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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) turns the corner and sees nothing but green grass while running for a touchdown during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook cheerleaders before a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
The Mountain Brook Marching Band comes onto the field before a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook runs out onto the field before a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook coach Mike Thorsen talks to Tucker Crawford (29) during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook quarterback John Colvin (12) throws a pass during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) breaks a tackle for a long touchdown run during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) celebrates a touchdown during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Hartselle running back Azariah Fletcher (3) runs for a touchdown during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Hartselle kicker Crawford Lang (95) kicks an extra point during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) fights for extra yardarge during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
The captains wait for the coin toss before a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook wide receiver Clark Sanderson (21) runs with the ball during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) looks for the endzone during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook kicker Reed Harradine (12) kicks an extra point during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Hartselle wide receiver Eli Tidwell (17) returns a kick off during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Hartselle wide receiver Eli Tidwell (17) runs with the ball while Mountain Brook line backer Drew Widener (22) looks to make a tackle during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Mountain Brook Football
A cold but happy Mountain Brook student section cheers on their team during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook's special teams forces a missed field goal during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook running back Jack King (17) runs with the ball during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook head coach Chris Yeager talks to his team during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook makes a tackle for lose during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) runs for a touchdown during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Hartselle quarter back Jack Smith (7) tries to run with the ball with Mountain Brook defensive lineman Parker Avery (91) tries to make a tackle during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook defensive lineman Parker Avery (91) sacks the Hartselle quarterback during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
The Mountain Brook Marching Band performs at halftime during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
The Mountain Brook Marching Band performs at halftime during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
The Mountain Brook Marching Band performs at halftime during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
The Mountain Brook Marching Band performs at halftime during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
The Mountain Brook Marching Band performs at halftime during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook wide receiver Clark Sanderson (21) dives for the endzone during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Hartselle wide receiver Eli Tidwell (17) fights for yardage while Mountain Brook defensive back Hamption King (38) and Bennett Kilpartick (19) look to make a tackle during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Hartselle quarterback Jack Smith (7) throws a pass during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook defensive back Tucker Crawford (29) collects an onside kick to seal the win during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook head coach Chris Yeager and Hartselle head coach Bryan Moore shake hands after a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook head coach Chris Yeager talks to media after a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook head coach Chris Yeager speaks to his team after beating Hartselle after a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook quarter back John Colvin (12) scrambles for yardage during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
The Mountain Brook Marching Band performs at halftime during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
The Mountain Brook Marching Band performs at halftime during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
The Mountain Brook Marching Band performs at halftime during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) takes a handoff during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) looks for the endzone during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
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Hartselle running back Azariah Fletcher (3) runs for a touchdown during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force
Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) celebrates a touchdown during a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
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Mountain Brook Football
Mountain Brook runs out onto the field before a game between the Hartselle Tigers and the Mountain Brook Spartans on Friday, November 18th, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook, AL. Photo by Richard Force
MOUNTAIN BROOK — That was a statement.
Mountain Brook High School scored touchdowns on seven of its 10 possessions — two of those were to take a knee and run out the clock — piled up more than 500 yards of offense and rolled to a 49-30 Class 6A quarterfinal win over previously unbeaten Hartselle on Friday at Spartan Stadium.
The win sends the Spartans (11-2) to the Class 6A semifinals at Muscle Shoals (10-1) next week, who beat Gardendale 38-7. It’s the third straight trip to the semifinals for Mountain Brook. The Spartans’ last two seasons ended in this round.
“This year, hopefully, it’s different,” said junior running back Cole Gamble. “I’m just so glad we finished the way we did on this field.”
Gamble was a massive reason why the Spartans did finish this way on this field. He rushed 23 times for 276 yards and scored on runs of 53, 5, 88 and 30 yards.
“Cole has got such a worker’s, and such a blue-collar attitude and a humble attitude,” said Mountain Brook head coach Chris Yeager. “That guy runs that ball so hard. He runs away from people. He’s extremely fast.”
Gamble’s three first-half touchdowns paced the Spartans to a 28-14 halftime lead.
“End zone,” Gamble said of his mindset as soon as his fingertips touch the football. “First daylight, stick my foot in the ground and get in the end zone.”
The other score was a 39-yard pass from quarterback John Colvin to Jackson Beatty. Hartselle answered the Spartans’ opening scoring drive with a nine-play, 68-yard drive capped by Azariah Fletcher’s 39-yard run. Quarterback Jack Smith hit Eli Tidwell for a 5-yard touchdown with 17 seconds left in the first half.
Hartselle cut the deficit to 28-17 midway through the third quarter on a 27-yard field goal by Crawford Lang. Three plays later, Gamble was off to the races from 30 yards. Colvin found Clark Sanderson for a 7-yard touchdown to increase the lead to 42-17.
Early in the fourth quarter, Smith connected with Tidwell again for a 9-yard score to make it 42-23. Sanderson ran in a 6-yard touchdown midway through the final quarter, and Smith hit Fletcher for a 33-yard touchdown with fewer than two minutes to play.
“I feel like the offense executed extremely well,” Yeager said. “We had to make a lot of checks at the line, a bunch of them, and the players did an unbelievable job checking at the line. I think we hit every one of them perfectly.”
Colvin was a perfect 12-of-12 for 184 yards and two touchdowns. Sanderson caught nine passes for 125 yards and rushed for 38 more. Beatty caught two passes for 49 yards.
Defensively, Mac Palmer recovered a fumble for the Spartans.
For Hartselle, Smith was 24-of-33 for 257 yards and three touchdowns. Tidwell caught 11 passes for 150 yards and two scores.
Mountain Brook and Muscle Shoals have played just once, a 38-7 Spartans win in the first round of the 2020 Class 6A playoffs.
“I don’t care where we go,” Yeager said. “I will go play in the desert to get to play this next game and get to practice on Thanksgiving Day.”
Yeager noted that the three keys against any opponent are blocking, tackling and taking care of the ball. That’s the focus.
“That’s what champions do,” he said. “Champions are great in those three categories and finishing. If we do those then we’ll make champions, whatever happens. We win a championship, fine, but if we make champions that’ll be the most important thing.”
