Falcons Clinch Playoff Birth with 42-22 win Over Carter

Photos Courtesy of John Valentine

Scoreboard:

-------------1st---2nd---3rd---4th----TTL
FULTON--------14----7----21----0------42
CARTER--------0----10----6-----6------22

1ST
FUL--S.Allen 87 yd Kickoff Return (Kicked Failed)
FUL--Golliday 16 yd Run (Winters pass to Pitchford)
2ND
CAR--Troutman 1 yd Run (Combs PAT)
FUL--Golliday 13 yd Run (McKeehan PAT)
CAR--Combs 23 yd FG
3rd
FUL--Winters 5 yd Run (McKeehan PAT)
FUL--Golliday 24 yd Run (McKeehan PAT)
FUL--Winters 19 yd Pass to Pitchford (McKeehan PAT)
CAR--Troutman 1 yd Run (PAT blocked by J Mynatt)
4th
CAR--Kirkland 6 yd Pass to Troutman (2pt conv failed)


Special Teams Difference for Fulton 42-22: (KNS Coverage)

Disastrous special-team breakdowns by Carter High School opened the door for Fulton to get back on the winning track at home.

Fulton's Steven Allen returned the opening kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown and the playoff-bound Falcons - they missed out last season - rolled to a 42-22 District 3-AA victory over mistake-prone Carter on a chilly Friday night.

"I was glad to see our special teams finally show up tonight," Fulton coach Buck Coatney said. "We've been working on kickoff returns a lot the last three or four weeks. Tonight we actually did a good job on the wall and our backs ran where they were supposed to run."

Carter got burned again on special teams to start the second half. Josh Smith fumbled the kickoff and Fulton's Antonio Barfield recovered. Fulton quarterback Ben Winters plowed in from five yards on the next play and the Falcons led 28-10.

Fulton (6-3, 3-2 District 3-AA) won for just the second time in its last eight games at Bob Black Field and beat Carter (4-5, 2-3) for the seventh consecutive time. More importantly the Falcons moved into third place a half game ahead of idle Gibbs (5-3, 2-2).

"This secures us a first-round playoff game at home, if we win out," Coatney said.

Marco Golliday ran for three touchdowns and led the ground-oriented Falcons with 120 yards on 14 carries. Golliday, filling in at tailback for injured Dametrius Thomas (separated shoulder), scored on runs of 16, 13 and 24 yards.

"Marco is probably the fastest kid on our team," Coatney said. "He is probably our best defensive end. He has been very unselfish all year and he played great game."

Winters completed three of nine passes for 25 yards. His longest was a 19-yard TD toss to Micah Pitchford. They also combined for a 2-point conversion.

Most of the Hornets' success came on the ground. Dwayne Troutman was Carter's best with 132 yards on 30 tries. The quarterback scored on runs of one and two yards.

Troutman completed three of 11 passes and suffered three interceptions. The do-everything senior also lined up wide and caught two passes from Ryan Kirkland for 39 yards and a touchdown.

Five turnovers stymied Carter. Troutman's first pass was pilfered by Antonio Barfield and set up Golliday's first score. Bart Satterfield picked off Troutman's second pass.

The injury-riddled Falcons are off next week and that's important.

"The injury bug has bitten us pretty good," Coatney said. "How many did we have out? Ten. We'll be getting a few of them back."