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Gators knock off Faith in shoot-out
The huge region win could also be considered one of the biggest regular season wins for the school in the last 15 years as they knocked off the second ranked Mobile school. Clarke Prep came out of the gates charging as the defense forced Faith to punt on their first possession. The ball sailed over the punter's head and CPS took over at the Ram 8-yard line. Following a penalty, it took just one snap for the CPS to hit paydirt as Taylor Becton powered in from 4-yards out. A bad snap on the conversion attempt left the score at 6-0 with 10:18 left in the opening stanza. The defense again set the table for the Gator offense as Dillon Rowell recovered a Faith fumble at the Ram 20-yard line on the ensuing possession. Quarterback J.D. Powell called his own number on the third play to score on a 7-yard run. The try for two was no good, but the Gators had a 12-0 lead over a stunned Faith team with 7:20 to go in the first quarter. The Rams charged back when QB Raymond Cotton hit Warren Collier with a 21-yard TD pass less than two minutes later. Zach Binch's PAT was good as Faith cut into the lead 12-7 with 5:28 to go in the frame. Faith took advantage of a turnover to take the lead in the game. Following an interception and return, the Rams had the ball at the CPS 5-yard line. Two plays later Cotton scored on a 1-yard QB keeper. Binch made the kick and Faith had a 14-12 lead with 3:46 still to go in the first quarter. The Gators had the ball at midfield when they started their next scoring drive. Staying on the ground they marched through the Ram defense and Becton capped the drive with an 8-yard tacklebreaking run. He then ran in the 2-point conversion and the Gators had a 20-14 lead at the end of an offensive-led first quarter. Faith knotted the score on the ensuing possession as Cotton scored on a 52-yard run. The kick failed but the Rams tied the score at 20-20 with 10:08 to go before halftime. The Gators returned the favor on their next possession as Becton broke free through the middle and rambled 50-yards for the touchdown. On the play prior to the score Powell hit Chad Dickson for an acrobatic 34-yard gain. Hunter Mayton kicked the point after touchdown and Clarke Prep had a 27-20 lead with 7:52 left to play in the first half. It took all of one play for the Rams to jump right back into the fray as Cotton connected with Sidney Madise on a 50-yard scor- ing bomb. Binch added the PAT and the game was tied 27-27 with 7:35 left in the second quarter. Clarke Prep mounted another drive but a questionable fumble call at Faith 8-yard line ended the potential scoring drive. The defense forced a punt and the Gators got the ball back on their own 40-yard line. Powell tossed completions of 15- and 29-yards to Dickinson and a 12- yard pass to Tanner Tucker to put the ball at the Faith 10-yard line with :03 left before the half. Mayton came on and kicked a 27-yard field goal to give the Gators a 30-27 lead going into the break. Clarke Prep's defense set up their next score in the third quarter as Randy Nichols picked off one of Cotton's passes at the Faith 41-yard line. Bret Bradford found daylight five plays later and scored on a 30-yard sprint. A bad snap on the conversion left the score at 36-27 with 4:46 left in the third quarter. Following another Faith punt, the Gator offense again went to work. Starting at the Ram 33-yard line Clarke Prep moved closer to paydirt. Facing a third and 15, Powell connected with Taylor Becton for a 16-yard gain, setting up first and goal from the 5-yard line. One play later Becton scored to increase the lead. Mayton made the kick and the Gators had a 43- 27 lead with 11:25 left in the game. The CPS defense forced Faith to turn the ball over on downs once and then Becton intercepted a pass to end the next two possessions. Faith then began their furious rally as Cotton and Madise hooked up for a 26-yard touchdown. Cotton ran in the 2-point conversion to make it 43-35 with 2:43 left in the game. They got the ball back near midfield and moved down the field. With :04 seconds left Cotton's pass to KeAndre Niles in the endzone sailed over the receiver's head and the Gators held on to their 43-35 region win. Becton led all rushers with 130 yards on 22 carries and four touchdowns. Bradford added 70 yards on 11 carries and a TD. Powell was 8-of-15 passing for 143 yards. Dickinson caught four passes for 88 yards. Tucker hauled in three for 39 yards. Cotton was a one-man wrecking crew for Faith as he had 71 yards on eight carries with two scores and was 10-of-19 passing for 189 yards and three more TDs. The Gators (2-0, 1-0) likely will move up in the ranking this week after knocking off the second ranked team. They will get a chance to take a stranglehold on the region when they travel to Monroeville to take on the unbeaten Monroe Academy Volunteers (2-0, 1-0). The Vols beat Morgan Academy 23-0 last week.
Game time is 7 p.m.
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