BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – After edging Center Point to collect their first class 5A playoff victory in school history last week, the Fairview Aggies drew the unbeaten, top-ranked Ramsay Rams at Legion Field in round two. Fairview tied things up with the Rams early in the opening quarter, but it was all Ramsay after that and the Aggies’ wound up falling 52-14, bringing their stellar season to an end at 10-2.
Fairview received the game’s opening kickoff but a fumble on the second play of the game gave the ball to Ramsay right out of the gate. The Aggies got the Rams into fourth and 10 but the Rams connected on a 25-yard touchdown pass to take a 7-0 lead just three minutes into the game. The Aggies responded on the ensuing possession, converting a third and long when quarterback Parker Martin hit Jameson Goble running down the seam for 37 yards to get Fairview down into the red zone. Martin converted a fourth and 5 and the 22-yard line to keep the drive alive and just a few plays later, Martin punched one in from 2 yards out to tie things up at 7 with just under four minutes to play in the first quarter.
Levi Garner and Bradley Smith combined on a sack to put the Rams behind the chains on their next possession and the Aggies were eventually able to force a punt. Fairview was forced to punt the ball right back to Ramsay and a 13-yard touchdown pass put the Rams back on top 14-7 early in the second. Ramsay forced another Aggies punt and took advantage with another touchdown pass through the air, this time from 38 yards out, and the extra point made it a 21-7 game midway through the second quarter.
Fairview was able to pick up some first downs and move the chains on its next possession, but a tipped ball was intercepted by the Rams and returned deep into Aggie territory. A few snaps later, a 5-yard scoring run stretched the lead to 27-7 with just over two minutes to play in the half. Neither team got on the board again in the second and Fairview went into the locker room trailing by 20 at the break.
Ramsay continued to add to its lead early in the third quarter, taking the opening kick of the second half and driving down the field for a 2-yard touchdown run to make it 34-7 early in the third. The Rams forced another Aggies punt and capitalized with another scoring drive. An 11-yard scoring run extended the lead to 40-7 midway through the third. A fumble on the ensuing kickoff gave the ball right back to Ramsay and the Rams tacked on a 7-yard touchdown run to make it a 46-7 game with less than three minutes to play in the quarter. Ramsay scooped up a Fairview fumble and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown on the ensuing drive to pull ahead 52-7 going into the final frame.
The Aggies managed to find the end zone again in the fourth quarter when Martin hit Goble over the middle for a 15-yard touchdown but it wasn’t enough to overcome the early lead and the Rams pulled away to win it 52-14, eliminating Fairview in the second round of the state playoffs.
Martin completed 10 of his 22 pass attempts for 85 yards, a touchdown and an interception in the loss. Eli Frost led the Aggies on the ground with 56 yards on nine carries, followed by Martin with 31 yards and a touchdown and Tyler Simmons with 18 yards. The loss brings a stellar 2020 season to and end for the Fairview Aggies with a record of 10-2.
Copyright 2020 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
