From STAFF REPORTS
Fort Payne benefited from two botched kick receptions that they turned into first half points as the Wildcats cruised to a 45-21 win Friday over Albertville.
The visiting Wildcats broke a four-game losing streak to improve to 3-6, 3-4 in the region. Albertville fell to 4-5, 2-5 in the region.
The Wildcats seized command of the game early with its first drive, as Elijah Boggs ran in the Wildcats first touchdown from four yards out. Adrian Vega’s point-after gave Fort Payne a 7-0 lead with 7:50 left in the first quarter.
Albertville’s second drive went backward to its own 40. But after the Aggies’ attempt at a fake punt failed, suddenly the Wildcats had a short field. It took them five plays to cash it in, as Lane Vinson connected on a 14-yard touchdown pass to Isaac Northcutt. Vega’s kick gave Fort Payne a 14-0 lead with 4:14 left in the first quarter.
The Aggies appeared to settle down on defense and forced a Wildcat punt in the second quarter. But after Albertville muffed the kick, it set Fort Payne up at the 19-yardline. Still, the Aggies held, forcing Vega to kick a 35-yard field goal. With 8:44 left in the first half, Fort Payne led 17-0.
But the Wildcats had another trick up their sleeves. On the ensuing kickoff, Fort Payne executed a shallow kick, and Albertville dropped the ball, again giving the Wildcats a short field at the Albertville 43. Three plays later, Elijah Boggs ran it in from 14 yards out. Vega’s PAT gave the visitors a 24-0 advantage with little more than eight minutes left in the first half.
The Aggies consumed the last three-and-a-half minutes of the first half to finally get on the scoreboard. Albertville drove from its own 13 using a mix of Eugensley Cerant runs and throws by C.J. Zuniga to drive down the field. Zuniga hit Ben Tamez twice for gains of 18 yards and Imani Techeria once for 14 yards, before finding Cam Bellinger on a 12-yard touchdown pass with six seconds left in the half. Christian Bravo’s PAT made the score 24-7 at the half, with the Aggies heading to the locker room with some optimism.
That seemingly evaporated when Fort Payne’s Eli Goggans fielded the second-half kickoff at the 14 and snaked 86 yards for a touchdown. Vega’s kick gave the Wildcats a 31-7 lead. Fort Payne scored on its next possession – a 10-play, 54-yard drive that consumed nearly five minutes of clock time. Kaiden Adams 1-yard touchdown run gave the Wildcats a commanding 38-7 lead after the point after, with 4:47 left in the third.
Albertville cobbled together an eight-play, 85-yard drive that draw closer, with Zuniga finding Ballinger for a 29-yard touchdown pass. Bravo’s kick made it 38-14 with 8:51 left in the game.
But Fort Payne wasn’t done. After recovering Albertville’s onsides kick attempt at its own 47, the Wildcats drove 53 yards on 10 plays, staying mostly on the ground. Jayden Sayre’s 16-yard touchdown pass from William Vinson extended the lead to 45-14, after a PAT by Emerson Cartes.
Albertville added another late touchdown with 1:34 left in the game. Zuniga again found Ballinger on a 30-yard touchdown pass. Bravo’s kick provided the final margin.
Albertville finishes the regular season next Friday at Guntersville, while Fort Payne hosts Florence.
