Another big start

Oxford jumps out to a big halftime lead again, crushes Pell City; Jackets have outscored opponents 125-0 in the first half the last three games

By Brant Locklier
For East Alabama Sports Today

PELL CITY – Stop us if you’ve heard this one before. Don’t stop, really, but the story is getting rather familiar.

It was pretty much the same for the third straight week Friday as second-ranked Oxford crushed Pell City, 59-20.

The Yellow Jackets (4-1, 3-0) scored six touchdowns on offense and allowed none on defense while cruising to another huge halftime lead.

It was 41-0 this time. They have outscored their last three opponents 125-0 in the first half.

“I think our kids have done a great job executing our plays offensively,” Oxford coach Keith Etheredge said. “We have also played great defense these last three games, giving up points late in the game.”

Oxford took its first possession and drove it to the Pell City 20, where a couple of dropped passes shut the Jackets down on fourth down. However, the Panthers fumbled on the next play as Shaynadd Whitfield knocked the ball loose and the Jackets recovered.

Three plays later, Trequon Fegans, seeing some time at running back, carried it in from the 1. Fegans had four carries for 24 yards and, for the third time this year, had another punt return for a touchdown called back on a penalty.

Oxford drove it 62 yards on its next possession and Higgins connected with Bakari Dailey on a 36-yard touchdown pass. Higgins later found Rod Elston over the middle on a 16-yard pass for another score and the lead was 21-0 early in the second quarter.

Higgins got the next Jackets touchdown on a 48-yard run.

Elston intercepted a pass and ran it back 85 yards for another score. He appeared to be down at midfield in front of the Panthers bench, but somehow kept his balance and took it the rest of the way for a touchdown.

The final first half score came as Higgins carried it  in on a seven-yard run to cap an 80-yard drive in 8 plays.

 Higgins was not through, though, as he came out on the first possession of the second half and pitched an 18-yard scoring pass to Cameron Etheredge.

“It is always good to throw a touchdown pass to the coach’s son,” a grinning Higgins said after the game.

Higgins had a big night running and throwing the ball as he rushed for 110 yards and two scores on 10 carries and was 10 of 18 for 158 yards and three touchdowns passing. He accounted for five touchdowns and 268 yards of offense.

The Yellow Jackets had their biggest game of the year on the ground this year as they rushed for 283 yards.

“We have an offense that has lots of options and it takes a quarterback like Trey to make the right reads and take what the defense gives us,” Etheredge said. “Tonight it was the run and we ran it well with the line blocking great for us.”
 
The Jackets will be at home for the second time this season next week as they host 7A rival Gadsden City in a non-region game. The Titans were a big winner over Spain Park on Friday night, but the Jackets have four straight wins in the series.

“We are about right where we need to be at the midpoint of the season,” Etheredge said.”We are right in the thick of things and getting healthy. We had some bruises tonight, but everybody is doing OK.”

OXFORD 59, PELL CITY 20
Oxford                        14    27    12    6   – 59
Pell City                        0     0       6    14 –  20
O – Trequan Fegans 1 run (Nicolas Gutierrez kick), 6:28 1Q
O – Bakari Dailey 36 pass from Trey Higgins (Nicolas Gutierrez kick), 3:56 1Q
O – Rod Elston 16 pass from Trey Higgins, (Nicolas Gutierrez kick), 11:50 2Q
O –Trey Higgins 48 run (Nicolas Gutierrez kick), 9:12 2Q
O – Rod Elston 85 Interception Return (Nicolas Gutierrez kick), 5:58 2Q
O –Trey Higgins 7 run (kick failed), 0:25 2Q
O – Cameron Etherdge 18 pass from Trey Higgins (kick failed), 7:45 3Q
O – Josh Patton 26 run (kick failed), 2:51 3Q
PC – Quinton Hick 4 run (kick failed), 0:39 3Q
O – Sam Robertson 1 run (kick failed), 11:22 4Q
PC – Markise Bedford 6 pass from Baylor Smith (Saylor Richard kick), 4:22 4Q
PC – Caleb Grace 12 pass from Baylor Smith (Saylor Richard kick), 1:12 4Q

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