FAYETTEVILLE 67, WEST MEMPHIS 36
FAYETTEVILLE -- Offense was the name of the game Friday, and Fayetteville showed off more firepower than West Memphis could handle in a 67-36 victory against the Blue Devils in a Class 7A playoff game at Harmon Stadium.
The Bulldogs (9-2) bounced back from last week's loss to Bentonville in a big way with quarterback Taylor Powell tying a school record with seven touchdown passes and running for another. Receiver Garland Allison had 117 yards on five catches.
West Memphis (5-6) used a strong balance of Devontae Dean running and big pass plays by quarterback Trevor Pagan to stay within relative striking distance of their opponent for much of the night.
In the end, Fayetteville was too much to handle.
"We honestly felt we could move the football," West Memphis Coach Billy Elmore said. "Our issue, we knew, was going to be slowing them down and keeping up with the score. And that was our issue tonight.
"I mean, look at all their weapons. They have the best receivers by far we've seen this year. Obviously they have the best quarterback. And their offensive line is dominant. So we knew that they were offensive heavy. We felt like we could score on them, we just didn't know if we could keep up with them and we couldn't."
Joey Savin got Fayetteville going with a 71-yard punt return for a touchdown following the Blue Devils' first possession. The Bulldogs would then score offensive touchdowns on six of their next seven drives, with West Memphis fighting to hang close behind a balanced approach.
"Give West Memphis credit," Fayetteville Coach Daryl Patton said. "I thought they had a nice game plan and made us look bad on defense at times. Our defense did some good things at times, so I don't want to make it sound like it was all bad. But the offense played at such a high level, and when you have so many possibilities at the receiver and running back position, it makes it tough to stop."
Fayetteville enforced the mercy rule early in the third quarter, when Powell found Tyson Morris with a 3-yard touchdown pass for a 57-22 lead. But West Memphis would add scores on a Martavious Thomas 20-yard run and a blocked punt return to pull back within 60-36 with 7:32 left in the fourth.
Powell then returned to add a final Fayetteville score, his seventh touchdown pass of the game to Terrance Rock for the 67-36 final with 6:03 remaining.
"He was clicking," Patton said. "Just unbelievable and he's phenomenal and we're going to need him again next week."
Fayetteville visits 7A-Central No. 1 seed Bryant (9-1) next week in the 7A quarterfinal round.
Sports on 11/14/2015