Head coach Bart Joyce made his return to the FMS football sidelines Monday at Eagleville and he was proud of his Rockets, who ground out a hard fought 6-0 season opening win.

"It was very nice to grind out a win, I didn't know quite what to expect after a rough jamboree" said Joyce. "But the boys put their noses down, just had a great game, and got the job done against a close town rival."

Defensive power

Eagleville outgained Forrest 122-101, but four interceptions by the Rockets' defense, plus a crucial roughing the kicker call by the Eagles with less than three minutes to go in the contest was the difference in the ballgame.

"We got the break when we needed it, we also gave them a big break that we cannot do, we have to protect the football," said Joyce. "But the defense played hard and came up with three picks. You can't complain, they played ball and got the big play when we needed it."

The only touchdown of the game came on the initial possession of the game for the Rockets, who barely covered the opening kickoff at their own 32-yard line.

The Eagles stopped FMS running back Dakota Hartley on his first touch before Hartley rambled for 27 yards on the next four carries, moving the ball to the Eagleville 43-yard line.

Drive survives

Hartley and Bryton Spitzley team up for 20 more yards, but a sack by Chevalier Sutton and a two-yard loss seemed to put the brakes on the drive at Eagleville 25-yard line.

Spitzley stepped on the gas, breaking to the outside to maneuver his way around several Eagle defenders down the sideline all the way to the end zone for touchdown with 2:29 remaining in the first quarter.

Eagleville had the ball on their own 28-yard line when the first quarter ended, but three plays in to the second period, Nathan Trout sacked Joseph Barnum on a fourth down play, giving the ball back to the Rockets.

FMS drove the ball to the 47-yard before Sutton came up with fumble on a fourth down snap and the Eagles took over with 3:47 remaining in the first half.

Interceptions

The Eagles moved the ball to the FMS 37-yard before Dustin Brashear picked off Barnum with 1:34 remaining and the Rockets proceeded to run out the first half clock.

A Deron "Scrappy" Osborne interception snuffed out Eagleville's first drive of the second half at midfield, but FMS gave the ball right back, fumbling on their first play.

The Eagles started at their own 44-yard line and put together a potential game tying drive as they marched to the Forrest 19-yard line as the third period came to a close.

With first and goal at the eight, the FMS defense came up huge, pushing the Eagles all the way back to the 26-yard line where the home team called timeout with 5:46 remaining in the contest.

Another pickoff

Whatever the call was on the Eagleville sideline, Wesley McCoy ruined the play when he darted in front of a Mealer pass and picked it off.

The Eagles did not quit, pushing FMS back and setting up a punt on a fourth down and fifteen.

McCoy, the FMS punter took the snap and moved to his right to avoid the rush and got off the kick, but was knocked to the ground and the yellow hankie flew for the penalty, allowing the Rockets to keep the ball with 2:54 left in the battle.

The Rockets burned the game clock down to 1:01 before giving the rock back to the Eagles for the last time, but there would be no comeback as Austin Porter came up with the game ending interception for FMS.

Rocket runner

Hartley led the offensive attack for the Rockets, gaining 67 yards on nine carries, including the 25-yard TD scamper.

Spitzley finished also carried the ball nine times, rushing for 45 yards with 25 coming on one touch.

Osborne and Trout had five tackles apiece to lead the FMS defense, while Porter had three takedowns and Lane LaPorte had two.

"It feels great to be back, I enjoy it, this is a great age group and I am just proud of them, they all played hard," said Joyce.