Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PROCTORVILLE — The Waverly Tigers were missing their starting quarterback, so Payton Shoemaker stepped up.
The Waverly senior running back carried 41 times for 374 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-21 win over the Fairland Dragons on Friday.
Waverly (3-1) racked up 358 total yards but 347 were on the ground.
Fairland (2-2) had 300 total yards with 173 coming on the ground as Michael Stitt ran 21 times for 131 yards and a touchdown.
J.D. Brumfield added 43 yards on nine carries and two touchdowns.
Quarterback Max Ward hit 7-of-11 passes for 121 yards. Brennan West had three catches for 37 yards and Stitt had one catch for 59 yards.
Waverly went up 8-0 on a 5-yard run by Shoemaker with 1:03 left in the first quarter.
Fairland got within 8-7 on a 2-yard run by Brumfield and Emma Marshall’s conversion kick with 9:23 on the second quarter clock.
Waverly extended its lead to 15-7 when Mark Stulley recovered a fumble in the end zone two minutes later.
Stitt answered with a 74-yard touchdown run with 6:03 left in the half and it was 15-14.
But Shoemaker got free on a 56-yard run with five minutes left to make it 22-14.
The Dragons closed the gap to 22-21 at the half on a 23-yard scoring run by Brumfield.
Jaxson Poe tackled the quarterback in the end zone for a safety with 1:57 left in the third quarter and Waverly led 24-21.
The Tigers then put the game away as Shoemaker raced 76 yards for a touchdown with 10:10 left.
Fairland hosts Rock Hill next Friday.
Waverly 8 14 2 7 = 31
Fairland 0 21 0 0 = 21
First Quarter
Wa — Payton Shoemaker 5 run (Shoemaker run) 1:03
Second Quarter
Fa — J.D. Brumfield 2 run (Emma Marshall kick) 9:23
Wa — Mark Stulley fumble recovery in end zone (Greyson Diener kick) 7:03
Fa — Michael Stitt 74 run (Emma Marshall kick) 6:03
Wa — Payton Shoemaker 56 run (Greyson Diener kick) 5:00
Fa — J.D. Brumfield 23 run (Emma Marshall kick) 3:49
Third Quarter
Wa — Jaxson Poe safety 1:57
Fourth Quarter
Wa — Payton Shoemaker 76 run (Greyson Diener kick) 10:10
—————
Wa Fa
First downs 14 11
Rushes-yards 347 173
Passing yards 11 127
Total yards 358 300
Cmp-Att-Int 4-11-1 8-16-1
Fumbles-lost 2-2 3-3
Penalties-yards 6-54 8-55
Punts-average 3-32.0 3-32.7
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Individual Leaders
RUSHING —Waverly: Payton Shoemaker 41-374, Jaxson Poe 2-7, Wade Futhey 4-0; Fairland: Michael Stitt 21-131, J.D. Brumfield 9-43, Gavin Hunt 2-17, Tevin Taylor 2-14, Max Ward 4-minus 16, Zander Schmidt 7-minus 16.
PASSING — Waverly: Wade Futhey 4-9-0 11, Payton Shoemaker 0-2-1; Fairland: Max Ward 7-11-0 121, Zander Schmidt 1-5-1 6.
RECEIVING — Waverly: Mark Stulley 2-6, Will Futhey 2-5; Fairland: Brennan West 3-37, Gavin Hunter 3-24, Michael Stitt 1-59, Zander Schmidt 1-7.