Staff Reports

FYFFE – Top-ranked Fyffe found itself in a battle against No. 8 Collinsville on Friday night and escaped with a 29-21 victory to clinch the Class 2A, Region 8 football title.

Ryder Gipson accounted for two scores for the Red Devils (8-0, 6-0). He put the Red Devils on the board with his 2-yard run in the first quarter, giving Fyffe a 6-0 lead.

Collinsville (6-2, 5-1) took the lead in the second quarter on Mason McAteer’s 30-yard touchdown pass to Noah Johnson. Uriel Cornejo’s extra point provided the Panthers a 7-6 advantage at halftime.

Gipson scored the lone touchdown in the third quarter on a 15-yard pass to Hunter Lathum. Maddox Doss ran in for the 2-point conversion to give Fyffe a 14-7 edge.

Collinsville tied the game at 14 on McAteer’s 1-yard run early in the fourth quarter. The Red Devils countered with Ian Patterson’s 8-yard touchdown run, followed by Hayden Parker’s 2-point conversion run to put Fyffe in front 22-14.

Doss later delivered a 13-yard touchdown run, Following the extra point, Fyffe had extended its lead to 29-14.

McAteer connected with Sylas Adams on a 30-yard touchdown connection for the Panthers’ final touchdown.

McAteer completed 23-of-30 pass attempts for 340 yards and two touchdowns. He also added another score on the ground.

Adams was McAteer’s top receiver with 12 catches for 153 yards and a score. Jeremiah Killian caught five passes for 85 yards. Johnson finished with four catches for 67 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 35 yards on just two carries with a score. Kyler Beene carried the ball 11 times for 43 yards for the Panthers.

Collinsville returns home to face Pisgah on Friday. Fyffe is at North Sand Mountain.