Early points enough for Spartans

MADISON — A quick attack in the first quarter helped Mountain Brook High School hang on and defeat Class 7A opponent James Clemens, 18-13, Thursday night at Madison City Schools Stadium.

Less than two minutes into the game, Mountain Brook's Hudson Young blocked a punt for a safety and provided a two-point Mountain Brook lead. Moments later, Cole Gamble strolled into the end zone for a 7-yard score and 9-0 lead. The Spartans defense kept the Jets in their hangar on the south side of the field and forced two James Clemens timeouts to be burned in the first 12 minutes of play. 

The Spartans defense held the Jets to 172 yards of total offense in the game (97 passing and 75 rushing). 

“If our football team can grow the way our defense has, then we’d be something pretty special. The defense, I can’t believe the way they improved in seven days. That’s a good football team we played tonight,” said Mountain Brook head coach Chris Yeager.

Harrison Fell kicked a 21-yard field goal with 6:59 to play in the opening quarter to give the Spartans a 12-0 lead.

James Clemens relied on special teams to get on the scoreboard as Ty Doughty returned a punt 41 yards for a touchdown to make it 12-7 at the half.

All points were scored in the south end zone of Madison City Schools Stadium, except a 3-yard Gamble TD run into the north end zone with 10:05 to play in the third quarter. The two-point try failed, as Mountain Brook led, 18-7. 

Gamble led the Spartans ground game with 110 yards on 33 carries and two touchdowns.

Penalties plagued Mountain Brook when it attempted to move north in the second and third quarters. Two first downs and a touchdown were negated in the third quarter that could have helped put the game out of reach. 

“We made some plays but we let some opportunities go by the boards, and great teams don’t do that. Great teams capitalize on opportunities and we’ve got to change in that area,” Yeager said.

Ty Marsh had a stronger second half for the Jets under center, completing 9-of-16 passes for 86 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown to Logan Eggert with 21 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Spartans William Grier McDuffie and Clyde Beavers stuffed the two-point run attempt to keep it an 18-13 game.

In the fourth quarter, Mountain Brook ate up five minutes of clock before a field goal was blocked at the seven-minute mark. Earlier in the drive, a John Cooper pass to Hudson Young was jarred loose at the 1. Cooper had 159 yards on 8-of-19 passing and an interception.

While the Spartans couldn’t score late or run the clock out with a minute left, the defense stepped up once more as Hampton King intercepted Marsh at the Jets’ 25 to allow Cooper to take a knee.

Mountain Brook (1-1) will travel to Adamsville next Friday to meet Minor. It will be the second of three straight road games. 

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