Fairbanks’ Ryker Green (7) breaks through Triad’s defense en route to a touchdown Friday evening. Also pictured for FHS are Brogan Green (8) and Les Brandel (50). Pictured for Triad are Ty Thomas (72) and Hunter Thompson (24). Fairbanks won 41-7. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
After a “so-so” first half, the Fairbanks Panthers revved up their motor after the break in defeating Triad, 41-7, on Friday.
“We faced some adversity during the first half,” said FHS head coach Patrick Cotter. “We had some problems executing our offense.
“However, we rose up during the second half and played the way we should have.”
Fairbanks lost the ball on downs during its first possession of the night.
The Panther defense, though, limited the Cardinals on their first two series.
Triad punted on its first possession and then lost the ball on downs as the first quarter clock neared the five-minute mark.
FHS (5-2) took over on its own 37-yard-line when the Cardinals lost possession the second time.
It didn’t take the Panthers (who will host Mechanicsburg on Friday) long to score.
Riordin Stauffer picked up a hard-earned two yards on the first snap.
Ryker Green took the ensuing handoff and threaded his way through the Cardinal defense.
He didn’t stop running until he crossed the end line 61 yards later.
Cade Ziegler booted the extra point and with 4:10 left in the quarter, the Panthers held a 7-0 lead.
The Cardinals had success moving the pigskin as action moved into the second quarter.
Hayden Simpson, who unofficially gained 72 yards on 20 attempts, helped Triad burrow all the way down to the FHS seven-yard-line.
The Cardinals, however, later faced fourth-and-five from that spot.
An incomplete pass by Triad quarterback Derek Bails returned the ball to the Panthers.
Both squads traded three-and-outs over the next few minutes.
Fairbanks took over on its own 19 after a Triad punt.
Stauffer and Ryker Green helped move the ball to the FHS 33.
The Panthers later faced fourth-and-six and lined up in punt formation.
Fairbanks’ center, however, snapped the ball to Stauffer, who was the up back in the formation.
Stauffer rammed into the center of the line and picked up a critical first down.
FHS kept up its ground attack until it reached the Triad 42-yard-line.
Despite the ball movement, FHS later faced fourth-and-10.
The Panthers crossed up the Cardinal defense as quarterback AJ Landon went back to pass.
He lofted the ball high in the air.
Stauffer caught it over a Triad defender for a huge first down at the Cardinal 25.
Brogan Green racked up 11 more yards on successive carries.
Stauffer then finished the drive with a 14-yard TD run.
Ziegler’s conversion gave the Panthers a 14-0 spread with 42.7 ticks on the first-half clock.
The Cardinals had time for a handful of plays, but actually lost a yard as the timer hit zeros.
Fairbanks took the opening kickoff of the third quarter and needed just four plays to march 69 yards.
Stauffer capped the brief possession with a 30-yard scoring jaunt.
Ziegler’s extra point pushed FHS out to a 21-0 lead.
Triad (2-5) tallied its lone touchdown on its first possession of the quarter.
Simpson led the offensive charge and scored on a two-yard run.
Tyson Brown’s extra point cut the Cardinals’ deficit to 21-7.
The Panthers, however, wasted no time in getting back that touchdown.
Brogan Green scored on a 63-yard run just two snaps into FHS’ ensuing possession.
Ziegler was spot on with the extra point, stretching the Panthers’ margin to 28-7.
It was another three-and-out for the Cardinals (who will play at West Jefferson on Friday).
Fairbanks took over on its own 31.
Once again, the Panthers went right to work.
Stauffer broke quite a few tackles and powered his way to a 68-yard touchdown.
The snap on the extra point attempt was too high, but FHS now held a 34-7 lead.
The Cardinals lost the ball on downs and the Panthers fumbled the ball as the fourth quarter began.
Triad mounted a strong drive after the turnover.
Fairbanks’ Nick Rhea, though, intercepted a pass thrown by Bails.
Rhea returned the ball 35 yards to the Cardinal 49 as the clock neared the five-minute mark.
Ryker Green scored another TD, this time on a 21-yard run.
Ziegler’s PAT pushed Fairbanks’ margin to 41-7 with 4:12 left in the game.
Since the Panthers held a 30-plus point lead, the running clock rule was invoked.
Triad punted after three plays.
FHS took over with 1:08 on the timer and went into victory formation.
“Hats off to Fairbanks,” said Triad coach Dylan Wears. “They are a very good team.
“We’ve just got to tackle better and do a better job of executing our offense.”
The Panthers’ ground game was red-hot as they sliced through the Cardinal defense for 416 yards.
Stauffer carried the ball 11 times for 180 yards.
Brogan Green needed just eight attempts to tally 113 yards.
Ryker Green finished with 84 yards on four carries.