PREP FOOTBALL: Fairview snaps skid, tightens series stranglehold vs. Broncos with 53-27 win

Published 12:50 am Saturday, September 27, 2014

Separated by just seven miles of country road, Fairview and Holly Pond are very familiar with each other.

The program have met on the gridiron every year since 1963— according to ahsfhs.org — and the matchup is considered one of the longest continuous rivalries in the area.

But it’s also a rivalry that’s beginning to get a little one-sided.

For the eighth straight year, Class 5A Fairview defeated 3A Holly Pond, this time by a 53-27 margin, in a non-region matchup Friday night at Oliver Woodard Stadium.

Fairview coach George Redding hasn’t lost to the Broncos (0-5) during his tenure at Fairview.

“It’s always good,” said Redding, whose Aggies snapped a three-game skid since winning the season opener and improved to 2-3 on the season. “You consider all of your county games rivalry games, and you want to try to win those. It’s not a hate relationship. It’s a just a good rivalry between two high schools in the county. We enjoy it.”

The Aggies enjoyed a 41-7 lead early in the fourth quarter before the starters departed, opening the door for a barrage of points from both teams in the final 7:33.

“The defense played extremely good in the first half, and I felt like our starters played really good all night defensively,” Redding said. “But offensively, we kept killing ourselves and not making some necessary plays and blocks to keep drives alive.”

Still, quarterback Hayden Maples and running back Austin Harris had big nights. Maples went a very efficient 17 of 22 for 172 yards and three touchdowns. Harris carried 21 times for 135 yards and two scores.

“Hayden’s come so far,” Redding said of his senior signal-caller. “He had a really good summer this year and prepared himself for this season. He’s continued to progress and get better every week.”

Harris, a junior, also made big plays on defense, including blocking a punt in the third quarter to set up a touchdown.

“He’s a total package kind of guy,” Redding said. “He’s got that worker’s mentality and comes to work every day. He’s the kind of guy you like.”

Fairview scored 41 unanswered points after falling behind 7-0. How the Broncos scored the opening touchdown was one for the books.

After Matt Doyle caught a short screen pass on the first play of the game from Michael Lambert, Doyle fumbled backward. That just happened to be where Caleb Jones was waiting, and the sophomore raced nearly 70 yards to the 2-yard line. Three plays later, Jones found paydirt up the middle.

Holly Pond would cross the 50-yard line only one more time in the first half, and Fairview took advantage with touchdowns late in the first quarter and midway through the second.

The Aggies’ first scoring drive covered 83 yards in 5:24 and ended with Maples’ 7-yard touchdown pass to Sambo Woods.

Maples’ second touchdown strike came on Fairview’s next possession, as he rifled a pass to Bailey Strong on a slant for a 10-yard score.

The 13-7 score held until halftime.

There was a scare midway through the third quarter, though, as Fairview’s Dalton Brown suffered what appeared to be a serious leg injury. Brown stayed on the turf for several minutes before being carted off the field.

“I don’t know a whole lot yet,” Redding said immediately after the game. “I know he sustained a lower leg injury. I’ll find out a little bit more later.

“One thing I do know, our guys came together. And our thoughts and prayers are with him right now, and that’s where my focus is right now.”

Harris scored his first touchdown on Fairview’s opening possession of the second half and, after he blocked a Broncos punt, Maples connected with Strong in the back of the end zone to give the Aggies a 27-7 advantage at the 5:21 mark of the third quarter.

Harris scored again with a 14-yard run later in the frame, and Ragen Ashley sprinted in for a 14-yard touchdown of his own on the Aggies’ ensuing possession.

The Broncos finally got going again on their next drive, getting a 10-yard touchdown from Jones. But Fairview responded quickly, as Logan Brooks went 57 yards on the Aggies’ first play of their next possession.

Holly Pond then got two straight scores, one on Lambert’s 32-yard pass to Tony Vasquez and another on an 85-yard jaunt by Jones.

Fairview capped the scoring with 32 seconds remaining, as Preston Moore danced his way through Holly Pond’s defense for a 57-yard touchdown.

The Aggies gained 342 yards on the ground and 514 total.

Jones led Holly Pond with 108 rushing yards on 10 carries and scored three touchdowns.