By Slade Gilmer for the FCT

A 19-play, 71-yard drive that spanned the end of the third quarter and almost the entire fourth helped secure a 14-7 second-round playoff win for defending 2A state champion Fyffe over Red Bay Nov. 13.

An overflow crowd at Fred Bostick Stadium saw a tight slugfest in the first half with no points and only four pass attempts (two by each team). But Fyffe was able to get the ground game working in the second half and kept Red Bay’s high-powered ground attack in check.

The Tigers first drive was promising. On third and 10 from his own 23, Troy Borden kept for 12, then Reed Holt scampered for 12 to the 47. Tate Ozbirn hit for six on third-and-three from the Red Devil 46, and a 13-yard gain on the next play pushed the ball to the Fyffe 27.

However, a pair of losses forced the Tigers back to the 35, and a 12-play drive that began with such promise ended with a punt to the Red Devil 9.

Red Bay’s next drive was a three-and-out and a punt back to the Red Devils, who moved to the Tiger 29. On third-and-five, the Tiger defense held and forced a fumble that was recovered by Andrew Ray at the Red Bay 43, sniffing out another possession. The two teams exchanged punts to send the game to the locker room at 0-0.

The Tigers’ first possession of the second half began with some promise. Borden hit Holt on a third-and-five pass for 10 to the Tiger 46, and it looked like Red Bay was on the attack. Unfortunately, two plays later, the Tigers fumbled, and Fyffe recovered at the Tiger 49.

From there, the Red Devil offense powered through nine straight carries to the Red Bay four. An offsides penalty moved the ball to the two, where the Red Devils plunged over for the touchdown, giving them a 7-0 lead.

Red Bay responded with a solid kick return by Jesus Kelly to the Tiger 42. A fourth-down pass from Borden to Nick Thorn pushed the ball to the Red Devil 40, and another pass to Thorn moved the ball to the 32. Borden got the first down on the next play, a two-yard scramble, but three plays later, the Tigers looked at fourth-and-nine from the 29. Borden found an open receiver in the end zone, but a slip at the last second caused the ball to fall incomplete and turn the ball over on downs.

The Red Devils then went on their methodical march to put the game away. They had a 14-0 lead with 1:58 remaining in the game.

Desperate, the Tigers answered with a final drive that put them on the scoreboard. Borden hit Holt for 13 to the Red Devil 44 and eight to the Fyffe 36. A run for 23 by Borden got the ball to the 13, and three plays later, Borden hit Holt for a four-yard touchdown. Abdul Muzayad’s extra-point made it 14-7 with 43 seconds left.

An onside kick was recovered by Fyffe, and two kneeldowns ended the game.

For the night, the Red Devils rushed for 207 yards on 54 carries, with 119 coming in the second half, and 220 yards for the night.

Red Bay was held to 83 yards rushing on 28 carries. Borden was seven-of-twelve passing for 62 yards and a touchdown.

The Tigers’ season ended at 11-1. Fyffe improved to 11-1 and advances to face Ranburne, which upset Class 2A’s top-ranked Tanner Rattlers 56-55 in double overtime.