After two tough losses to Vidalia Heritage and Sherwood Christian, the David Emanuel Academy Eagles bounced back in a big way Friday night with a dominant 58-20 road win over the Fullington Academy Trojans in Pinehurst.
The game began with a slow start for DEA, as the Eagles went four-and-out on their opening possession. Fullington capitalized on a roughing-the-passer penalty that extended their drive, finishing with a touchdown pass to take a 6-0 lead after a failed two-point try.
Momentum quickly shifted when junior linebacker Tucker Free made a spectacular one-handed interception and returned it 20 yards for the Eagles’ first score. Senior quarterback Richard Braddy then connected with sophomore Hudson Starley on the two-point conversion to put DEA ahead 8-6.
From there, the Eagles’ offense found its rhythm. Senior running back Revan Fortner broke loose for touchdown runs of 71 and 24 yards, and senior athlete John-Nathan Martin hauled in a 6-yard touchdown pass to give DEA a 28-14 lead at halftime.
After an extended break for Fullington’s Homecoming festivities, DEA picked up right where they left off. The Eagles scored four straight touchdowns in the third quarter—a 48-yard reception by Martin, a 1-yard run by Brody Fleming, a 17-yard reception by Starley, and a 14-yard run by Sailor Powell—to stretch their lead to 58-14. Fullington added a late score, but the outcome was never in doubt.
The Eagles’ defense was relentless all night, holding Fullington’s pass-heavy offense to under 200 yards through the air and forcing four turnovers.
Several Eagles earned postgame honors:
MVP: Senior athlete John-Nathan Martin
Offensive MVP: Senior running back Revan Fortner
Defensive MVPs: Sailor Powell, Tucker Free, Hudson Starley, Robert Reynolds, Ben Griner, and Hayden Powell
Lineman of the Game: Senior defensive lineman Jonah Boatright
Special Teams Player of the Game: Hayden Powell, with 9 kickoffs for 358 yards
Practice Player of the Week: Freshman RB/LB Ashton Brooks
With the win, DEA improved to 5-2 overall and 3-2 in region play, moving into fourth place. Fullington dropped to 3-4 (2-4 region).
Head coach TC Guyer praised his team’s response after back-to-back losses.
“Our guys had a great week of practice. We knew we had not played well the past two weeks and had some frustration to take out, and I think we did just that tonight,” Guyer said. “We came out slow, but were able to stay in the game and made plays to give us momentum, and just kept rolling. I’m pleased with our effort all across the board.”
Looking ahead to next week’s matchup, Guyer added:
“Coach Earl Ford has Westwood playing well, and they have some weapons. We’ll review the film and come up with a game plan to give our guys the best opportunity to succeed. You can’t take any weeks off in this region.”
The Eagles return home to “The Nest” on Friday, October 3, for Senior Night against the Westwood Wildcats (5-2, 2-2). Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m., with coverage available on the NFHS Network.
