Head Coach Chad Spence's FCHS Varsity football team was given an unwelcome greeting by the Anna-Jonesboro Wildcats on the opening night of prep action, as A-J stormed out to a 28-0 lead at the end of the first quarter and cruised to the 34-7 win.
After forcing the Redbirds to punt on the game's initial possession, the Wildcats wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as Wildcat running back Dolton Baker took a pitch from quarterback Aaron Smithey and cut toward the sideline before stopping and firing a 45-yard touchdown pass to receiver Jaden Ayers. The two-point coversion run put A-J on top 8-0 at the 8:57 mark of the first quarter.
The 'Birds went three and out on the ensuing possession before punting from their own 9 yardline. Sophomore Nick Korolenko's punt was returned to inside the WF 25 yardline, leading to an eight yard TD run from A-J's #42 with 6:58 left in the first quarter. The PAT kick was good, pushing the Wildcat lead to 15-0.
The Wildcats tacked on three more additional scores in the first half, taking a commanding 34-0 lead into the halftime intermission.
Spence said he thought his team came out flat in the first half, a malaise that was compunded by an injury to senior captain and starting guard Miles Williams, before rebounding in the second.
"They played a lot harder than we did in the first half," Spence said of the Wildcates. "In the second half we played a lot better, a lot harder. We made a few adjustments, but the issue was really effort. We challenged our kids at halftime to play harder. We challenged them to win the second half, put the first half behind us."
The Redbirds showed signs of life in the second half when senior defensive end Kaleb Gardner pounced on a Wildcat fumble, putting FCHS in business near midfield at the 11:06 mark of the third.
Two plays later, junior quarterback Addison Eggertsen broke a 34-yard run through the heart of the A-J defense, setting up the 'Birds with a fresh set of downs at the Wildcat 11-yard line. After sophomore running back Gavin Restivo's 6-yard run up the gut, Eggertsen again called his own number, diving into the endzone from three yards out to give FCHS their only touchdown of the night. Restivo punched in the extra point kick to cut the A-J lead to 34-7.
