Led by Drummy on ground, stingy defense, Admirals dominant at HVA
October 26, 2023 by Bill Howard, Farragut Press
HARDIN VALLEY — Farragut High School’s football game at Hardin Valley Academy Friday night, Oct. 20, featured two teams each desperately needing a win.
The Hawks opened the season with three straight wins, only to drop the next five. The Admirals won their first two, but then lost six straight.
Senior running back Wyatt Drummy led a fierce Admiral rushing attack that stopped Farragut’s bleeding, at least for a game.
The workhorse Drummy carried the ball 25 times for 219 yards — many of those yards tough and grinding — and three touchdowns to lead the Admirals to a 27-3 Region 2-6A win. Now 1-3 in Region 2-6A (3-6 overall), FHS kept its faint playoff hopes alive.
Admirals head coach Eddie Courtney was proud of his squad’s perseverance during the losing streak.
“These guys have worked hard,” the coach said. “It’s been tough. They needed tonight. Just proud of them … their patience and coming out and executing like they did.”
The Admirals led 14-3 at the half behind a pair of touchdown runs by Drummy. The first came with 5:41 left in the first quarter and was set up by Landon Collins’ 36-yard punt return to the Hawks 14.
On the first play, Drummy plowed his way in, and FHS led 6-0. Ryan McCue then tacked on the conversion kick.
Then, with 9:47 left in the half, Drummy finished off a 60-yard, nine-play drive with a 1-yard plunge on first down. McCue’s conversion kick made it 14-0.
“I can always fall back on my team,” Drummy said when asked about putting the team on his shoulders. “(The O-line was) great up front. They did an amazing job.”
Courtney said of Drummy: “He’s done a good job. The offensive line gave him some holes tonight and he also stuck it in the ground.”
HVA’s lone points came with seconds left in the first half on Nathan Holbrook’s 21-yard field goal.
“Physically they beat us up,” Hawks head coach Jeff Miner said. “They ran the ball. We had a tough time protecting and throwing the ball and they made us one dimensional. They did a good job blocking.”
A turning point in the game came late in the third. The Hawks (3-6, 0-4) drove to FHS’s 28 where they had a fourth- and-6. An incomplete pass gave Farragut the ball, and it promptly capitalized.
On second down from the FHS 35, Kent Carbaugh ran 39 yards to the Hawks 26. Two plays later, Collins took the snap and ran it in from the 19. The 20-3 score with 1:23 left in the third put the game long out of reach.
Carbaugh had eight carries for 79 of Farragut’s 322 rushing yards. Neither team had noteworthy passing numbers.
Jack Alley, Admirals senior linebacker, had nine solo tackles, 13 total, including a tackle for loss. HVA had a mere 57 yards offense in the first half.
Farragut finishes the regular season Friday night, Oct. 28, at 2-6A foe Maryville.
The Hawks also finish in 2-6A, playing at Cleveland. A CHS Blue Raiders win eliminates FHS and puts Maryville in the playoffs, regardless of Friday’s outcome versus the Ads, as the No. 3 seed.