Sipsey Valley Hands Oak Grove First Loss of Season

Week six of West Alabama high school football ended with a bang as the Sipsey Valley Bears upset the undefeated Oak Grove Tigers 21-14. The Bears sent their homecoming crowd happy.

Get our free mobile app

Sipsey Valley won the coin toss and deferred the ball. Oak Grove started with the ball and throughout the entire game, the team only ran the triple option. Later this became very effective but on the first drive, the Tigers went three and out.

Unlike the Tigers, the Bears started out strong in the game. After starting from its own 40-yard line, Sipsey Valley junior quarterback LJ Cormier threw a 44-yard bomb to Wyatt Bailey to open up the scoring.

Oak Grove responded with a touchdown drive of its own but by using a different method, the run game. The triple option decided to work and the Tigers offense went ten plays for 80 yards. The drive was capped off by a touchdown run by Jay Fuller to tie the game at seven.

Get our free mobile app

Sipsey Valley responded with an eight-play drive that was highlighted by the running of Ayden Abernathy and Cormier. Even though the run game was the catalyst, the passing game scored the touchdown. Cormier connected with Bailey for a long touchdown again. This time it was a 41-yard screen that Bailey took to the house to give Sipsey Valley the 14-7 advantage.

The teams exchanged three-and-outs so the game was still up for grabs while halftime was approaching. The Bears could have taken a commanding lead but it was the Tigers who tied the game back up at 14. Right before the half, starting at their own 41, the Tigers used the run game to go down 59 yards. The drive was capped off with a 24-yard run by Collin Pate.

Both defenses buckled down in the second half. Oak Grove started containing the scrambling of Cormier, while the Bears stacked the box to prevent the triple option.

The only points scored in the second half was a touchdown by Sipsey Valley early in the fourth quarter. The drive started at the Tiger 45-yard line after the Bears recovered a fumble by the defense. Cormier led a 45-yard drive that ended with a touchdown run by Abernathy from 14 yards out.

"I am glad homecoming is over, I love all the outside stuff but for a football team there are so many distractions," said Coach Joey Milligan of Sipsey Valley. "We did not practice very well on Tuesday and Wednesday but I am so proud of our team for overcoming that adversity and pulling out a win against a very tough team."

With this win, the Bears move to over .500 (3-2) but next week the team travels to Montevallo to take on the Bulldogs. As for Oak Grove, the team suffered its first loss of the season but look to get back to its winning ways by returning home to take on Haleyville.

Tide 100.9's high school football coverage is brought to you by Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers.