East Hall maintains pace in playoff race with red-hot offense

BLUE RIDGE -- Neither rain, snow or the Fannin County defense could cool off a red-hot East Hall offense on Friday night.<br /> <br /> And that Vikings attack dragged East Hall within one more win of its first playoff berth in nine years after pushing past Fannin County 38-20 in Blue Ridge.<br /> <br /> The Vikings (5-4, 3-2 Region 7-AAA) rushed for 427 yards, including 176 yards and two scores for Devin Watson and 174 and three touchdowns for Jacques Ashe, as East Hall jumped out to a 19-7 first half lead and maintained control -- despite a 79-yard kickoff return for the Rebels (4-5, 2-3) that threatened East Hall at 19-13 early in the second quarter.<br /> <br /> Watson and Ashe kept hitting for big plays to keep Fannin County at bay -- Watson rip[ping off a 64-yard run just before halftime for a 25-13 advantage.<br /> <br /> The Rebels' normally-potent offense got on track in the third quarter, as Brad Davis connected with Daniel Lange for a 46-yard score to pull within 25-20. But Ashe dented Fannin's momentum with his third score of the night, a 19-yard run that made it 32-20.<br /> <br /> Tyler Beaver did his best to carry the Rebels own ground attack and impressed, rushing for 161 yards -- but the Vikings held him out of the end zone and also allowed just five completions in 22 pass attempts from Davis.<br /> <br /> The weather more resembled the end of the season rather than the last day of October, as rain turned to snow flurries and whipped across the field throughout the second half -- though East Hall, and Watson, seemed not to notice, as the senior completed 8 of 15 passes for 105 yards and a score.<br /> <br /> Jiel Vargas also chipped in with 9 carries for 63 yards for East Hall.<br /> <br /> East Hall faces a key battle again next week when the Vikings tangle with Banks County in Rabbittown, knowing that a win would secure a postseason berth.<br /> <br /> Fannin County, meanwhile, will travel to face Franklin County next week.<br /> <br /> <b>SCORING SUMMARY</b><br /> <b>EAST HALL</b>....12...13....7....7 -- 38<br /> <b>FANNIN CO</b>.....7....6....7....0