No. 10 Good Hope Earns Hard Fought Region Victory Over Fayette County

FAYETTE, AL – The Class 4A No. 10 Good Hope Raiders secured a hard-fought 24-22 road victory against the Fayette County Tigers on Friday night. The win moves the Raiders to 7-1 on the season and 5-1 in Class 4A, Region 5. The Tigers drop to 6-3 overall and suffer their first region loss, falling to 5-1.

A Defensive Dominated First Half

The game started as a defensive battle. Fayette County opened with a promising drive, moving the ball to the Good Hope 15-yard line before the Raider defense forced a turnover on downs. Good Hope’s subsequent possession advanced to the Tigers’ 11-yard line, thanks to strong runs from Parker Johnson and Mason Drake, but also ended with a turnover on downs.

The second quarter saw the game’s first points. After a 47-yard pass kept a Fayette County drive alive, the Raider defense responded when Cody Stevens intercepted a pass at the 44-yard line. Though the offense couldn’t capitalize, the defense struck again. Mason Drake picked off a pass and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown, giving Good Hope a 6-0 lead with 8:14 left in the half.

Later in the quarter, Charlie Rutherford extended the Raiders’ lead with a 71-yard punt return for a touchdown, making the score 12-0. Fayette County answered just before halftime, scoring on a three-yard run and converting the two-point attempt to cut Good Hope’s lead to 12-8 at the break.

Second Half Scoring Flurry

Good Hope wasted no time adding to their lead in the third quarter. On the third play of the second half, Johnson connected with Rutherford on a screen pass, and Rutherford took it 81 yards for a touchdown, pushing the score to 18-8.

The Tigers quickly responded with a 29-yard rushing touchdown to make it 18-14. However, the Raiders answered back. Johnson broke free for a 20-yard 

touchdown run, extending the Good Hope lead to 24-14 with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Raiders Put The Game On Ice

The fourth quarter saw Fayette County close the gap with another rushing touchdown, bringing the score to 24-22. Both defenses tightened up, forcing a series of punts for much of the final period.

With the game on the line, Good Hope’s offense delivered a crucial play. Facing fourth-and-seven from their own 42-yard line, Johnson completed a nine-yard pass to Ayden Young for a first down. This allowed the Raiders to run more time off the clock before ultimately turning the ball over on downs. The Good Hope defense then sealed the win, stopping the Tigers on a final fourth-down attempt, allowing Johnson to take a knee and secure the victory.

Key Performances

Parker Johnson had a solid night for the Raiders, completing 10 of 14 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown while adding a 20-yard rushing score. Charlie Rutherford was a major contributor with five catches for 95 yards and a receiving touchdown, plus the 71-yard punt return for a score. Mason Drake and Cody Stevens each recorded an interception for the Good Hope defense.

Upcoming Matchups

The Good Hope Raiders (7-1, 5-1) will travel to Walker County to face the Dora Bulldogs (2-7, 2-4) to close out region play next Friday night. Fayette County (6-3, 5-1) will look to bounce back by welcoming the undefeated Hamilton Aggies (9-0, 6-0) to John Morgan Brown Stadium in a game with significant playoff implications.