Sixth-ranked Gainesville relied on defense and a big-play offense to overcome four turnovers -- including two fumbles inside their own 20 yard line -- in a 35-16 win over West Forsyth in Cumming.
"I'm just glad to get out of here with a win," Red Elephants coach Bruce Miller said. "We made some mistakes tonight, but we kept fighting and made some big plays when we needed it."
Gainesville (6-0, 2-0 Region 7B-AAA) is now the only undefeated team in 7-AAA after dealing the Wolverines (5-1, 1-1) their first loss of the season -- but it wasn't always pretty.
The Red Elephants played well early, especially on defense, as they limited West Forsyth to a field goal en route to a 21-3 halftime advantage. The final score of the half came courtesy a jaw-dropping 85-yard run from Gainesville quarterback Blake Sims, who burst through the line and angled toward the Red Elephant sideline -- before cutting back again and leaving three frustrated defenders in his wake.
Sims finished the game with 147 yards rushing and three touchdown runs. He also passed for 143 yards and a score.
The Red Elephants defense also excelled, sacking West Forsyth quarterback Lance Baker six times and limiting powerful Wolverines running back Ben Emert to 89 yards on 28 carries -- 3.1 yards per carry. Gainesville linebacker Phillip Gaines also picked off a West Forsyth pass early in the game, setting up the Red Elephants' second touchdown.
Despite the halftime score, turnovers allowed West Forsyth to hang around after the break, as the Wolverines pounced on three Red Elephants fumbles and scored off two.
Emert punished Gainesville's first turnover of the second half -- a muffed punt at the Red Elephants 19 -- scoring from a yard out with 5:46 left in the third quarter to pull West Forsyth within 21-9 after Gainesville blocked the PAT.
Yet the Wolverines weren't allowed to build on that momentum, as Sims hooked up with Teryan Rucker for a 65-yard touchdown pass on Gainesville's very next offensive play.
The score put the Red Elephants ahead 28-9 -- though Sims was shaken up on the play and had to limp off the field after receiving treatment. He returned on the Red Elephants' very next series, however.
"He's fine," Miller said.
Sims and Rucker couldn't pull off a big touchdown on their ensuing possession, fumbling a pitch in the Gainesville backfield that West Forsyth recovered at the Red Elephants 13.
The Wolverines again capitalized, with Emert plunging into the end zone from two yards after a short drive, pulling West Forsyth within 28-16 with 11:13 left in the game.
But again Gainesville nipped the Wolverines' budding momentum, marching 80 yards to put the game out of reach, 35-16, on a seven-yard scramble and score from Sims with 9:13 remaining.
"We big-played West Forsyth a couple of times," Miller said. "But they are a good team; I still can't believe their a second-year program."
Gainesville's offense had three plays of over 45 yards, including a 46-yard run from Devon Pierce -- who finished with 58 yards on six carries -- to set up Sims' final score. The Red Elephants finished with 396 yards of offense to West Forsyth's 246.
The Wolverines manufactured several drives but never got an easy score from a Red Elephant defense that hemmed in the West Forsyth run game and forced 21 pass attempts from the normally ground-heavy attack.
"Our defense made them work for eveything they got," Miller said. "We've got a bunch of kids on that unit that just want to play football.
"We've got to stop the turnovers though. That will kill you against good teams, and it almost hurt us tonight."
Gainesville plays host to East Hall next Friday at City Park. West Forsyth has a week off before playing host to Johnson on Oct. 17.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2008/10/213921