Football Game Preview: Hillcrest Patriots vs. Oak Mountain Eagles + How To Watch

The Hillcrest Patriots will face off against the Oak Mountain Eagles at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Hillcrest has given up an average of 30 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Hillcrest is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Alabama's top teams: Prattville, who was ranked 15th at the time (Hillcrest was ranked 24th). The Patriots took a 38-31 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Lions on Friday. The Patriots have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Jordan Shambley, who threw for 210 yards and three TDs while completing 76.2% of his passes, and also rushed for 63 yards and one touchdown. Hillcrest's leading receiver Kahden Smith was Shambley's top target yet again, picking up 152 receiving yards and one score.

Hillcrest didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. In fact, those interceptions all came courtesy of defensive juggernaut Devon Jones. The game marked his first with multiple interceptions this season.

Meanwhile, Oak Mountain lost to Hewitt-Trussville at home by a 36-21 margin on Friday.

Like Hillcrest, Oak Mountain lost despite seeing results from several players. Kasen Lemons led the charge by picking up 156 receiving yards and one touchdown. Another player making a difference was Marty Myricks, who rushed for 84 yards and one TD.

Oak Mountain's defeat dropped their record down to 3-5. As for Hillcrest, their loss dropped their record down to 5-4.

Hillcrest strolled past Oak Mountain when the teams last played back in October of 2024 by a score of 50-36. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was the Eagles' Will O'Dell, who threw for 345 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 13.8 yards per attempt, and also rushed for 107 yards and a pair of scores on only 14 carries. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for the Patriots to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.