Concord Christian School captured its first-ever playoff victory Friday night with a 49-21 win over Fayette Academy at Farragut High School’s Bill Clabo Field.
It took just 10 seconds for the Lions to find the end zone on their opening possession. Freshman quarterback Dylan Brown connected with Dasani Moulden on an 80-yard touchdown pass to set the tone immediately.
Lions coach Steve Matthews said his team wanted to strike fast against an opponent making the long bus ride from Somerville in the Memphis area. Fayette Academy operates primarily out of a Wing-T offense, making early separation crucial.
“We knew that they had a long bus ride and we wanted to get them early,” Matthews said. “They’re also a Wing-T team, so we wanted to get a couple of touchdowns ahead of them, and we came out early and made a play over their heads.”
Concord capitalized on that opening strike by piling up 35 points in the first quarter alone. The team amassed 547 yards of total offense, splitting that production between 289 passing yards and 258 rushing yards.
Sophomore Maurice Smith contributed a pair of touchdown runs during the surge, scoring from 14 yards out before breaking free for a 79-yard scamper that pushed the lead to 21-0. Brown later added a 52-yard scoring strike to Andrew Lumsdaine, and Moulden rushed for a 20-yard touchdown.
Todd Lundy added a 16-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, and Brown threw a 5-yard scoring pass to Amar’e McKenzie. Fayette Academy managed two touchdowns before halftime, leaving Concord ahead 49-14 at the break.
The victory moves the Lions to an 8-3 record on the season. They advance to host Friendship Christian on Friday in a second-round playoff matchup at Farragut High School.
Matthews cautioned his roster about the challenge ahead. Concord defeated Halls during the regular season only to struggle the following week, a letdown the coaching staff hopes to avoid this time.
“We have some good young kids, but this is all new to them,” Matthews said. “I told them that it’s only going to get harder. Friendship Christian is a tradition-rich program, and they’ve been here before, and they’re coming in here expecting to win.”
