Albany scores big homecoming victory
The Albany Lions survived a mistake-plagued first half Friday, Oct. 20, to roll to a 44-7 homecoming victory over the Roscoe Plowboys at Robert Nail Memorial Stadium and assume sole possession of first place in the District 6-2A Division II football standings.
The Lions (8-0 overall, 3-0 district) can clinch the No. 1 playoff seed and a share of the district title at 7:00 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, when they host Hamlin for Senior Night. Albany seniors will be introduced before the game.
Against Roscoe (6-2, 2-1) the Lions found themselves in a 7-7 tie with five seconds remaining in the first half. Zane Waggoner’s 28-yard field goal at the buzzer put Albany back in the lead and set the tone for a second half in which the Lions scored on their last five possessions.
Lions head coach Denney Faith said most of the problems – four turnovers, drives stalling because of penalties – were self-inflicted.
“We’d have a bad snap, a turnover, penalty, something,” he said. “I told the team at halftime that we were fortunate to be up even that much as bad as we played. I knew if we’d just eliminate the mistakes, we’d come out the second half and play really well.”
When it happened, it happened in a big way. Albany started the second half with a fifth turnover and a punt, but Waggoner dropped a 51-yarder that was killed inside the Roscoe 1-yard line. The swing in field position led to the Lions beginning their next drive in Roscoe territory and set up the string of closing scores.
Albany finished with 505 total yards as Adam Hill
See Foot ball, pg. 5B Donnie Lucas / Albany News
ALBANY OPPONENTS WEEK 9
Lubbock Trinity (7-1) beat Arlington Grace Prep 13-12.
Dublin (1-7) lost to Commanche 60-15.
Seymour (7-1) beat Haskell 41-13.
Hawley (6-2) beat Olney 51-7.
Comanche (4-4) beat Dublin 60-15.
Miles (6-2, 2-1) beat Abilene TLC 56-6.
Cross Plains (3-5, 1-2) beat Hamlin 28-6.
Roscoe (6-2, 2-1) lost to Albany 44-7.
Hamlin (5-3, 1-2) lost to Cross Plains 28-6.
Abilene TLC (1-7, 0-3) lost to Miles 56-6.
SCORING SUMMARY Albany – Chip Chambers passes to Cason Fairchild for 15-yard scoring play. Zane Waggoner’s kick is good. 1st qtr - 3:34 - 7-0 Roscoe – Seth Wilcox recovers a fumble on the Albany 32-yard line and returns it for a touchdown. Wilcox’s kick is good. 2nd qtr 2:35 - 7-7 Albany – A 28-yard field goal by Waggoner is good. 2nd qtr - 0:00 - 10-7 Albany – Chambers completes pass to Adam Hill for 15-yard scoring play. Waggoner kick good - 3rd qtr - 4:06 - 17-7 Albany – Hill scores on 58-yard rushing play. Waggoner’s kick is good. 3rd qtr - 2:13 - 24-7 Albany – Hill runs 51 yards for score. Waggoner kick good. 3rd qtr - 0:36 - 31-7 Albany – Cason Fairchild takes a reverse 49 yards to the goal line. Waggoner’s kick is good. 4th qtr - 10:37 - 37-7 Albany – Cason Fairchild scores on 22-yard pass from Chambers. Waggoner makes the PAT. 4th qtr - 1:53 - 44-7 and Cason Fairchild each scored three touchdowns.
“It looks like we didn’t play very well offensively, and we didn’t the first half, but we still had 500 yards of offense,” Faith said. “We were doing some good things; we just kept shooting ourselves in the foot.”
Hill rushed for 264 yards and two TDs, while Fairchild caught 11 passes for 115 yards and two TDs. ChipChamberscompleted 20 of a season-high 34 passes for 183 yards with three scores.
With Roscoe loading up to stop the run, Hill still managed 96 yards in the first half.
“At the same time, Roscoe was getting a little pressure when we’d drop back to pass,” Faith said. “We changed our protection a little bit in the second halftogiveChipmoretime, got the ball out quicker, and started working some quicker routes that helped us.”
Mostofthoseroutessaw Fairchild on the receiving end. The senior caught five passes in the third quarter.
“They were playing about 10 yards off of us, andwewerehittingtheunderneath routes all night,” Fairchild said. “We started throwing a lot. They took kids out of the box, and that opened things up for Adam.Thenwethrewover the top of them.”
Meanwhile, the Albany defense turned in another strong performance, holding Roscoe to 138 total yards. The Plowboys punted nine times, going three-and-out on seven of the possessions, and converted just one of 13 third downs. Roscoe’s average need to gain on third down was 9.07 yards.
“We played great the whole game, played fast and tackled well,” Faith said. “And you’ve got to tackle well against Roscoe. They’ve got a couple of kids who are fast and can do some good things.”
Tyler Chapman led the defense with 16 total tackles, while Jaxson Hoel (eight solo) and Wyatt Windham(sevensolo)were each in on 13 stops. Hill hadninetackleswiththree for loss, Parker Shelton had eight total and Waggoner seven in addition to blocking a punt for the second straight week.
Luke Marshall, who had five tackles and an interception, said it was a product of all the pieces working together.
“I think it’s how we’re prepared,” he said. “It goes back to watching film and knowing all their formations. We prepare in practice and the film room, so the execution is a lot easier when we put it all together, especially when we have everybody doing their jobs.”
Chambers and Fairchild connected for a 15yard score on Albany’s second possession with 3:34 to go in the first quarter. That was followed by an interception, a failed fourth-and-25, a muffed punt, and a lost fumble.
Roscoe’slonescorecame directly off the fumble, which Seth Wilcox scooped up and returned 32 yards with 2:35 left in the half. It was the first time a district opponent has tied Albany other than 0-0. The Lions still have not allowed an offensive score in district play.
But even the 12-play, 60-yard drive to Waggoner’s field goal contained a bit of frustration. On the play before the kick, Hill was wide open at the 2-yard line, only to trip and fall as Chambers’pass landed incomplete.
After Waggoner’s punt in the third quarter, the Lionsmoved45yardsinsix plays. Chambers checked down to Hill on the left side for 15-yard score with 4:06 to go in the third quarter.
That opened the floodgates for Albany, which added three touchdowns on its next seven plays in a span of 3:36. Hill scored on runs of 58 and 51 yards before the end of the period for a 31-7 lead. Fairchild raced 49 yards on a reverse with 10:37 left in the game.
Fairchild added the exclamation point with a 22-yard reception from Chambers with 1:53 to go.
Faith said that despite the sluggish start, the Lions will benefit from the outing.
“We faced some adversity, and our kids responded,” the coach said. “We’d been playing really well the last three or four games and really hadn’t put ourselves in a position where we had to fight. This time we had to overcome some things. We made a few minor adjustments at halftime, mostly mental stuff, and came out and played really well the second half.”
Facing Hamlin
Hamlin (5-3, 1-2) is coming off a 28-6 loss to Cross Plains. The Pied Pipers won five in a row after losing their season opener, but must win out to make the playoffs.
“Hamlin’s always been a rivalry game for us,” Faith said. “In the past, it’s been a game where you can throw records out the window. They’re going to be playing for their playoff lives.”
An Albany victory over the Pipers will all but set the district’s playoff field with a game remaining. The Lions would be the top seed with Friday’s game between Miles and Roscoe determining the next two spots. Cross Plains can clinch the fourth seed by beating Abilene TLCA.
“Everything is in our own hands,” Faith said. “That’sthewaywewantit.”
