The Fairfield Eagles needed an interception returned for a touchdown in the final moments in Palestine and that propelled the Eagles to a win over the Wildcats and a 4-0 record heading into the first game of district play.
RUNNING DOWN HIS ATHENS OPPONENT is Fairfield Eagle #23 Jaise Oliver.
Fairfield will move into district 8-4A DII play next Friday night and will take on the unbeaten Lorena Leopards on the road. The Leopards dominated the Teague Lions 42-7 on Friday.
Palestine got on the board first with a 13-play drive that covered 90 yards. Mixing the run and the pass evenly, the Wildcats picked up a couple of first downs on the passing of Tyler Gray. On third down from the five-yard line, Jaylon Conley took the handoff and as he was diving across the goal line, he was hit, and the ball bounded into the end zone and was recovered by Wildcat receiver Marquis Thompson for the early touchdown. The point after was good and the Wildcats had a 7-0 lead.
That touchdown lead lasted until the midway point of the second quarter. Palestine was beginning a drive at their 18-yard line and Gray dropped back to pass and he was intercepted for the first time of four on the night. Kadarrius Walker intercepted the pass inside the Wildcat twenty. The first play was a straight handoff to Kam Ransom and he darted up the middle for the touchdown and the point after tied the game at 7-7 with 6:44 remaining in the half.
CELEBRATING A TOUCHDOWN by #5 Jarmychael Hudson against Athens are Ty Bachtel and Kam Ransom. (Photos by Melissa Lee)
Palestine had a couple of drives deep in Eagle territory that ended in turnovers on downs and interceptions. Fairfield had to travel the full length of the field and punted several times in the last moments of the first half and the first moments of the second half.
Fairfield did get the kicking game more involved and it put points on the board. Beginning at their own eight-yard line, the Eagles quarterback Blake Posey tossed a deep pass to Ransom and it completed a 57-yard play to the Palestine 17-yard line. The drive stalled, and Tyler Haynes came on and kicked a 21-yard field goal and the Eagles had their first lead of the game 10-7 with 6:57 remaining in the game.
Disaster struck the Wildcat offense on the next drive. Palestine started a drive at their own 36 yard line and got a quick first down on a pass interference penalty. On third and short, Gray dropped for a short pass and Jar-mychael Hudson stepped in front of the receiver and intercepted Gray for the fourth time in the game. He sprinted up the near sideline 61 for the clinching score of the night and put the Eagles ahead 17-7 with just under 4:53 remaining in the game.
Palestine did draw the game close with three minutes left. Gray and Thompson connected for a 49 yard catch and score and the Eagle lead narrowed to 17-14.
The Eagles ran out the majority of the clock but still had to punt with some time left. Palestine had to go 82 yards in the final minute, but three incomplete passes ended the night and the Eagles win the game 17-14.
Scott Batts reporting.
