WINNSBORO – What a difference a year makes. On Aug. 31 2012, the Griffins had the kind of miserable performance that haunts the dreams of a head coach, turning the ball over five times at Abbeville en route to a 30-7 beat-down. Friday night, the Griffins returned the favor, punishing the Panthers 42-6 at home.
“I feel better,” Griffins head coach Demetrius Davis said. “I don’t know if our defense could have played any better. We really held them to one of the lowest outputs they’ve had in a long time. Especially if you go back about 365 days.”
The Panthers were held to 160 yards on the ground and just 15 yards passing by the Griffin defense Friday night. The defense also forced Abbeville to put the ball on the ground seven times, taking two of those away – one for a score – while also picking off one Panther pass attempt.
The Griffins got to work early, taking the opening possession at their own 36 and, on a steady diet of Larry G. Bell, drove the ball to the Panthers’ 7 in just over three minutes. Joseph Young polished off the drive with a 7-yard run and Compton Walker booted his first of six extra points of the night to put Fairfield up 7-0.
Starting on their own 28 on their next possession, Griffin quarterback DeAndre Belton hit Javaris Cook with a 26-yard pass to get the drive cranking. Bell again carried most of the load, taking the Griffins to the Abbeville 33. From there, Belton guided a pass to the goal line where Tyren White found extra inches up his sleeves and made the extension for the touchdown grab.
“That was a big catch,” Davis said. “We saw something on film that we thought we could take advantage of and we worked it all week. (Belton) made the throw and it was almost a little too high, but Tyren made a great catch.”
Abbeville’s offense, meanwhile, sputtered. On the second snap of their ensuing possession, Panther quarterback Joseph Battle was smothered by the Griffin defense on his own 20. Battle coughed up the football and Larry J. Bell scooped it in his arms, dashing into the end zone to put the Griffins up 21-0 with 4:48 to go in the opening quarter.
The Panthers finally found a crease in the early goings of the second frame, driving from their 29 down to the Griffin 3 in 3:12. Abbeville running back Khalil Fuller worked the right side of the Griffin defensive front, taking it in from 3-yards out with 8:33 to go in the half. The Abbeville kick was no good and the Griffins’ lead was down to 21-6 at the break.
“They went unbalanced and made us go heavy to the right and they ran a power back out the back door,” Davis said. “They got us on that one. You know, it’s a chess match.”
The Griffin defense held the Panthers to a three-and-out on the opening possession of the third quarter, and Shadarius Hopkins returned the Abbeville punt from the Fairfield 32 down to the Panthers’ 15. From there it only took the Griffins five plays before Belton found Cook from 5-yards out for the touchdown. Walker’s kick made it 28-6 with 7:21 left in the third.
Javahnne Neal added a 24-yard run with 3:46 to go in the third, capping a drive that began on the Griffin 39, and Larry G. Bell tacked on a 14-yard run with 1:36 left in the third to round out the scoring parade for the night.
“Our offensive line played pretty good tonight. We were able to get in that pistol formation and pound the football, and that’s what we like to do,” Davis said. “Offensively, we executed better. We ran the ball better tonight. We didn’t turn the ball over. That’s a big stat.”
The Griffins now get ready for the Chester Cyclones, who come into Winnsboro Friday with a 1-2 record. The Cyclones fell to York in Week Zero, 19-7, and to South Pointe last week, 53-19. In between, they blasted Lewisville 41-8.
“Chester is pretty doggone good,” Davis said. “I think we’ll be able to pack this thing next week. I want a Newberry crowd next week. They’re big and they’re physical. They won their region last year and their whole team is basically back.”
Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.
FCHS: 21-0-21-0 — 42
AHS: 0-6-0-0 — 6
First Quarter
FC – Joe Young 7-run. Compton Walker kick. (8:43)
FC – DeAndre Belton 33 pass to Tyren White. C. Walker kick. (5:35)
FC – Larry J. Bell 20 fumble return. C. Walker kick. (4:48)
Second Quarter
AHS – Khalil Fuller 3-run. Kick failed. (8:33)
Third Quarter
FC – D. Belton 5-pass to Javaris Cook. C. Walker kick. (7:21)
FC – Javahnne Neal 24-run. C. Walker kick. (3:46)
FC – Larry G. Bell 14-run. C. Walker kick. (1:46)
AHS FCHS
First downs 10 9
Rushes/yards 43-160 37-198
Passing yards 15 79
C-A-Int-TD 2-7-1-0 6-15-0-2
Penalties/yards 7-75 7-55
Fumbles/lost 7-2 1-0
RUSHING: AHS – J. Battle 13-22, T. Morton 11-53, K. Fuller 9-59, S. Harris 4-5, D. Harris 6-21. FCHS – DeAndre Belton 8-47, Joe Young 5-18, Larry G. Bell 16-77, Javahnne Neal 4-23, Edward McDuffie 1-0, Byron Sampson 1-5, Shadarius Hopkins 1-27, Randanion Sampson 1-3.
PASSING: AHS – J. Battle2-7 1 INT 0TD 15 yds. FCHS – D. Belton 5-10 0 INT 2 TD 77 yds. Stanley McManus 1-5 0 INT 0 TD 2 yds.
RECEIVING: AHS – D. Harris 1-8, K. Fuller 1-7. FCHS – Javaris Cook 2-31, Tyren White 1-33, Tavarus Cook 1-6, Kewaun Squirewell 1-7, Jared Ashford 1-2.