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Homewood inside linebacker Henry Watson (40) blocks Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) runs the ball towards the end zone as he crosses the 20-yard-line, trailed by Homewood defensive back Brian Condon (14), in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Mountain Brook running back Will Waldrop (18) gets the ball to the end zone as Homewood inside linebacker Henry Watson (40) makes the tackle as Waldrop crosses the goal line for a touchdown in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) runs the ball as Homewood defensive back Brian Condon (14) makes the stop in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Mountain Brook wide receiver Jake Thompson (5) runs the ball as the Spartans face Homewood in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Mountain Brook running back Will Waldrop (18) gets the ball to the end zone as Homewood inside linebacker Henry Watson (40) makes the tackle as Waldrop crosses the goal line for a touchdown in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Homewood quarterback Woods Ray (13) looks to make a play as the Patriots face Mountain Brook in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Homewood quarterback Woods Ray (13) looks to throw a pass as Mountain Brook defensive lineman Gray Doster (90) moves in on coverage in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Homewood wide receiver Charlie Reeves (9) reacts after scoring a touchdown for the Patriots in a game against Mountain Brook at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Homewood tight end Harvey Ray (15) is knocked out of play by Mountain Brook defensive back Braxton Dean (6) in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Homewood wide receiver Charlie Reeves (9) catches a pass from Homewood quarterback Woods Ray as he heads for the end zone in a game against Mountain Brook at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Mountain Brook head coach Chris Yeager talks with Mountain Brook running back Jack King (25) between plays as the Spartans face Homewood in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Homewood running back Mondrell Odell (4) is tackled by Mountain Brook linebacker Vaughn Frost (36) in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Mountain Brook wide receiver Sims Brown (16) makes a catch in the end zone for a touchdown as the Spartans face Homewood in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Mountain Brook wide receiver Sims Brown (16) celebrates with teammates after catching a pass in the end zone for a touchdown as the Spartans face Homewood in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) is knocked out of play by Homewood wide receiver Parker Sansing (22) in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Mountain Brook quarterback John Colvin (12) catches the snap as the Spartans face Homewood in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Homewood quarterback Harris Fowlkes (12) runs the ball on the return as the Patriots face Mountain Brook in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Mountain Brook wide receiver Jake Thompson (5) catches a pass from Mountain Brook quarterback John Colvin (12) as the Spartans face Homewood in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Homewood quarterback Harris Fowlkes (12) catches the kick on the return as the Patriots face Mountain Brook in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Homewood quarterback Woods Ray (13) makes the handoff to Homewood running back Mondrell Odell (4) as the Patriots face Mountain Brook in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Homewood wide receiver Charlie Reeves (9) catches a pass from Homewood quarterback Woods Ray as he heads for the end zone in a game against Mountain Brook at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Homewood wide receiver Charlie Reeves (9) takes the ball to the end zone as he’s trailed by Mountain Brook defensive back Braxton Dean (6) in a game against Mountain Brook at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Homewood wide receiver J.C. Daniel (6) kicks the extra point after a touchdown as Mountain Brook defensive back Mac McCowan (7) attempts to block the kick in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Homewood defensive back Brian Condon (14 punts the ball as the Patriots face Mountain Brook in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Homewood quarterback Woods Ray (13) passes the ball in a game against Mountain Brook at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Homewood wide receiver Aron Marsch (10) catches a pass from Homewood quarterback Woods Ray in a game against Mountain Brook at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Homewood running back Mondrell Odell (4) runs the ball as Mountain Brook linebacker John McMillan (2) makes the stop in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Mountain Brook wide receiver Jake Thompson (5) runs the ball as the Spartans face Homewood in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) runs the ball as Homewood wide receiver Parker Sansing (22) moves in on the tackle in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Homewood running back Mondrell Odell (4) takes the ball up the middle as he’s stopped by the Mountain Brook defense in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Homewood outside linebacker Adam Parker (37) and Homewood defensive lineman Hayden Eldridge (94) tackle Mountain Brook wide receiver Jake Thompson (5) in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Mountain Brook quarterback John Colvin (12) throws a pass as the Spartans face Homewood in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Mountain Brook wide receiver Jake Thompson (5) catches a pass as he takes the ball downfield in a game against Homewood at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Mountain Brook wide receiver Jake Thompson (5) runs the ball as the Spartans face Homewood in a game at Waldrop Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
HOMEWOOD -- The Mountain Brook High School football team rolled on the road Thursday night, downing region rival Homewood 49-14 at Waldrop Stadium.
The win clinched the Class 6A, Region 5 title for the Spartans, their second region crown in as many years.
“It feels really good (to win the region),” said Mountain Brook head coach Chris Yeager. “Week in and week out, you have to play at a high level and it’s extremely gratifying knowing the type of football that’s in this area.”
The Spartans were dominant on both sides of the ball throughout the game, but especially in the second half, shutting out the Patriots in the final 24 minutes.
“That was just an old-fashioned butt whooping,” said Homewood head coach Ben Berguson. “We just couldn’t get anything going and could not run the ball.”
Mountain Brook was led to victory by an explosive running attack, spearheaded by running backs Will Waldrop and Cole Gamble, who both finished with over 100 rushing yards and combined for four of the Spartans’ seven touchdowns.
“(Waldrop and Gamble) have great vision and make great decisions and they both have speed,” Yeager said. “Both of those guys when they get in the open, they run away from people.”
It was Waldrop that opened up the scoring. After forcing a Homewood three-and-out to start the game, Mountain Brook took over in Patriots territory and put together a seven-play drive all on the ground, culminating in a 2-yard touchdown run by Waldrop.
Mountain Brook scored on its next three possessions, two through the air and another on the ground. With 3:54 to go in the first quarter. Spartans quarterback John Colvin hit receiver Sims Brown on a 15-yard touchdown pass. Then, with 6:27 to go in the half, Gamble hit the end zone on a 37-yard touchdown rush.
Sandwiched in-between the two Spartans scores was Homewood’s opening touchdown with just under eight minutes remaining in the second quarter. The Patriots, after falling behind 14-0, put together their longest drive of the night: a 14-play, 80-yard drive that was capped off by an 8-yard touchdown pass from Woods Ray to Charlie Reeves.
Reeves would add another touchdown reception, a 66-yarder, later in the half, right after Mountain Brook’s Brown also scored his second touchdown of the night on a 41-yard pass from Colvin.
At halftime, the Spartans led the Patriots 28-14.
In the second half, the Mountain Brook defense was able to shut down the Homewood offense, which had just four possessions in the last two quarters, all of which concluded with punts. Meanwhile, the Spartans offense was able to add three more touchdowns on the ground in the second half, with two touchdown rushes by Waldrop -- 62- and 1-yarders, respectively -- and the final by sophomore Jack King to from 2 yards out to cap the scoring.
“You have to credit (Mountain Brook),” said Berguson. “That’s a real good football team. We couldn’t stop the run and weren’t able to get anything going offensively.”
For Yeager’s part, coming out of the game, he says he’s most pleased with the continued direction his team is taking as the regular season nears its conclusion.
“I think the thing I’m most pleased with and satisfied with is I feel like we’re trending upward,” he said.
Mountain Brook will finish region play next Friday at region foe Chelsea. Homewood will travel to Briarwood next week to wrap up region play.
