FOLEY – Jamal Woodyard scored six times and gained 376 rushing yards to lead the Fairhope Pirates to a 40-20 win over Foley in the Blue-Gold rivalry game on Friday.

Woodyard carried the ball 30 times for an average of just over 12.5 yards per carry as the Pirates improved to 3-0 overall and 2-0 in 6A, Region 2.

“It feels great,” Woodyard said. “We knew what we had to do tonight. Our coaches didn’t think they could beat us if we could come out and run the ball. That’s what we worked on all week and we came out and did it.”

Fairhope coach David Faulkner said he told Woodyard he was going to put the game on his shoulders in practice during the week.

“He had a great night,” Faulkner said. “He came out and did exactly what we asked him to do. He had a heck of a night.”

The teams traded blows in the first half, with Foley scoring the first punch on a 36-yard touchdown pass from Darius Powell to Tayler Bishop. Foley missed the extra point, but led 6-0.

Fairhope responded with an 11-play, 80-yard drive capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Woodyard.

The teams traded fumbles, then Foley scored after an 11-play, 65-yard drive that resulted in a six-yard score from Marcus Washington. The extra point was blocked, and Foley led 12-7.

Woodyard took Fairhope’s next offensive play 80 yards for a touchdown and the Pirates led 14-12.

After Foley botched an attempted punt inside its own 10, Fairhope recovered at the 1 and Woodyard scored two plays later.

Foley responded with a 40-yard touchdown run by Powell and Washington converted the two-point conversion from two yards out. The teams were tied at 20.

Woodyard took Fairhope’s next play from scrimmage 90 yards for a score. The Pirates led 27-20 at the half. Woodyard gained 239 yards and scored four times in the first half.

“Woodyard is a great back,” Foley head coach Todd Watson said. “I said at the beginning of the year that I thought he was one of the best in the state, and I still believe that.”

Watson said his team had chances to take control of the game in the first half, but it made too many mistakes.

“We botched every aspect of the kicking game,” Watson said. “You can’t do that against a good football team, and Fairhope is a good one with a good coaching staff. We played catch up in the second half and that is exactly what Fairhope set out to make us do.”

Fairhope scored on its second drive of the third quarter. The Pirates drove the ball 67 yards in 11 plays. Quarterback Daryl Norris hit Harvey Mitchell for three completions on the drive, and Woodyard capped it with a two-yard touchdown run.

Woodyard scored his sixth touchdown with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Pirates drove 83 yards in 12 plays and Woodyard scored from seven yards out.

“This was a great win for our team and a big win to put us at 2-0 in the region,” Faulkner said. “This puts us in a good position in the region early on. It was a good win over a quality Foley team, a very well coached Foley team. We feel really lucky to come out of here with a win.”

For Foley, Powell finished with five completions for 71 yards and a touchdown. He rushed 16 times for over 150 yards and a score. Marcus Washington carried the ball 14 times for 80 yards and a touchdown. Talented sophomore running back Kalif Koen rushed eight times for 46 yards in the first half, but left the game in the second quarter with an injury to his leg.

Foley (1-2, 1-1) will play at Robertsdale on Friday. Fairhope (3-0, 2-0) plays at Baldwin County.