FPD makes case for playoff spot with closing victory

The biggest game of FPD's season came on the final night of the regular season.

And the Vikings took full advantage of the opportunity to possibly punch a ticket to the GHSA Class A private school playoffs, defeating Hancock Central 34-14.

"We didn't know if we would be in the playoffs or not," FPD senior Reggie Gantt said. "Since about four weeks ago, we have been playing every game like it was our last. We did what we needed to do. We deserve to be in the playoffs. We feel like we're a team now and not just individuals looking out for themselves."

FPD went into the contest holding onto the 16th and final playoff spot in the Class A private school power ratings and will have to wait until the final poll is released this week to see if they made it in.

Gantt didn't touch the ball often, but he made the most of those limited opportunities, taking a pitch on the second play of the game around the right end before cutting up field and rolling to a 61-yard touchdown.

And late in the second quarter, on the first play after the Vikings recovered a Hancock Central fumble, FPD quarterback Will McCormick connected with a wide-open Gantt for a 23-yard score to push the Vikings' lead to 20-0.

Hancock Central finally found the end zone, after a six-minute, 20-second drive ended with 18-yard touchdown pass from Brandon Sibert to D'monta Walls cut the FPD lead to 20-8.

But the Vikings responded with a lengthy drive of their own.

McCormick capped a Vikings drive that covered 3:51 with another touchdown strike to Gantt, this time on a 16-yard pass.

After a Shimu Bryant 3-yard scoring run pulled Hancock Central to within two scores, FPD answered yet again. With 4:28 left in the fourth quarter, Armaun Smith capped the scoring, hauling in a 12-yard scoring pass from McCormick.

McCormick completed 6-of-8 passes for 111 yards while also rushing for 122 yards on just 10 carries. Gantt was just as efficient, rolling up 101 yards on only four carries Dontrez Johnson added 78 yards on 15 carries.

"Our offensive line have been doing an insane job the last four weeks or so just dominating the line of scrimmage," McCormick said. "That is where the battle is won is in the trenches. I just can't say enough about the line. Our offense being able to score gives our defense a lot of confidence and gets the offense the ball back. Our defense has been playing really well, and they stopped a lot of Hancock's momentum."

This story was originally published November 6, 2015 at 10:40 PM with the headline "FPD makes case for playoff spot with closing victory ."