Football Friday Night: Woodland thumps Fayetteville, local teams close in on playoff positions
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Woodland’s David Noles ran for 88 yards and four touchdowns on seven carries in Woodland’s 54-0 win over Fayetteville Friday.
Woodland head coach Kevin Smith is going to have to find someone who can cook a LOT of steaks.
The first-year coach made a promise to his team that if they scored 50 points AND pitched a shutout that he would treat the team to a steak dinner. After Woodland dominated Fayetteville 54-0 Friday, coach is going to have to pony up.
“They’re going to be expecting a dinner from me,” Smith said. “I’m on the hook.”
In a season where every Friday has seemingly brought a new share of struggles, that meal will taste sweet after a cathartic victory for the Bobcats
Woodland has been the victim of untimely mistakes, costly turnovers and some overall lack of continuity as it slogged its way to a 1-6 record entering Friday’s game. But it was clear from the outset that all of those things were going to go the Bobcats’ way in this one.
Fayetteville lost a fumble on its second play from scrimmage to set up Woodland’s first score, and the Bobcats capitalized on a penalty on a short punt moments later to take a 14-0 lead less than five minutes into the game. From then on Woodland never looked back.
The Bobcats built a lead of 42-0 by halftime and added two more third-quarter scores – despite a clock that was running throughout the second half – to get to that magic number of 50-plus.
Woodland did it on the ground mostly, with Garrett Hendrix getting his fourth straight game of 100-plus rushing yards and his second straight with multiple touchdowns. The sophomore running back carried 11 times for 167 yards and three touchdowns as Woodland ran for a season-high 385 yards as a team.
David Noles added 88 yards and four touchdowns on just seven carries, and it was his recovery of a fumbled snap that he picked up and ran 22 yards for the final Woodland touchdown on the last play of the third quarter that assured the Bobcats of a first-class meal courtesy of their coach.
Keyon Moultrie finished with 52 yards on four carries and scored the other Woodland touchdown, and Brayden Yates completed 4-of-6 passes for 82 yards on a night when seemingly everything went right for Woodland.
In all the Bobcats forced four turnovers on two fumbles and two interceptions. Tobin Pinkard created the first fumble that set up Woodland’s first touchdown, and Tripp Morin had a strip sack in the second quarter that set up a 52-yard Hendrix touchdown run.
Woodland got interceptions from Asa Burge and Christopher Butler, and the Bobcats did not commit a turnover in the game.
Woodland is now 2-6 on the year, but their playoff situation became murky when Donoho beat Victory Christian Friday night. Woodland is still alive for a playoff spot, but the Bobcats will have to win next Friday against Donoho and hope for some tiebreaker help that may leave the situation undecided until the season’s final week.
But those are concerns that Woodland will address in the coming days. For now coach Smith just needs to find out a good bulk price on steaks.
“That’s why I’ve got a good athletic club president,” Smith said.
Handley 48, Talladega 21
Handley secured a playoff spot for the seventh straight season with a 48-21 win over Talladega. The Tigers will play Booker T. Washington next Friday to determine if they will be the No. 3 or the No. 4 seed out of Class 4A, Region 3.
There were some surprise results elsewhere in Region 3 as Tallassee beat first-place St. James and Bullock Count knocked off second-place BTW. Those results mean that a Handley win next week gives Handley third place in the region. If Handley loses next week they would be the No. 4 seed and travel to Jackson.
Clay Central 46, Beauregard 22
The Vols beat the Hornets and earned their fifth straight region championship under head coach Danny Horn. Central is now 9-0 and one win away from its second straight 10-0 regular season. The Vols host Pell City next week before taking a week off prior to the first round of the playoffs.
RCHS 42, Childersburg 14
RCHS bounced back from a two-game losing streak to improve to 6-2 on the season with a 42-14 win over Childersburg. That victory, plus a BB Comer loss to Dadeville means that next week’s game between RCHS and Beulah in Wedowee will determine which team gets the No. 2 seed out of Class 3A, Region 4.
Loachapoka 49, Ranburne 14
Ranburne’s loss, plus Lanett’s loss to Horseshoe Bend sets up a winner-take-all game between Ranburn and Lanett next week in Lanett to determine which teams gets the No. 4 seed and advances to the playoffs and which team will be eliminated.
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