Another powerful FHS offensive effort; now 7-2
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Farragut seniors Daniel Williams (42), a linebacker, and Tyson Hunt, a defensive back, react as a Fulton Falcon ballcarrier flies through the air during this FHS Senior Night showdown at Eddie Courtney Stadium/Bill Clabo Field Friday, Oct. 21. Also Pink Out Night in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month (See photos and story on page 1A), the Admirals rolled to a 63-24 victory. - Photo courtesy of Carlos Reveiz/crfoto.com
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Among the Farragut seniors charging onto the field in preparation for the opening kickoff during FHS Senior Night/Pink Out Night Friday, Oct. 21, versus Fulton is Admiral Jackson Fisher, a free safety. - Photo courtesy of Carlos Reveiz/crfoto.com
When Fulton High School matched each of Farragut High School’s first two touchdowns Friday night, Oct. 21, at Eddie Courtney Stadium/Bill Clabo Field, it appeared the game might be a nailbiter.
It turned out to be a laugher.
Up 14-12 with 2:39 left in the first quarter on Senior Night/Pink Out Night, the Admirals roared away from the Falcons en route to a 63-24 win in a non-region game.
Farragut’s sixth straight win improved its record to 7-2 and set up a huge road clash against archrival Bearden Thursday night, Oct. 27, to battle for at least a share of the Region 2-6A championship. Opening kickoff is 7 p.m.
“I’m just proud of what these guys are doing,” Farragut head coach Eddie Courtney said. “Our receivers are doing real well. It all starts with the offensive line. Those guys have gotten better every game. Now we’re running the ball and we’ve got good pass protection.”
The Admirals needed all of 16 seconds to take a 7-0 lead when wide receiver Ashton Auker fielded the opening kickoff on the 10 and galloped 90 yards for the touchdown.
But the Falcons answered right back on their first possession when, on third-and-10 from their own 40, quarterback Marcellus Jackson found receiver Daveon Shenault wide open for a 60-yard score.
The blocked conversion kick left the score 7-6.
Farragut made it 14-6 on its next possession when quarterback Luke Johnson hit Hank DeVault for a 34-yard touchdown. The drive covered 97 yards in eight plays.
For the game, Johnson was eight-of-12 passing for 110 yards and three touchdowns — all in the first half.
Fulton again responded, making it 14-12 with 2:39 left in the first when Jackson finished a six-play, 80-yard drive with a 19-yard scramble for a score.
Then the back-and-forth scoring stopped. Four unanswered scores by the Ads made it 42-12 at halftime. The second-half clock ran continuously.
“Hoping for a good night offensively, and that’s what we had,” Johnson said. “Line’s doing their job, receivers catching balls, (running back) Elijah (Gibbs) is running hard. It’s a good offense.”
The final four touchdowns of the half came on two runs by Gibbs — of five and 57 yards — and two Johnson-to-Landis Davila touchdown passes.
The Johnson-Davila aerials covered 2 and 1 yards, the second coming with just three seconds left in the first half. Davila had five receptions for 34 yards.
Gibbs, a senior, carried seven times for 109 yards and the two scores — both in the first half. His performance put him over the 1,000-yard mark: 1,046 on 144 carries and 14 touchdowns through nine games.
“Shout out to my linemen,” Gibbs said. “It feels real good. I’ve been trying to do this (get 1,000 yards) my entire life.”
Barrett Smith took over for Johnson in the second half and threw two fourth-quarter touchdowns — to Chance Vann for 19 yards on the first play of the fourth quarter, then to Jordan Sheppard with less than a minute to play. Troy Lockhart ran for a 22-yard score in the third quarter.
Defensively, linebacker Jack Alley led the Ads with eight tackles, six solo. (See related story on the Farragut Football 75th Anniversary page (4B).
