September 28, 2022 by Bill Howard, Correspondent, Farragut Press
When Farragut High School’s football team started 1-2 this year, it could have been argued the Admirals’ ship was adrift. Then again, the two losses were to state powers Knox West and Maryville.
Three games — and three wins — later, including a 58-14 thrashing of South-Doyle at Bill Clabo Field on Homecoming Night at FHS Friday, Sept. 23, the Blue and Gray is by any standard trending in the right direction.
The cumulative score of the last three games: Admirals 124, Opposition 27.
“We had to do it in all three phases,” FHS head coach Eddie Courtney said. “We challenged our offense to score and the defense to get turnovers … to get sacks and be aggressive. We gotta get a block and we did … we got a blocked kick.”
The blocked punt came with 1:31 left in the first period when linebacker Jay Smiley broke through and not only blocked the punt, but recovered it in the end zone. The score made it 21-0, and the Admirals would have all the points they’d need.
The first two scores came from a pair of first-quarter touchdown passes from quarterback Luke Johnson to receiver Ashton Auker. The first was for 16 yards with 4:43 left; the second for 35 yards with 2:33 remaining.
Johnson was eight of 11 passing for 148 yards and the two scores in limited action.
“They’re really good, well coached,” said Paul Shelton, S-D’s first-year head coach. “They did a good job up front. They’re just really good schematically … offensively, defensively.”
Farragut made it 28-0 early in the second when running back Elijah Gibbs went around right end for a 3-yard score. A pass-interference penalty on S-D gave the Admirals a first and goal on the Cherokees 2.
Gibbs scored three times while rushing for 124 yards on 15 carries, playing, like Johnson, less than a full game.
“Our offensive line did really good today,” Gibbs said. “The last couple of games we’ve been having a little bit of trouble. But I feel like it really showed up today.”
A 49-14 halftime lead led to a continuous clock run for the entire second half.
Backup running back Wyatt Drummy rushed 12 times for 87 yards and a score. Back-up quarterback Barrett Smith threw a touchdown pass, completing four-of-five passes.
Jack Alley had seven tackles, six solo, for FHS. Daniel Williams had three solo tackles and five total. The speedy, shifty Gary carried 26 times for 157 yards.
“You gotta want to win it,” Williams said. “We want to win; we want to stop them.”
The Admirals host rival Hardin Valley Academy (0-5) in a Region 2-6A match-up starting at 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 30.
A special thanks to Carlos Reveiz of CRFOTO for the action shots from the game. Be sure to check out CRFOTO.com every week for a full photo gallery from Friday’s game. See a photo you like? They are also available for purchase directly from his website. Click here for this week’s photos.
