Welcome to the good life, Fayette County Tigers.

Fayette scored on five of its six possessions in the first half en route to pounding the McIntosh Chiefs 41-3 to win its first region title in, by some reports, around 50 years Friday at Tiger Stadium in Fayetteville.



The Tigers (9-0, 7-0 in Region 2-AAAA) are now one victory away from completing an undefeated regular season. They play at Starr’s Mill, which is 4-0 at home this season, next week.

Last season the Tigers finished 2-8. With one week left in the regular season, the Tigers have already clinched the region championship and are 9-0 for the first time since 1980.

What a difference a year makes.

"I'm just happy for these kids, this school and this program," Fayette coach Tommy Webb said. "I say it every day: I give thanks to these kids because they're wonderful kids, we have a great school, we have a great community.[The kids] deserve [winning the region title], and I'm proud of them."

Fayette essentially wrapped up the region title in the first quarter, jumping out to a 14-0 lead on 9- and 25-yard touchdowns runs by Cecil Level and Matt Daniels (10 carries, 93 yards), respectively.

Fayette’s offensive juggernaut — it entered the game as the region’s highest-scoring team — continued to pile on the points, scoring two touchdowns in the second quarter and one each in the third and fourth quarters.

Tigers running back Tim Pettaway, who had five carries for a season-high 128 yards, scored on two long runs — a 70-yarder in the second quarter and a 45-yarder in the third quarter.

Pettaway took the ball on a toss sweep off right tackle and and cut back across the field, outrunning almost the entire McIntosh defense on his first touchdown run. He lost the ball on the run, picked it up off the bounce and raced down the left sideline on his second touchdown run.

Senior quarterback Brandon Boykin (4-of-8, 70 yards) hit Cuincy Carruthers in stride on a crossing route for an 18-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

Boykin has played an integral role in Fayette’s amazing turnaround, directing Fayette’s explosive offense and shutting down his side of the field from his cornerback spot.

“This feels great,” Boykin said. “Last year at this time, we were just looking for our second win. This senior class came together and told ourselves that we didn’t want this season to go down like it did last season. We just came out here, fought hard and everybody came together as a team.”

Fayette’s Andrew Prosser, son of former McIntosh head coach and current Fayette assistant coach Butch Prosser, completed the scoring with a 3-yard touchdown run on a quarterback keeper in the fourth quarter.

Fayette’s “Black and Gold Swarm” defense, led by linebackers Darrin Fields (13 total tackles, including three for loss), Devontae Partridge (13 total tackles, including one for loss) and Edward Bexley (eight total tackles), defensive end William Hood (four total tackles, two sacks), safety Daniels and cornerbacks Boykin and Carruthers, limited McIntosh (2-7, 1-6 in the region) to three points — a 26-yard field goal by Michael White in the second quarter.

Fayette was dominant on both sides of the ball; the Tigers held McIntosh to 70 yards of total offense (39 rushing, 31 passing), and they racked up 458 yards of total offense (371 rushing, 87 passing).

Queen’s “We Are the Champions” played over Tiger Stadium’s loudspeakers following what will go down as one of Fayette’s most memorable victories in school history. It was the perfect song for a perfect ending for the Tigers.

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