A fourth quarter gamble ended up being the difference Friday night between Fairview and Creek Wood as the Yellow Jackets won 13-7.
Fairview quarterback Mays McCoy found running back Layden Grant over the middle for a 31-yard touchdown. Fairview head coach Chris Hughes gave his offensive coordinator Michael Jackson all the credit for coming up with the play.
“I have to give credit to coach Michael Jackson, I didn’t come up with the play and he stole it from Gus Malzahn,” Hughes said. “We’ve run it four times in five years, and we’ve scored a touchdown every time. We pulled the trick play out and I hate that we had to do that, but we had to get this win.”
Don’t let Hughes fool you. His defense was a big part of the win for Fairview as well. Both defenses practiced the “bend but don’t break” mantra throughout the course of the evening. Both defenses also forced turnovers in the deep in their own territory with their backs against the wall.
Creek Wood’s first and only turnover of the game came with 6:20 left on the clock in the fourth quarter. A fumble gave away the Red Hawks’ first real scoring opportunity since the first half and returned the ball to Fairview at the Yellow Jackets’ 28-yard line.
Fairview’s only turnover came just minutes later as Creek Wood’s Alex Bradshaw climbed above everyone around him and came down with a one-handed interception in the end zone.
“The self-inflicted wounds have to stop if we’re going to be successful,” Creek Wood coach Houston Thiel said. “We did cut down on turnovers, but we turned the ball over in crucial situations.”
Neither team got off to a particularly fast start until Creek Wood’s Dada Sweatt found the end zone after a 20-yard scamper early in the second quarter. Sweatt would finish the night with 103 yards on 18 carries. He has rushed for over 100 yards in both contests this season.
Fairview’s offense took a little longer to find a rhythm. A Creek Wood helped them find it. The Yellow Jackets’ last drive of the first half should have ended with a punt near midfield but two costly Creek Wood penalties allowed Fairview to keep the drive going. Ultimately, Layden Grant finished off the drive with a 12-yard run breaking multiple tackles to get into the end zone.
The two teams would remain at a standstill until that trick play late in the fourth quarter. With a 13-7 deficit, Creek Wood took the kickoff and got good field position before turning the ball over on downs with just 12 seconds remaining.
“I saw last week it took Creek Wood one play on defense and one play on offense and they won,” Hughes said. “I didn’t want to take it to overtime. They had been there, we hadn’t. I told my guys we have to find a way to score. We fought tooth and nail, but Creek Wood is really good. That game could’ve gone either way.”
With the win, Fairview is now 1-1. The Yellow Jackets are scheduled to be on the road against Stewart County. Stewart County lost last Friday night to Gibson County 33-13. The Rebels will come into the game with an 0-2 record.
Creek Wood moves to 1-1 on the year after the loss. The Red Hawks are scheduled to host Marshall County next Friday. Marshall County is looking strong once again this year with a 2-0 record. The Tigers defeated Shelbyville 36-14 last Friday night.
“These kids are a resilient bunch,” Thiel said. “They’ll be here Monday, ready to go. Next week starts the region games so I know they’ll be ready to go.”
Fairview 13, Creek Wood 7
Scoring Summary
Second Quarter
CW – Dada Sweatt 20-yard rushing touchdown (11:20)
FV – Layden Grant 12-yard rushing touchdown (1:30)
Fourth Quarter
FV – Mays McCoy to Layden Grant 31-yard passing touchdown (1:45)
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