By Tommy Shields/Sports Correspondent
Gaston dropped its seventh straight game last Friday (Oct. 12) as third-ranked Fyffe pounded the Bulldogs by a score of 40-20 in a Class 2A, Region 7 contest at Gaston.
The Red Devils (7-0, 5-0) started out hot and fast and never let their foot off the gas, scoring on their first three drives.
A Gaston fumble on the opening kickoff gave the Fyffe offense excellent field position. Three touches was all Randy Blackwell needed to punch in his first score of the night, putting the visitors up 7-0 in the opening minutes of the game.
The Red Devils lit the scoreboard up again following a short three-and-out series from the Bulldogs (0-7, 0-5).
The next Fyffe drive was just as brief, as wingback Stacy Bates took a sweep play 11 yards into the end zone to bumping the score to 14-0 at 7:43 in the first quarter.
Quarterback Cameron Gipson decided to get in on the action on the next Red Devil possession, lofting a 42-yard touchdown strike to Stacy Bates for his first of two passing TDs on the night and a 21-0 lead.
Another Gaston three-and-out led to a Fyffe score in the final minute of the first half.
With 37.6 seconds remaining, Blackwell went 74 yards for his second score of the night, giving the Red Devils enough breathing room to put in their second string defense.
“The kid is just an athlete,” said Fyffe head coach Paul Benefield of Blackwell. “It doesn’t matter whether he is on offense or defense – he just has a nose for the ball and knows what to do with it when he gets it.”
After the Dawgs were shut down on what looked like a Gaston scoring drive, the Red Devils wasted little time in traveling nearly the entire length of the field for their last score of the half, an 88-yard heave from Cameron Gipson to James Carroll that set the score at 34-0 at halftime.
The Red Devils fifth and final score of the game came on a 15-yard pick-six by Randy Blackwell, completing his trifecta of touchdowns.
With the scout team coming into relieve the Fyffe starters, the Dawgs finally put points on the board with Braxton Collins punching it in from seven yards out.
A failed two-point conversion attempt left the score 40-6 at the end of the third quarter.
After a successful onside kick left the bulldogs with great field position, Anthony Burns ran the ball in from two yards out.
After a failed onside kick the Red Devils gave the ball right back on a botched snap. Gaston took advantage of the turnover on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Douglas to Jackson Bogle in the final moments of the game.
Burns led Gaston on the ground with 152 yards on 28 carries. Collins added 50 yards on 11 attempts.
Jordan Douglas was 9-for-15 in passing for 84 yards. Destin Pollard had four receptions for 30 yards, while Jackson Bogle caught three passes for 52 yards.
For Fyffe, Gipson went 2-for-8 in passing for 129 yards and two touchdowns. Blackwell ended his night with 171 yards on seven carries with two rushing touchdowns and a defensive score.
The Bulldogs continue region play on Friday with a home game against Etowah County neighbor West End.