Story By Cinthia Rico
The Pisgah Eagles, Jackson County’s lone team to advance to the semifinal round, closed its outstanding 2022 season last week at Fyffe.
Achieving what no team had since the early 2000s, the Eagles fought their way to an 11-3 overall record, scoring 441 points this season and boasting a 2nd place Region 7 finish with a 6-1 record under the leadership of head coach Luke Pruitt.
Pruitt expressed pride in the players, coaching staff, and the program they continued to build on at Pisgah.
The Eagles fell against No. 1-ranked Fyffe 41-14 in the Class 2A State semifinals at Paul Benefield Stadium.
With the win, the Red Devils advanced to the Super 7 for the seventh time in nine seasons.
Fyffe (14-0) will pursue another state title as they take on No. 6 B.B. Comer (12-2) for a state championship at 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2, at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn.
Fyffe’s Blake Dobbins went 4 of 5 for 78 passing yards, including a 24-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Machen with 2:56 left of the first quarter and a 25-yard touchdown pass to Evan Chandler in the second frame.
Logan Anderson’s 27-yard reception set up the Red Devils’ next score. Brodie Hicks added their second touchdown of the night behind a 3-yard scoring run early in the second for a 13-0 lead.
Pisgah answered, rushing 73 yards capped by Mason Holcomb connecting with Luke Gilbert on a 47-yard touchdown along the right side, cutting the score 13-6 at the 4:19 mark of the second quarter. Anderson blocked the Eagles’ ensuing two-point conversion pass.
Anderson finished with 63 yards rushing on 13 carries and a 1-yard touchdown dive into the end zone with 21 seconds left till the half. Yahir Balcazar added his third point after kick of the night, extending the lead to 27-6.
The sophomore standout running back Anderson left the game early in the third quarter following a knee injury.
The start of the second half saw a struggle for dominance from both offenses and defensive sides as Pisgah attempted to recover some ground.
However, with only 23 seconds left of the third quarter, Hicks broke free for a 4-yard scoring run. Balcazar’s kick made it 34-6.
At the 8:45 mark, Ryder Gipson furthered Fyffe’s advantage, capping a 69-yard drive behind a 33-yard touchdown run. Balcazar’s final point after of the night made it 41-6.
Pisgah’s final push came with less than two minutes left of regulation when Holcomb found Gilbert for a 6-yard touchdown pass. Gilbert hit Grant Smith for a successful 2-point conversion pass for a 41-14 finish.
Fyffe rushed for 286 yards, paced by Hicks with 115 yards on 22 carries and two scoring runs. Ryder Gipson ran three times for 63 yards and a touchdown.
Holcomb went 19 of 30 passing for 218 yards, and two touchdowns for the Eagles. Gilbert finished with 11 receptions for 142 yards and two touchdowns.
Despite the loss, the Pisgah Eagles proved to be a top contender, raising the program’s bar to new heights.
