Years of frustration against Golden Wildcats end with senior’s scoring run in the closing moments
By Jason Smith (Contact), Memphis Commercial Appeal
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Everyone in J.P. Freeman Stadium was standing Friday with 56.4 seconds remaining.
Just two yards stood between Fairley and the Melrose end zone, and the Bulldogs, trailing by five points, were in need of a touchdown if they were to knock off the Golden Wildcats for the first time since 1999.
Derrick Murrell scored Fairley’s first touchdown of the game Friday on a 31-yard reception. The Bulldogs went on to edge Melrose, 19-18.
Derrick Murrell scored Fairley’s first touchdown of the game Friday on a 31-yard reception. The Bulldogs went on to edge Melrose, 19-18.
“The label’s been on us that we win, but we can’t win big games,” Fairley coach Rahnmann Slocum said. “But this is just the beginning.”
Fairley senior Roregis Garrett’s 2-yard touchdown run with 53.1 seconds remaining earned Slocum’s Bulldogs a dramatic 19-18 victory before a raucous black-and-orange clad crowd at Freeman.
Garrett’s scoring run capped a 15-play, 75-yard drive in which the Bulldogs (7-2, 3-1 in Region 8-4A and ranked No. 9 in The Dandy Dozen) converted three times on third down before punching in the go-ahead score.
Fifth-ranked Melrose (5-3, 3-1) got the ball back with 44.5 seconds remaining, but had a 61-yard touchdown pass from Tromarcus Toney to Jordan Johnson negated by a holding penalty.
“We got our butts kicked. We were so undisciplined,” Melrose coach Hubbard Alexander said.
Fairley took a 13-12 lead on the second play of the fourth quarter, when senior quarterback Devin Stark dove into the end zone from a yard out to finish off a 68-yard Bulldog scoring drive.
But Fairley’s lead lasted all of 23 seconds, as Toney found senior receiver Darrell Washington on a short dump pass. The 6-0, 220-pound tight end then showed of his speed, racing 70 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown and an 18-13 Melrose lead.
Toney was 8-of-11 passing in the first half for 122 yards and two touchdowns. His first touchdown toss, a 40-yard bomb to Mike Porter, gave Melrose a 6-0 lead before the Golden Wildcats made it, 12-0, a possession later on Toney’s 38-yard scoring pass to Washington.
Fairley put together a 12-play, 77-yard drive on its next possession, but was stopped on fourth-and-2 at the Melrose 5-yard line.
The Bulldogs then forced Melrose to punt from its own end zone, and capitalized on the short field when Stark hit Derrick Murrell over the middle for a 31-yard touchdown reception to make it, 12-7.
Stark finished 11-of-20 passing for 168 yards and a touchdown. His counterpart, Toney, finished 13-of-23 for 234 yards and three touchdowns.
Former Olive Branch running back Eric Watson wore No. 28 for Melrose, but got just one carry in his first game as a Golden Wildcat. Senior Gabriel Nash led Melrose with 73 rushing yards on 17 carries.
REGION 8-4A
At J.P. Freeman
FAIRLEY 19, MELROSE 18
Melrose 12 0 0 6 — 18
Fairley 0 7 6 6 — 19
M — Darrell Washington 39 pass from Tromarcus Toney (kick blocked)
M — Mike Porter 40 pass from Tromarcus Toney (kick failed)
F — Derrick Murrell 31 pass from Devin Stark (kick failed)
F — Devin Stark 1 run (Roregis Garrett kick)
M — Darrell Washington 70 pass from Tromarcus Toney (run failed)
F — Roregis Garrett 2 run (run failed)
M F
First downs 8 10
Net yards rushing 80 98
Net yards passing 225 165
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Melrose, Gabriel Nash 16-80. Fairley, Artavious Gregory 10-40.
PASSING — Melrose, Tromarcus Toney 10-17-225-0. Fairley, Devin Stark 10-18-155-0.
RECEIVING — Melrose, Mike Porter 6-82, Darrell Washington 4-128. Fairley, Martavious Neloms 5-70, Derrick Murrell 4-80.
RECORDS — Melrose 5-3 (3-1, Region 8-4A), Fairley 7-2 (3-1, Region 8-4A).
Source: commercialappeal.com
