By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PROCTORVILLE — The Fairland Dragons scored 9 touchdowns with quarterback Peyton Jackson throwing for 5 of them. But the most memorable score for the fans didn’t come on offense.

Trailing 47-14, the Trimble Tomcats ran an option play from their own 13-yard line. But the pitch from the quarterback was tipped into the air and grabbed by linebacker Ryan Dixon at the 8-yard line and he returned the fumble for the touchdown to highlight a 61-27 win on Friday.

Fairland (3-1) ran the ball 12 times for only 96 yards with 63 coming on a touchdown run by Lucas Bompus with 1:55 left in the game when the backups took over.

But Jackson did the major damage on offense for the Dragons as he completed 19-of-23 passes for 304 yards and the 5 TDs.

Brycen Hunt caught 3 passes for 70 yards and 2 touchdowns, Keegan Smith had 5 receptions for 78 yards and score and Jack Hayden grabbed 4 passes for 43 yards and a touchdown.

The Tomcats ran 46 times for 284 yards but were limited to just 33 yards passing. Xavier Cunningham ran 16 times for 62 yards and quarterback Chase Carr carried 12 times for 60 yards.

The Dragons jumped in front 7-0 on a 41-yard pass to Smith to open the game. A blocked punt gave the ball to Fairland at the 16 and Jackson connected with Hayden on first down for a 14-0 lead.

Trimble (1-2) put together an 80-yard, 13-play drive that ended on the first play of the second quarter when Cunningham ran 4 yards for the score and it was 14-6.

But the rest of the quarter was all Dragons as Hunt caught a 16-yard scoring pass, Hayden had a 3-yard TD run and Kam Kitts turned a quick screen pass into a 44-yard touchdown play and a 33-6 halftime lead.

The Tomcats went on a 62-yard, 9-play drive to start the second half capped by Max Frank’s 2-yard scoring plunge and it was 33-12.

A 47-yard pass from Jackson to Hunt got the ball to the 1-yard line when Kitts completed the drive and it was 40-12.

Trimble answered with a 66-yard, 11-play drive aided by a 15-yard penalty on a fourth down play to score on a 1-yard run by Carr with 1:51 left in the quarter and it was 40-19.

But the Dragons answered in just 3 plays with Hunt and Jackson teaming up on a 41-yard coach and run to make it 47-19 just 48 seconds later.

Dixon then got his touchdown with 8:58 left for a 54-19 lead and the backups took over the game from that point for both teams.

Fairland will host Rock Hill this Friday.

Trimble 0 6 13 8 = 27

Fairland 14 19 14 7 = 61

First Quarter

Fa — Keegan Smith 41 pass from Peyton Jackson (Aeden Miller kick) 9:32

Fa — Jack Hayden 16 pass from Peyton Jackson (Aeden Miller kick) 7:15

Second Quarter

GT — Xavier Cunningham 4 run (pass failed) 11:53

Fa — Brycen Hunt 16 pass from Peyton Jackson (kick blocked) 7:30

Fa — Jack Hayden 3 run (Aeden Miller kick) 8:48

Fa — Kam Kitts 44 pass from Peyton Jackson (kick failed) 1:49

Third Quarter

GT — Max Frank 13 run (run failed) 8:40

Fa — Kam Kitts 1 run (Aeden Miller kick) 6:39

GT — Chase Carr (Beau Burba kick) 1:51

Fa — Brycen Hunt 41 pass from Peyton Jackson (Aeden Miller kick) 1:03

Fourth Quarter

Fa — Ryan Dixon 8 fumble return (Aeden Miller kick) 8:58

GT — Mathew Mayer 3 run (pass good) 2:34

Fa — Lucas Bompus 63 run (Aeden Miller kick) 1:55

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GTFa

First downs 15 17

Rushes-yards 46-284 12-96

Passing yards 33 304

Total yards 317 400

Cmp-Att-Int 6-9-0 19-23-0

Fumbles-lost 1-1 1-1

Penalties-yards 4-25 3-37

Punts-average 3-23.7 0-00.0

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING–Trimble: Xavier Cunningham 16-62, Chase Carr 12-60, Chase Patton 7-65, Owen Sikorski 4-23, #25 2-6, #28 1-15, #6 1-6, #12 #18 1-15; Fairland: Kam Kitts 6-18, Peyton Jackson 5-15, Lucas Bompus 1-63 TD.

PASSING–Trimble: Chase Carr 6-9-0 33; Fairland: Peyton Jackson 19-23-0 304 5-TD.

RECEIVING–Trimble: Chayse Henry 2-17, Chase Patton 2-4, Braylon Shutts 1-5, Xavier Cunningham 0-4, Luke Osborne 1-5; Fairland: Brycen Hunt 3-70 2-TD, Kam Kitts 1-44 TD, Keegan Smith 5-78 TD, Jack Hayden 4-43 TD, Christian Collins 1-3, C.J. Graham 2-5, Will Davis 3-34.