Week 4 Football Roundup: Fort Payne Tops Arab in 39-14 victory
By Cinthia Rico
FORT PAYNE – The Wildcats defeated Arab 39-14 behind quick-scoring drivers at Wildcat Stadium on Friday, improving to a 3-2 overall record for the season.
Fort Payne’s Dax Varnadore went 20 of 24 for 294 yards and two touchdowns. On the ground, Nolan Fowler ran for 71 yards, two touchdowns, and seven receptions.
Carter Blalock rushed 11 times for 32 yards and two touchdowns for the Wildcats. On defense, Fort Payne’s Carter Tinker finished with 13 tackles.
Fort Payne finished with 379 total yards, 294 passing, and 85 rushing.
The Wildcats forced Arab to turn the ball over on downs midway through the first period, then Brannon Oliver used the early stop to drive down the field, where quarterback Dax Varnadore connected with Nolan Fowler for a 4-yard touchdown pass to take a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter.
Arab responded with a 5-yard run from Logan Silva, and Aiden Wooten’s extra point tied the game at 7.
Fort Payne kept working as Varnadore hit wide receiver Nolan Fowler in the end zone with a 6-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, and the Wildcats took a 14-7 lead.
Continuing the momentum, Varnadore found Oliver for a 42-yard pass as Fort Payne made their way toward the end zone, putting another score on the board in the final minutes of the second period.
The Wildcats quick scoring drives helped build a 21-7 lead at halftime.
On a third and 11, Varnadore hit Fowler for a 21-yard pass, who ran it to around the 47-yard line, setting up the Wildcats next scoring drive.
Arab responded by cutting the lead to 28-14 with a 26-yard touchdown pass from Puccio to Dylan Kirkland.
On their next possession, Varnadore threw a 25-yard pass to Ryker Shankles as the Wildcats continued to cover ground for another scoring run, extending the lead to 28-14 before adding 10 more points in the fourth quarter for a 38-14 victory.
Fort Payne steps back into regional play this week as they travel to Huntsville to take on the Lee Huntsville Generals (3-2, 1-1) at Milton Frank Stadium.
Pisgah Spoils Sylvania’s Perfect Streak
By Cinthia Rico
SYLVANIA – Pisgah and Sylvania clashed on the field on Friday night as the two undefeated teams engaged in a fierce battle for dominance at Ram Stadium.
One of the most anticipated matchups of the season delivered a captivating performance to the mass of spectators as the Eagles spoiled Sylvania’s homecoming with a 40-34 triumph.
Running back Aiden Parham led the Rams with 42 carries for 277 yards and five touchdowns.
A 10-yard gain from Parham gave Sylvania a first-and-goal at the 11:17 mark of the second quarter, then he leaped for a 2-yard touchdown, giving them a 7-0 lead after the first quarter ended without a score. Andrade added a PAT.
A few seconds later, Pisgah responded with a 49-yard touchdown pass from Mason Holcomb to Luke Gilbert and a two-point conversion run from Gilbert to jump ahead 8-7.
Parham rushed for a first down at the 24, from where he ran up the middle for his second scoring run with 6:13 left in the frame.
Pisgah’s Caleb Jenkins returned the ensuing kick return to the 30 where the Eagles got to work. On a fourth down, Holcomb found Gilbert for a 42-yard touchdown pass tying the game at 14 before Legion McCrary ran for a two-point conversion as Pisgah reclaimed the lead 16-14.
Parham gave Sylvania a 21-16 lead with a touchdown run up the middle with just seconds remaining in the first half.
The second-half action was much the same, as the Eagles and Rams battled for dominance. Sylvania led midway through the third quarter, 28-16, before Pisgah overcame a 12-point second-half deficit to take the lead, then rallied once more over the final minutes to score the game-deciding touchdown with 43 seconds left to secure a 40-34 victory.
Holcomb connected with Jett Jeffery on a 60-yard touchdown pass. With 1:29 remaining in the third quarter, Landon Watkins ran for the two-point conversion, cutting Sylvania’s advantage to 28-24.
Pisgah’s onside kick, recovered by McCrary, led to a touchdown run by Gilbert, and a two-point conversion pass by Holcomb to Jeffery gave the Eagles a 32-28 lead.
Sylvania’s 11-play drive culminated in Parham’s 3-yard touchdown run with 3:31 remaining, putting the Rams ahead 34-32.
After Holcomb scrambled for four yards, Gilbert took a handoff from Holcomb and lofted a pass down the middle that Jakob Kirby dove to catch for 27 yards to the Sylvania 26-yard line.
Holcomb then hit McCrary for an 11-yard catch before scrambling for a 15-yard score with 1:24 remaining, but a penalty nullified the score.
The Eagles kept pushing as Holcomb hit Jeffery for 9 yards on the next play before connecting with Kirby for a 9-yard touchdown with 43 seconds left. Pisgah then took a 40-34 lead thanks to Gilbert’s two-point conversion.
Sylvania started its final drive at its own 40-yard line, but Holcomb intercepted a Rams pass to seal the Eagles’ victory.
With the win, the Eagles snapped Sylvania’s perfect run as the Rams slipped to a 4-1 overall record for the season.
Sylvania returns to Region 6 action on Thursday as they travel to Glencoe at Wilson-Darnell Field.
Collinsville Shutsout Gaston 47-0
By Cinthia Rico
COLLINSVILLE – The Collinsville Panthers shut out Gaston 47-0 at Cagle Civitan Stadium on Friday night.
Running back Quintavious Rogers scored four touchdowns in a first-quarter surge against Gaston, setting the pace for the Panthers.
Rogers fired off a 66-yard scoring run 10:37 into the game, adding a 61-yard touchdown less than two minutes later for a 13-0 lead.
A few plays later, Rogers added another touchdown from 4 yards out before closing the quarter with an 8-yard run. Luis Ailon had three successful PATs for a 27-0 advantage.
Collinsville continued its offensive efforts as Lucas McDaniel broke free for a 12-yard scoring run and Gavin Lang connected with Mason McAteer on a 39-yard touchdown pass in the second frame.
At the half, Collinsville held a 40-point lead.
The Panther defense gave up no room as they held Gaston scoreless for all four quarters.
McDaniel added his second scoring run of the night connecting with McAteer on an 11-yard touchdown pass midway through the third for Collinsville’s final score of the evening.
With the win, the Panthers improved to a 4-1 overall record in Class 2A and maintained a 2-1 Region 7 standing.
On the ground, Rogers had seven carries for 164 yards and four touchdowns, while also adding an int on defense.
In the air, Lang had five passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns, and McAteer was 6-of-8 for 165 yards and two touchdowns.
This week, Collinsville steps back into regional play as they host Fyffe (4-1, 3-0) at Cagle Civitan Stadium.
– Writers Note: Stats courtesy of John Morgan –
Fyffe Improves to 4-1 With Win Over Bears
By Cinthia Rico
FYFFE – Logan Anderson had four touchdowns, and the Red Devils defense held down Plainview on Friday night for a 49-14 win at Paul Benefield Stadium.
Anderson ran 23 times for 251 yards and executed two successful two-point conversions as Fyffe got its fourth straight victory heading into next Friday’s away game against Collinsville.
On the ground, freshman Ryder Gipson ran 13 times for 102 yards and a touchdown for the Red Devils, who finished with 369 total yards.
Plainview’s Owen Hope intercepted a Fyffe pass in the end zone, returning it to the 8-yard line and forcing a three-and-out in the game’s opening drive.
On Fyffe’s next possession, the Red Devils made their way up the field capped by an Anderson scoring run from 2 yards out.
Plainview’s junior Trey Rutledge punched in the Bears’ first scoring run from 1 yard out and Brayden Lingerfelt’s point-after kick gave Plainview a 7-6 second-quarter advantage.
Anderson added his second touchdown, rushing 39 yards to the end zone. The Bears blocked Anderson’s two-point conversion attempt, but Anderson hooked right a few plays later for a scoring run and a 2-point conversion, extending Fyffe’s lead to 20-7.
Blake Dobbins connected with Everett DeBoard for a 174-yard touchdown throw on the Red Devils’ final possession of the first half.
Fyffe led by 21 points at halftime after Anderson scored two points on the ground.
The Red Devils tallied 21 more points in the second half, with touchdowns from Anderson, Gipson, and Bryce Totherow, while kicker Jess Martin added multiple PATs.
The Bears’ second and final score of the evening came from an Owen Hope 60-yard kickoff return and a Lingerfelt PAT in the fourth quarter.
Plainview finished with 176 total yards on 45 plays and 166 rushing yards. Michael Lopez led the Bears on the ground, rushing 12 times for 50 yards, Gage Brown ran for 33 yards, and Kristopher Sandlin ran for 31 yards.
Both teams return to regional play this week. Fyffel (4-1, 3-0) travels to Collinsville to take on the Panthers (4-1, 3-0) at Cagle Civitan Stadium, while Plainview (2-3, 1-2) hosts Hokes Bluff (3-2, 2-1) at Plainview Stadium.
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