Jon Mothershed scored two touchdowns in the second half on runs of 29 and 18 yards, and Jay Joiner added another TD on a 65-yard run as the AISA No. 6-ranked Faith Rams shut down the No. 8-ranked Fort Dale Eagles Friday night 27-12.

After losing an area game to Morgan in week four, Faith (5-1, 3-1) head coach Robby James knew his team couldn't afford another area loss and still have a chance of playing at home in the playoffs, and despite some key mistakes, including three fumbles, the Rams were able to hold the Eagles (5-2, 3-1) to only one first down in the second half and rack up 282 yards on the ground to keep their home-field advantage hopes alive.

&#8221At the half we were definitely in the game,“ said Eagle head coach James &#8221Speed“ Sampley, whose team trailed the Rams by only two points at the break. &#8221But we came out in the second half and caught the opening kickoff on a knee at the seven yard line and the rest of the game we never got across mid-field.“

Things looked good for the home-standing Eagles early in the first quarter when junior defensive back Mika Jones scooped up a Ram fumble and raced 43-yards for a touchdown. The Eagles' kicker was smothered on the PAT giving Fort Dale a 6-0 lead, but it would be short-lived as Faith QB Timothy Walker hooked up with Blake Walley on a 64-yard pass play for a touchdown. The PAT was good to put the Rams in front.

The Eagles answered when senior running back Tim James, who posted 142-yards on 22 carries, took the handoff from Eagles' QB Casey Weston on his own 30-yard line, swept right, then cut to the middle of the field and raced 70-yards for a TD. The two-point try failed, but the Eagles held a 12-7 lead. The Rams struck quickly again on their first play from scrimmage as Joiner bolted 65-yards to give the Rams the lead at the half.

&#8221This was the sloppiest game we've played all year, but our guys played hard and never quit,“ said Robby James, whose team tallied 11 penalties for 90 yards. &#8221We've got the makings of a good football team, we've just got to eliminate the mistakes.“

The second half was all about field position, something the Eagles were never able to get.

&#8221The defense held and played well for a while,“ Sampley said. &#8221But eventually you give the other team that kind of field position and they're going to break loose and score. That fullback of theirs (Mothershed) is a three-year starter and the trap play killed us all night. It wasn't a lack of defense that lost the game, it was a lack of offense.“

The Eagles posted 204-yards of total offense as Weston went 6-for-13 for 64-yards and one interception. Peter McGowin added 18-yards on four carries.

Brady Newton led the defensive effort with 12 tackles as Jones, Barry Boan and Corey Johnson each recovered a Rams' fumble.

Fort Dale travels to Mobile Friday for another key region game with Cottage Hill, while Faith hosts Hooper.