Gamble’s 5 TDs lead Jackets over Vestavia Hills
- Updated: September 27, 2014
Oxford’s Tre Gamble, shown here against Opelika, scored five touchdowns Friday in the Yellow Jackets’ win over Vestavia Hills. (Photo by Greg McWilliams)
By Brant Locklier
For East Alabama Sports Today
OXFORD – The Oxford Yellow Jackets used the occasion of Homecoming to finally put everything together and dismantled Class 7A Vestavia Hills 35-14 Friday night as Tre Gamble put on one of those performances for the ages.
The 6A Jackets (3-3) were beginning to put things together last week against Opelika and came full circle on this night behind Gamble. The versatile senior rushed 26 times for 186 yards, caught seven passes for 100 yards and scored five touchdowns.
“I am so proud of these guys,” Oxford coach Ryan Herring said. “They have heard people telling them they were no good and could not play, but they kept working and working and tonight they went out and showed everyone what they could do. They showed they can play with anybody and we played a complete game.
“Tre Gamble showed that he should have been on that pre-season Super 12 team. What a game he had.”
Gamble was one of the state’s top receivers at the beginning of the season and has now moved around at running back and receiver. He lined up 35 times as a running back and 30 times at receiver and put on a show.
He scored on runs of 4, 2, 3 and 4 yards and caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from Ty Webber. Vestavia Hills (2-3) had given up only 38 points all season coming into the game; it had scored only 49.
Gamble’s first touchdown gave the Jackets a 7-0 lead. The Rebels came right back to tie it, but would not get in Oxford territory again until the last five minutes of the game.
The Rebels had six straight possessions that resulted in three-and-out and 185 total yards as the Oxford defense was suffocating. They ran only six plays in the third quarter. Thomas Rudolph, whose move to defense has solidified the Yellow Jacket secondary, had two interceptions and the Jackets forced two fumbles.
The last few weeks, the fourth quarter had been the Jackets’ undoing, but Friday they outscored the Rebels 14-7 to complete the total domination.
The visitors broke a couple of long runs and scored on 16-yard pass from back-up quarterback Brett Jones to Sam Harvey to cut Oxford’s lead to 28-14, but the Yellow Jackets responded and Gamble was there again, this time on the receiving end of Webber’s scoring strike.
Oxf VH
First Downs 20 9
Rushing yds 237 94
Passing yds 127 91
Total yds 364 185
Passing 11-17 9-14
Penalty Yds 25 39
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