BRYANT -- Senior quarterback Taylor Powell completed 17 of 29 passes for 212 yards and 3 touchdowns, and ran for two more scores, in Fayetteville's 43-10 Class 7A nonconference victory over Bryant on Friday night at Hornet Stadium.
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The defending state champion Bulldogs (2-0) stretched their winning streak to six in a rematch of last year's playoff quarterfinals -- a 30-24 Fayetteville road victory.
Fayetteville had a much easier time Friday night, scoring the game's final 23 points after Bryant (1-1) was within 20-10 early in the third quarter.
Powell, who has orally committed to Wake Forest, triggered the burst.
He ran 3 yards for a touchdown on fourth and goal to make it 26-10 with 7:26 remaining in the third quarter. The 12-play, 80-yard drive included a 9-yard scramble by Powell on third and 7 from the Fayetteville 34.
Fayetteville's lead grew to 33-10 when Powell threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Cody Gray, running a seam route, with 1:24 remaining in the third quarter.
It was the 75th career touchdown pass for Powell, who is approaching 7,000 career passing yards.
"He's created, probably, some unrealistic expectations for us," first-year Fayetteville Coach Bill Blankenship said. "We want him to be perfect. We want him to make every throw, and he makes most of them. But what I like is he holds himself to that high standard, too."
Powell put the game away on 1-yard run -- from a rare play under center -- with 11:35 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Senior Rugby Young completed the scoring on a 47-yard field goal with 9:22 remaining.
Fayetteville led 14-0 after one quarter and 20-7 at halftime on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Powell to senior wide receiver Barrett Banister with 1:18 remaining in the second quarter.
Powell also threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Brennon Lewis with 9:26 remaining in the first quarter. The touchdown came two plays after Fayetteville recovered a fumble at the Bryant 36.
Junior tailback Nate Nolen ran 5 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-0 with 3:24 left in the first quarter.
Senior tailback Jeremiah Long's 6-yard touchdown run pulled the Hornets within 14-7 at 7:40 of the second quarter.
After recovering a fumble at the Fayetteville 22 on the second-half kickoff, Bryant was within 20-10 on senior Hayden Ray's 35-yard field goal with 10:17 left in the third quarter.
Bryant didn't record a first down in the second half until early in the fourth quarter.
"They're just a better football team than we are right now," Bryant Coach Buck James said. "They're bigger, stronger and more experienced."
Fayetteville, which was without standout senior tailback Terrance Rock, finished with a 313-231 advantage in total yardage. Rock missed the game because of a "coach's decision," according to Blankenship.
Sports on 09/10/2016