By Shane Paschal, For the Tribune
IRONDALE, Ala. Oxford, the fifth-ranked team in 6A, visited Frank Nix Stadium on Friday night for a region game with the Shades Valley Mounties.
The Mounties gave the Yellow Jackets all they wanted for two and a half quarters before they ran out of steam; Oxford pulled away for a 45-21 regional win.
The Mounties took the opening kickoff and drove to the Oxford 16-yard line before turning the ball over on downs.
After two straight sacks by the Mountie defense, Oxford punted, and the Mounties had the ball at the Oxford 46-yard line.
The Mounties drove the ball down the field with a mixture of runs and passes, culminating in a 16-yard pass from Zayvion Bolden to Emory Brewster for a touchdown. A two-point attempt was no good, and Valley led 6-0 with 1:09 left in the first quarter.
Oxford’s Cedric Twyman returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown. The extra point was good, making the score 7-6 Oxford with 54 seconds left in the opening quarter.
The Mounties drove the ball down the field again but turned the ball over on downs at the Oxford 17-yard line.
The Yellow Jackets had multiple double-digit yardage gains on their next possesion, leading to Oxford’s Mason Mims connecting on an eight-yard pass to Nick Richardson for the score. The PAT was successful, and Oxford led 14-6 with 4:44 left in the half.
The Mounties scored right before the half when Bolden hit Brewster with a 19-yard strike in the end zone. A two-point conversion tied the score at 14-all with 24 seconds left in the half.
Oxford got on the board quickly in the second half. The Yellow Jackets’ Caleb Wynn scored on a 45-yard run. After the successful PAT, Oxford held a 21-14 lead with 10:54 remaining in the third quarter.
The Mounties came right back with a 58-yard pass from Bolden to Corey Knight for a TD. The Jair Aguilar extra point was good, and with 9:48 in the third, the score was all knotted at 21.
Oxford drove down the field and kicked a 22-yard field goal to retake the lead at 24-21 with 6:32 in the 3rd.
The Mounties would get a sack and a fumble on the next Oxford drive but couldn’t muster anything from it.
Oxford’s Mims connected with JT Taylor on a 45-yard completion and, with the extra point, increased the Yellow Jackets’ lead to 31-21 with 34 seconds left in the third quarter.
A bad Mountie punt gave the Yellow Jackets excellent field position, and Oxford made the Mounties pay.
Mims connected on a 48-yard touchdown to Taylor on a 4th down play to give the Yellow Jackets a 38-21 lead with 10:16 left in the game.
The Mounties fumble on their first play of the next drive. Oxford took over at the Mountie 42-yard line.
Oxford’s Wynn scored his second touchdown of the game from 13 yards out with 6:52 left, and with the PAT, would close the scoring at 45-21 in favor of Oxford.
Shades Valley will travel next week to visit the defending 6A champion Clay-Chalkville Cougars.
