder IV DB 10 45 Malachi Plummer WR 10 46 Noah Hagedorn LB 12 47 Niko Varvoutis LB 10 48 Colton Moore LB 9 50 Colton Cason OL 10 52 Davis Coggin DL 12 55 Jack Ball OL 10 57 Connor Self OL 11 60 Emmett Williams DL 11 61 Barron Meadors OL 10 66 Trey Leckemby OL 10 67 Sawyer Hutto OL 12 69 Bradyley Hazlip OL 9 72 Luke Parmer OL 11 74 Cordell Williams OL 10 75 Colin Prestridge OL 12 76 Hudson Youngblood OL 12 77 Luke Oswalt OL 12 81 Walker Shook WR 10 82 Peyton Swann WR 12 83 Brandon Lewis WR 12 84 Ivan Adams WR 10 85 Jackson Blackwell TE 11 86 Joey Carbonie WR 9 88 J.D. Miller DL 11 89 Jaxon Owens WR 12 90 Jordan Pierce-Harris DL 9 91 Max Cude DL 10 92 Ty Campbell DL 11 93 Joey Lewis DL 9 95 Daveon Johnson DL 10 97 Caleb Jaworski DL 10

this year’s offense. Seniors Luke Oswalt and Sawyer Hutto will be two of those returning starters. Both stand at 6 feet, 4 inches, while Oswalt weighs 285 pounds and Hutto weighs 255 pounds. Hudson Youngblood is also back as a starting center with a frame of 5-foot-11, 255 pounds. The Eagles will also get some returning experience from 5-foot-11, 265-pound sophomore Cordell Williams. Beyond that, others are competing, including Jackson Blackwell. DEFENSIVE LINE

Ahead of the season, Crane said this unit “better be good.” Competing in Class 7A, Region 3, it’s often the defensive line that can make the difference, and this year’s group has a lot of expectation surrounding it. Not only do they return senior Davis Coggin, but they add two-year starter Emmanuel Waller from Chelsea. Waller was Chelsea’s leading defender last season and holds a frame of 6-foot-4, 250 pounds. Crane is extremely excited about his potential, while sophomore Caleb Jaworski

@ Chelsea

W 46-19 @ Pelham W 21-0 Gadsden City W 17-7 @ Vestavia Hills W 24-14 Hoover L 21-28 Bye @ Spain Park W 35-7 Tuscaloosa County W 47-3 @ Thompson L 0-48 Hewitt-Trussville L 7-28 Clay-Chalkville L 0-48 @ James Clemens* W 38-35 @ Thompson* L 7-45

*Playoff game

Garrett Murphy

also presents as much potential as anyone on the team. Juniors JD Miller and Ty Cambpell will also help fill key spots, while eighth grader Baroc Willis is someone who could eventually step in as well.

LINEBACKERS

One of the team’s best leaders will help anchor the defense from the

2021 STATS

Offense Total points: 263 Per game: 21.9 County rank: 9

Defense Points allowed: 282 Per game: 23.5 County rank: 7