By Tabitha Evans Moore
EDITOR & PUBLISHER
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. — For the first time since the season opener, Moore County went into the locker room with a halftime lead Friday night, thanks to a birthday touchdown catch by Jose Garcia with 12 seconds left in the second quarter.
It didn’t last. Fayetteville City scored 22 points in the third quarter and 28 straight to finish, beating the Raiders 34-7 in a cold, windy and rainy 1A Region 5 game that most likely eliminated Moore County from playoff contention. The top four teams from each region get a shot at post-season play, and Moore County currently sits in fifth place in Region 5A with two games to go.
The loss drops the Raiders to 1-7 overall and 0-3 in the region.
Fayetteville’s first score came midway through the opening quarter. Tucker Smith made a touchdown-saving tackle on a run to the 20, but two plays later a Tiger running back went through a big hole for a 15-yard touchdown. The extra point was no good, leaving it 6-0.
Moore County answered with its first real chance. After a Fayetteville personal foul and a failed onside attempt gave the Raiders the ball at the Tiger 33, Smith lined up in the Wildcat and ran to the 18. Drew Hardison fell on a fumble to keep the drive alive, and Austin Scherff hit Kason Ferrara for a long completion on third down, but Scherff’s fourth-and-five pass to Smith at the 13 landed out of bounds, and the Tigers took over on downs.
From there, the Raider defense kept the Tigers’ passing game in check. In the second quarter, Deacon Liles dropped a ball carrier for a loss, and when Fayetteville reached the Moore County 16, a high snap sent the Tigers back to the 28. Three incompletions later, the Raiders took over on downs. Hardison then made a tackle in the backfield on the Tigers’ next series to force a three-and-out.
Moore County made the most of it. Starting at its own 32 with 1:16 left, Smith broke a tackle for six yards, and on fourth-and-four Scherff found Paxson Embrey for a first down with 27 seconds to play. On the next snap, Scherff connected with Garcia for a the touchdown, and Jax Ross’s extra point put the Raiders ahead 7-6 at the break.
It was the Raiders’ first halftime lead since their 27-7 win over Community on Aug. 21, and Garcia’s score came on a team that has struggled to finish drives all season.
Moore County got the ball first in the third quarter and drove from its own 47 to the Fayetteville 34 behind Hardison and Smith. Facing fourth-and-four, Smith carried, and the chains came out. He was short, and the Tigers took over on downs.
The game turned quickly after that. Fayetteville’s quarterback broke loose on a keeper to the three, where Embrey made a touchdown-saving tackle, but the Tigers scored on the next play and added a two-point conversion for a 14-7 lead. Fayetteville then recovered its own onside kick and scored on a long run on the very next play. Kason Ferrara broke up the two-point try, leaving it 20-7.
Penalties buried the Raiders’ next possession. After Westin Byrom returned the kickoff to the 40, back-to-back flags against Moore County, including an intentional grounding call paired with a personal foul that cost 25 yards and a down, left the Raiders facing third-and-50. Fayetteville took over and ran a misdirection play to the one before punching it in and converting another two-point try for a 28-7 lead.
The Raiders threatened once more early in the fourth quarter. Embrey caught a 17-yard pass, Scherff kept for a first down, and Aidan Moore made catches to get Moore County inside the 5. But on fourth-and-three, the Tigers intercepted the ball at the one.
Fayetteville added a final touchdown with 6:28 to play. The extra point was no good.
The Raiders have scored 13 points in their last three games.
Moore County returns home Friday, Oct. 23, to host Cornersville at 7 p.m., then closes the season Thursday, Oct. 29, at Richland in Lynnville.•
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