FAYETTEVILLE -- Offense was the name of the game Friday, and Fayetteville showed off more firepower than West Memphis could handle in a 67-36 win 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 rival Bentonville in a big way with quarterback Taylor Powell throwing a school-record tying seven touchdown passes and running for another. Receiver Garland Allison led the charge with 117 yards on five catches.
Fayetteville 67, West Memphis 36
How They Scored
West Memphis^36
Fayetteville^67
West^8^14^0^14^—^36
Fay^16^34^10^7^—^67
First Quarter
Fay — Savin 71 punt return (Rock run), 10:13.
West — Dean 13 run (Stinnett pass to Dudley), 5:49.
Fay — Allison 8 pass from Powell (Rock run), 4:46.
Second Quarter
Fay — Powell 1 run (Fagg kick), 11:57.
West — Dean 17 run (pass failed), 9:01.
Fay — Morris 34 pass from Powell (Fagg kick), 8:17.
Fay — Armstrong 16 pass from Powell (pass failed), 7:46.
West — Craig 36 pass from Pagan (Pagan pass to Dudley), 4:59.
Fay — Smith 15 pass from Powell (Fagg kick), 4:02.
Fay — Armstrong 5 pass from Powell (Fagg kick), 1:35.
Third Quarter
Fay — Morris 3 pass from Powell (Fagg kick), 9:43.
Fay — FG Fagg 33, 2:10.
Fourth Quarter
West — Thomas 20 run (Pagan pass to Craig), 9:46.
West — Edwards 25 punt block return (pass failed), 7:32.
Fay — Rock 30 pass from Powell (Fagg kick), 6:03.
For Fayetteville, the offense was in full clicking mode and it was a good thing as West Memphis (5-6) brought plenty of offense to the table as well. The Blue Devils used a strong balance of Devontae Dean running and big pass plays from quarterback Trevor Pagan stay within relative striking distance for much of the night.
In the end, though, Fayetteville had 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 Purple'Dogs would then score offensive TDs 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 three-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 one final Fayetteville score, his seventh touchdown pass of the night 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