Rebels: Fannin streak continues with Armuchee win
The Fannin County Rebels football team earned their eighth consecutive victory last Friday night, October 18, this one coming over the Armuchee Indians by a score of 56-6.
After Cannon Holloway returned the opening kickoff to the 42 yard line, the Rebels moved to within field goal range, but Matthew Ponton’s attempt hit the upright and bounced back into the end zone.
Noah Burnette, CJ Reece and Braden Taylor combined to stop the visitors cold at the 28 yard line on Fannin County’s home field, forcing the Indians to punt on their first possession.
Taylor returned the punt to the 34 yard line, and the first Fannin scoring drive began. Carson Callihan carried three times for 28 yards, and Taylor made a 15 yard catch. Callihan finished the drive, pounding the ball into the endzone from six yards out. Ponton added an extra point for a 7-0 Rebel lead halfway through the first quarter.
Reece recovered Ponton’s onside kickoff, and the Rebels marched down the field again. Running behind Callihan and Taylor and receptions of Lawson, Sullivan passes by Taylor, and Elijah Weaver, earned the Rebels another six points when Callihan crossed into the end zone from inches away. Ponton added an extra point to make the score 14-0.
Ponton kicked off through the end zone, and Fannin’s defense handed the visitors a three-and-out. A roughing the kicker penalty gave the Indians the ball back at the 30 yard line, but Born and Holsonback combined for the big stops that again stopped the Indians.
Fannin’s possession ended when a Sullivan to Weaver pass put six points on the Rebel side of the scoreboard. Ponton’s kick was true, and the first quarter ended with Fannin on top 21-0.
Bryson Cole and Holsonback stopped the Armuchee runner at the 33 yard line after the kickoff. The visitors inched down the field despite stops by Braxton Cheatham, Cooper Hilliard, Born, Scott Waldrep, Jacob Dye and Taylor. Waldrep rushed the quarterback causing an incomplete pass and forcing a turnover on downs at the 48 yard line.
On the next series, Weaver took over at quarterback, and the Rebels marched to finish the drive with another touchdown run by Callihan. Ponton added one more extra point to make the score 28-0 late in the second quarter.
Cole, Burnette, Conrad Head and Cheatham stepped up on the defensive side of the football, and the Indians were forced to punt again.
On the fourth play from scrimmage, Weaver hit Taylor with a touchdown pass and Ponton added another PAT to give the Rebels a 35-0 lead.
A personal foul on Armuchee put their offense at the 10 yard line after the kickoff, then a delay of game walked them back five more yards. Their progress ended quickly when Reece recovered a loose ball at the nine yard line. When Fannin’s offense took the field, Weaver ran the ball those nine yards for a touchdown. Ponton added another to make the score 42-0, which would hold up until halftime.
The Indians received the second half kickoff, but were immediately forced to punt. The kick was blocked and Holsonback took it the six yards into the end zone for the touchdown. Ponton added yet another extra point to make the score 49-0.
Armuchee then began their own scoring drive. Cole made a tackle to save a score, but Armuchee found their way into the end zone. Head managed to block the extra point to maintain Fannin’s lead at 49-6.
Wood returned the kickoff for the Rebels all the way to the Indian 33 yard line. This time the Rebels were forced to punt.
The Indians took over at the 20 yard line and managed a first down, but the Rebels eventually took over on downs. On the way down field, Armuchee was met by a Rebel defense led by Wood, Barron Davenport, Walker, Cole, Gavin Barnett and Liam Highly.
The Rebels began their final scoring drive on their next possession when R. Holloway ran the ball into the end zone from the two yard line. Ponton added the extra point making the score 56-6 to end the game.
The Rebels will travel to Christian Heritage High School to continue region play Friday, October 25.