Matt Daniels is literally the king of Fayette County, and Tiger Stadium is his castle.

Daniels, on the same night he was named homecoming king, ran for four touchdowns to lead the ninth-ranked Fayette County Tigers to a 42-21 victory Friday over the Northgate Vikings at Tiger Stadium in Fayetteville.

The victory raised Fayette's overall record to 5-0 and Region 2-AAAA record to 3-0.

It was a memorable week for Daniels. The day before his four-touchdown performance, Daniels celebrated his 18th birthday.

“Everything feels real good,” said Daniels, who has scored 10 touchdowns this season. “No one is getting in my way. I feel unstoppable. The offensive line has been opening holes all season, and I just have been seeing the holes and running through them.”

Fayette, with help from Daniels (18 carries, 148 yards), jumped out to an early 14-0 lead, scoring on its first two possessions.

Lined up in shotgun formation on fourth-and-inches, quarterback Brandon Boykin (seven carries, 109 yards) took the snap and ran through a gaping hole on the right side and went untouched 45 yards to the end zone to put Fayette in front 7-0 with 7:55 left in the first quarter.

Daniels scored on a 9-yard run to complete a six-play, 66-yard drive on Fayette’s next series and give his team a two-touchdown lead.

Northgate responded with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Kase Cook to Jake Copeland, who made the catch over Boykin’s back.

Late in the second quarter, Boykin got the best of Cook, leaping to intercept a pass downfield.

Boykin’s interception led to an eight-play, 85-yard drive that concluded with Daniels taking an option pitch from Boykin and scoring on a 9-yard run to make it 21-7.

Daniels scored again on Fayette’s next possession, plowing up the middle on a 3-yard run.

Fayette’s offense didn’t let up in the second half, scoring on its first two possessions. As was the case in the first half, Fayette's speed, especially at the skill positions, and the blocking of its offensive linemen — center Trey Carter, right guards Josh Parker and William Stradford (they both split time at the position), left guard Ricky Ford, right tackle Marcel Pitts and left tackle Jervai McConico — and tight end Barack Little overwhelmed Northgate's defense.

The Tigers’ first drive of the second half ended with Daniels’ fourth touchdown of the night, a 1-yard run that capped an 11-play, 60-yard drive.

“We believe when [Daniels] touches the ball, he can score, whether it’s from 5 yards out or 50,” Fayette coach Tommy Webb said. “We know we can come back to that [giving him the ball] at any time.”

Northgate came right back and scored on a 16-yard run by Malcolm Poindexter to make it 35-14 with 11:15 remaining in the fourth quarter. But Fayette’s defense shut down Northgate the rest of the way. The Tigers' defense held Northgate to 164 yards of total offense.

Fayette backup quarterback Andrew Prosser (3-of-3, 60 yards) threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Terrow Davis with 8:28 left in the quarter to complete the blowout.

Webb has the hottest team in region — it currently sits atop the region standings — but he doesn’t believe it will become overconfident; the Tigers are taking a one-game-at-a-time approach.

“We’re just taking it one step at a time and playing the next game as it comes,” Webb said. “Our kids have prepared well each week and played well enough to win each week, so we’re excited for our team.”

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