GAINESVILLE, Ga. — The game day t-shirts for Thursday’s Gainesville-Moody (Ala.) matchup called it the Greatest Show In Town.
However, the Red Elephants were the only ones putting on a show at City Park Stadium. Gainesville, ranked No. 4 in Class 5A, dominated from the start, beating Moody, 49-7.
“They've been talking on social media all week,” Gainesville senior wide receiver Philip Williams said. “We just kind of put a chip on our shoulder. We worried about us and just came out and played well.”
The Blue Devils were ranked No. 1 in Class 5A in the Alabama Sports Writers Association preseason rankings, but they were no match for Gainesville, which scored on its first three possessions.
“They got a good team,” Gainesville coach Josh Niblett said. “They got some good players. They played for the state championship last year, and they expect to again this year. This was an opportunity for us to play good competition.”
It was an all-around statement game for the Gainesville offense and defense. The Red Elephants held Moody to 187 yards of offense while racking up 401 themselves.
“I thought we played fast tonight,” Niblett said. “I thought offensively, we executed well early on in the game to give ourselves a chance to stretch it out a little bit. Our kids stayed locked in and focused. Our defense got off the field on third downs and made plays.”
The Red Elephants started quickly, driving 69 yards in six plays. Kharim Hughley hit Colin Porterfield with an 18-yard touchdown pass with 6:58 left in the first quarter. Hughley was 12-of-16 for 196 yards and three touchdowns.
Gainesville’s defense was doing its part to fuel the fast start. Two consecutive three-and-outs led to two more GHS touchdowns.
The Red Elephants went to their bag of trick plays. Hughley handed off to Nigel Newkirk, who pitched the ball to Williams, who gave it back to Hughley. With the Moody defense chasing the Red Elephants’ two playmakers, Hughley calmly threw a 33-yard scoring pass to Cameron James for a 14-0 lead.
“We had Nigel get the ball and make it look like a run to bring the safety down,” Williams said. “He pitches it back to me, so it looks like a reverse, so then everyone closed up and I got it to Kharim, who hit Cameron for the score.”
Williams helped Gainesville to its third touchdown. The senior returned a punt 17 yards to put the Red Elephants deep in Moody territory. He capped the drive with a 7-yard touchdown reception. Williams finished with five catches for 81 yards.
Gainesville added to the lead with two scores in the last 4:18 of the half. Hughley scrambled for a 5-yard touchdown, and Newkirk raced 56 yards for a touchdown for a 35-0 halftime lead. He finished with 126 yards rushing for his second 100-yard game this season.
Newkirk added a 23-yard touchdown run in the second half, and Dwight Lewis, who ran for 55 yards, closed the scoring for the Red Elephants with a 7-yard run.
While the offense was scoring, the Red Elephants’ defense was stifling the Blue Devils. Cornerbacks Elijah Watson and Zachary Ingram had one interception each. Gainesville defensive lineman Jamarion Matthews and Kadin Fossung, along with linebackers Darryn Williams and Xavier Griffin, disrupted the Blue Devils all night.
While they played well on Thursday, the Red Elephants will not get complacent.
“Now we have to continue to find a way to get better every week,” Niblett said.
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