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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook running back Stuart Andrews (10) celebrates with Mountain Brook running back Jack King (17) after King scored for the Spartans in a game against Mortimer Jordan at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook running back Jack King (17) carries the ball to the end zone in a game against Mortimer Jordan at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) runs through a tackle attempt by Mortimer Jordan defensive lineman Jackson Gohn (44) in a game at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook defensive back Jack Currie (32) and linebacker William Grier McDuffie (10) tackle Mortimer Jordan running back Terence Gaines (5) in a game at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook running back Jack King (17) carries the ball into the end zone in a game against Mortimer Jordan at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook quarterback John Cooper (11) makes the handoff to running back Cole Gamble (19) in a game against Mortimer Jordan at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook defensive back Jack Currie (32) and linebacker William Grier McDuffie (10) tackle Mortimer Jordan running back Terence Gaines (5) in a game at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) carries the ball through the Mortimer Jordan defense in a game at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook wide receiver Clark Sanderson (21) catches a pass guarded by Mortimer Jordan defensive back Caleb Gosha (20) in a game at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook defensive back Tucker Crawford (29) recovers the ball in a game against Mortimer Jordan at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook quarterback John Cooper (11) throws a pass downfield in a game against Mortimer Jordan at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) carries the ball through the Mortimer Jordan defense into the end zone in a game at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook defensive back Jack Currie (32) tackles Mortimer Jordan running back Terence Gaines (5) in a game at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) returns the kickoff in a game against Mortimer Jordan at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) scores in a game against Mortimer Jordan at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook linebacker William Grier McDuffie (10) attempts to stop Mortimer Jordan quarterback Garrett Ames (7) on the run in a game at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook linebacker William Grier McDuffie (10) tracks Mortimer Jordan running back Terence Gaines (5) in a game at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook defensive lineman Frank Lee (90) in a game against Mortimer Jordan at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) carries the ball in a game against Mortimer Jordan at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook wide receiver Clark Sanderson (21) reacts after Cole Gamble (19) scored in a game against Mortimer Jordan at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook wide receiver Clark Sanderson (21) catches a pass guarded by Mortimer Jordan defensive back Caleb Gosha (20) in a game at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook quarterback John Cooper (11) catches the snap in a game against Mortimer Jordan at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook defensive back Clyde Beavers (20) and Mountain Brook linebacker William Grier McDuffie (10) tackle Mortimer Jordan running back Terence Gaines (5) in a game at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook quarterback John Cooper (11) looks to make a play in a game against Mortimer Jordan at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble (19) carries the ball in a game against Mortimer Jordan at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook defensive back Jack Currie (32) and Mountain Brook linebacker Miller Lee (35) tackle Mortimer Jordan running back Terence Gaines (5) in a game at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook linebacker William Grier McDuffie (10) tackles Mortimer Jordan running back Terence Gaines (5) in a game at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
The Mountain Brook student section cheers as the Spartans face Mortimer Jordan in a game at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook linebacker Drew Widener (22) intercepts a pass in a game against Mortimer Jordan at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Mountain Brook head coach Chris Yeager talks to Mountain Brook offensive lineman Rocco Gray (56) on the sideline in a game against Mortimer Jordan at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Homecoming at Mountain Brook High School at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Homecoming at Mountain Brook High School at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Homecoming at Mountain Brook High School at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Homecoming at Mountain Brook High School at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Homecoming at Mountain Brook High School at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Homecoming at Mountain Brook High School at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
The Mountain Brook student section cheers a student does 41 pushups following a touchdown against Mortimer Jordan in a game at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
MOUNTAIN BROOK – Clinching a first-round home playoff game was the furthest thing from Mountain Brook High School head coach Chris Yeager’s mind Friday night.
“I hadn’t thought a whole lot about that,” Yeager said, following his Spartans’ 54-14 blowout win over Class 6A, Region 5 foe Mortimer Jordan at Spartan Stadium.
The win locks up the No. 2 seed in the region for Mountain Brook, which improves to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the region.
But more than anything, Yeager wanted to see his team rebound from last week’s loss to Parker, which gave the Thundering Herd the region title.
“We were anxious to get back on the field [after last week],” Yeager said. “When you have a game like you did last week, you wish you had a game on Monday. It’s been a long week waiting for it to get back out here.”
It was worth the wait for the Spartans, who rolled up 501 total yards in a dominant effort on both sides of the ball.
Cole Gamble led the way per usual for the Mountain Brook rushing attack. He ran 16 times for 196 yards, with three rushing touchdowns. He added a fourth touchdown with a 97-yard kickoff return in the second quarter, after the Blue Devils got the on the board for the first time.
Mountain Brook broke the game open by scoring four touchdowns in the second quarter. The Spartans held a 7-0 advantage after a quarter, with Jack King’s 14-yard run accounting for the only points on the board. But Gamble scored on a 16-yard run and ran the kickoff back in the second quarter to make it 21-7.
Clark Sanderson took a pop pass from John Cooper 69 yards for a score, and King’s 3-yard run made it 35-7 at the break. The last touchdown came courtesy of a short field provided by Mountain Brook’s defense, which stopped Mortimer Jordan on fourth down deep in its own territory.
“I was hoping they would be put in that kind of situation, where they would have to rise up for the whole team,” Yeager said of the defense. “And they did. We needed to be in that situation. That was a big turning point in the game, big play by them.”
Mountain Brook’s defense forced three turnovers on the night. On the Blue Devils’ first drive, Harris Crumpton knocked the ball out and Tucker Crawford recovered. Drew Widener and William Grier McDuffie intercepted passes on the night as well. McDuffie also notched a sack in the game.
Yeager wanted to see consistency from his team, and that’s what he got in this one.
“We didn’t play bad against Parker,” he said. “We were just very inconsistent. Tonight, the challenge was to play consistent, solid football. Just do what we do and we did in a great way.”
King finished with 78 rushing yards and the two touchdowns, while Stuart Andrews scored a late touchdown on a 31-yard run. John Cooper didn’t have to do much, completing 5-of-7 passes for 159 yards. Sanderson was on the receiving end of four of those passes for 140 yards.
Yeager said the Mortimer Jordan combination of quarterback Garrett Ames and running back Terence Gaines was one of the best his team would see all season. The Spartans did a solid job of containing the passing attack, outside of a 44-yard touchdown from Ames to Sean Taylor in the second quarter.
Ames was 9-of-25 for 158 yards in the contest, throwing a touchdown and a pair of interceptions. Gaines busted a 73-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and finished with 210 yards on 24 carries.
Mountain Brook and Mortimer Jordan wrap up region play next Friday. The Spartans head to Gardendale, while the Blue Devils head home to take on Jackson-Olin.
“I can’t believe how fast this season has gone,” Yeager said. “I am excited about next week. I’m going to enjoy this one for a little bit. I’m excited to travel up to Gardendale and play.”
