A dominant fourth-quarter surge powered the Haleyville Lions to a 27-12 victory over the Oakman Wildcats on Friday night. The Lions’ record improves to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in Region play.
Backed by an explosive ground game and clutch late-game execution, the Lions broke a tight second-half deadlock to claim the win in front of their home crowd.
Haleyville wasted absolutely no time putting pressure on the visitors. After Oakman fumbled the opening kickoff, the Lions capitalized immediately. On just the second play of the drive, quarterback Ty Wilson connected with Pete Reynolds for a 33-yard touchdown pass only 32 seconds into the game. A missed extra point left the score at 6-0.
Oakman found its rhythm in the second quarter, leaning heavily on star back Ledger Martin. Martin capped off a 6-play, 55-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 6-6 heading into halftime.
The second half turned into a physical, back-and-forth battle. Haleyville regained the lead in the third quarter when Bryant Lay punched it in from 1 yard out, following a crucial Wildcats fumble deep in their own territory. Dawson Phillips tacked on the extra point to make it 13-6. Oakman answered right back before the end of the frame, with Martin breaking free for a 5-yard touchdown run to pull the Wildcats within one at 13-12.
The fourth quarter belonged entirely to Haleyville running back Brayden Hood. With the game on the line, the Lions leaned on their stellar rushing attack, which racked up 208 total yards on the night. Hood extended the lead early in the final period, converting a crucial 4th-and-2 situation into a 12-yard touchdown run.
Just five minutes later, Hood put the game out of reach entirely, exploding through the defense for a spectacular 53-yard touchdown run. Phillips remained perfect on his second-half kicks, sealing the final score at 27-12.
Hood finished the evening with a staggering 177 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries. Defensively, the Lions came up big when it mattered most, forcing multiple turnovers—including an interception and a fourth-down sack by Tyson Williams—to completely shut down Oakman’s offense in the final frame.
With the victory, the Lions celebrate a hard-fought home win built on defensive resilience and a relentless running game.
Tune in next Friday to 92.7 The Bee and our worldwide digital stream as the Lions travel to Danville. Airtime will be 6:45 pm.