Turnovers would be gasoline on a fire Friday night, as the Hargrave Falcons burned through Livingston 76-22 on homecoming in Lion Stadium.
There was 8:16 remaining on the second-quarter clock when all doubt had been removed. The score was 35-0 and the Falcons had just scored three touchdowns in 56 seconds of play clock.
Three interceptions with two returned for touchdowns, a recovery on kickoff, and two fumbles kept the scoreboard lit like a pinball machine.
“We told them at halftime that they have to put it behind them,” Livingston coach Finis Vanover said. “They weren't ready for a team this good, but they (Hargrave) were ready. They are going to try to score 100 if they can. It isn't anything personal; it is what they do. When you are playing with the big boys with this high-powered stuff, that is what you're going to get if you don't make plays. We didn't make plays. We didn't deserve to win the first half, but we asked them to play the second half as a whole new ball game.”
Livingston broke into the scoring column with 59 seconds remaining in the third quarter, to make the score 63-8. The touchdown was the result of a 10-play drive that went 92 yards. It ended on a 5-yard pass from quarterback Damorian Hill to receiver Carson Pipes, who snagged the toss in the corner of the end zone. Hill then found Ja’tarius Randolph for the two-point conversion.
The senior quarterback also had a 2-yard run to score, and tailback Jerren James (16-91 rushing) ran in a two-point conversion.
“We found some spark and made some plays and started getting active,” Vanover said. “We started making some runs and some catches, we just made a ton of bonehead plays tonight.”
With 31 seconds remaining in the contest, backup quarterback Brayden Carr (13-116 rushing) ran the option, but pulled up to find an open Zayden Martin on a 22-yard strike for six more.
“That community was ready to put them (Hargrave coaches) all on notice that they were subject to being non-renewed this year if they didn't get it together,” Vanover said. “They didn't buy into that and didn't worry about it. They didn't worry about the toxicity and the naysayers. They coached and they kept coaching those kids the way they believe and the way those kids have been brought up playing for them. We have beaten the brakes off them the last few years at every level. They just kept doing what they were supposed to do and what they are coached to do. Just look at what has happened. They have taken over the whole region again. They really are good. We played a good half in the second half, but you can't spot those guys two scores, let alone five.”
Livingston has now played the top three teams in District 10-4A, and Vanover firmly believes that Hargrave is the best the grouping has to offer.
“I am disappointed on the loss. The first half was humiliating to everybody, and we didn't play. We didn't coach good, we didn't play good, and we were outmatched. We came back out and there wasn't any preaching or sermons or miracles. You just have to dig down deep and realize there's going to be hard times in your life that people are kicking your butt, and you have to be willing to fight your way out of it. They fought that half like it was a whole new game, and I am proud of them for it.”
