By DRUW GIAMALVA, Editor
SAND ROCK — The Class 2A No. 1 Fyffe Red Devils kept their perfect season going on Thursday night as they defeated the Sand Rock Wildcats 54-0 in a Region 8 matchup at Russell Jacoway Stadium. The victory over the Wildcats would give Fyffe head coach Paul Benefield his 330th win as the head coach of the Red Devils and his 375th overall coaching victory.
“Our guys have worked hard all year long,” said Benefield. “You’ll see a lot of improvement out of everybody if we can just stay healthy.”
With the shutout win over the Wildcats, Fyffe improves to 7-0 overall and 5-0 in Region 8 play. Sand Rock fell to 3-4 overall and 2-3 in Region 8 play.
The Wildcats would start off the game on offense. The Red Devil defense would put a quick stop to Sand Rock’s first drive as Maddox Doss would produce an interception to put the Red Devils at the 3-yard line.
On the very next play, Fyffe running back Ryder Gipson would punch the ball in from 3-yards out to give Fyffe an early 6-0 lead. A good PAT by Jay Carter Lyles would give the Red Devils a 7-0 lead.
Sand Rock’s next possession would begin with quarterback Alec Ashley completing an 8-yard pass to Lathan Amos. Ashley and Amos would connect on a deep pass to get within scoring distance. The drive would stall out as the Fyffe defense would disrupt a pass and a reverse run before ending Sand Rock’s drive with a sack by senior Cooper Harrison.
The next Fyffe drive would start at the 25-yard line. The Red Devils would heavily rely on their run game as Gipson, Hayden Parker and Ian Patterson would combine for multiple first down runs. The drive would be capped off by a 6-yard run by Patterson to give the Red Devils a 14-0 lead over Sand Rock at the end of the first quarter.
After a three-and-out by Sand Rock, the Red Devils would score quickly as Parker would run for a long 44-yard rushing touchdown to put Fyffe up 21-0 over the Wildcats.
After another three-and-out by Sand Rock, the Wildcats would attempt a punt but a bad snap would allow Fyffe to take over at the 29-yard line. The Red Devils would take advantage on the very next play as Moss would launch a 29-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Lathum to put Fyffe up 28-0.
Lathum didn’t just make plays on offense as the very next Sand Rock drive would end with Lathum running back a 35-yard interception for a touchdown.
To cap off the first half, Fyffe’s Brody Freeman would run in a 7-yard score to give the Red Devils a 42-0 lead at halftime.
The Red Devils would start on offense to begin the second half. The Red Devils stayed with their impressive run game as Gipson opened up the drive with a long first down run. With the ball at the 13-yard line, Doss would cap off the drive with a rushing touchdown to put Fyffe ahead 48-0 on the Wildcats.
The final blow to Sand Rock would be another score by Parker who would rush for a 13-yard score to put away the Wildcats in a shutout 54-0 victory.
“We just gotta continue to prepare and get to work each week,” Benefield said.
The Red Devils will prepare for one of their biggest tests of the season as they host the Collinsville Panthers next week at Paul Benefield Stadium.
Fyffe senior Hunter Lathum catches a touchdown pass from quarterback Maddox Doss in the second quarter of Thursday’s 54-0 victory over Sand Rock. DRUW GIAMALVA l The Leader
