The Forrest Rockets were coming off a two-week layoff due to a COVID-19 win over Summertown and a planned bye week for fall break and the rust showed at Community Friday night as they only managed five first half points before exploding for four second half touchdowns to secure a 33-0 shutout win over the Vikings.

“We played well on two phases of the game, defensive and special teams, all game,” Forrest coach Eli Stephenson said. “Our offense only showed up in the second half. We have to put a full game together.”

Community began its varsity football program in 2006 and the following year, Forrest beat the Vikings 35-22 to begin a 14-game consecutive winning streak over Unionville, including shutouts the last two seasons.

The smallest margin of victory in that span was 14 points, 34-20 in 2008.

The Rockets also came in to the contest without senior signal caller Max Kirby, who injured his foot in practice earlier in the week and is questionable for this week’s came versus Cascade.

Freshman Austin Dillon started at quarterback for the Rockets, who struggled on offense in the first half at Unionville Friday night, beginning with a fumble on their first offensive play from scrimmage.

The Rockets’ next three drives ended with a fourth-down stop by the Vikings, a missed field goal, and another lost fumble.

Forrest still led 2-0 at that point due to a safety when a bad snap on a Community punt try went out of the end zone.

The Rockets added three points at the end of the second quarter when a blocked punt gave Forrest the ball at the Community 35-yard line with 1:39 remaining in the first half.

Three straight runs moved the ball to the 20-yard line where Carson Baker came on and booted a 37-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to make it 5-0.

The turnover woes continued in to the second half for the Rockets as they fumbled the ball away on their first possession.

The Forrest defense was stout all night and they stuffed the Vikings on three straight plays to force a punt.

The Rockets’ defense gave up 62 total yards on the night, including a smothering run defense that held the Vikings in the red for minus 12 yards on the ground on 26 carries.

After the stop, the Rockets finally hit pay dirt as a seven-play run drive was capped off by a Dillon 4-yard touchdown run with 2:54 remaining in the third quarter.

“Austin stepped up for us,” Stephenson said. “He did an awesome job of running the offense for us.” “After we got that first touchdown, things started to roll our way.”

The Rockets rushed for 342 yards on 48 carries in the contest with Chris Davis leading the way with 122 yards on 16 touches and a touchdown.

Brenton Burchell, wearing Micah McClendon’s jersey #11, rushed for 91 yards on 12 carries, Joseph Whittaker ran for 56 yards on 13 carries, Tayton Swift had three carries for 68 yards, including touchdown runs of two and 60 yards, and Dillon ran the rock twice for eight yards and a score.

“They did a good job of running hard and blocking for each other,” Stephenson said. “In the second half, our offensive line started firing off the block and finishing block.”

The Rockets had 17 first downs in the contest, were penalized three times for 15 yards, and barely won the turnover battle 4-3 as they lost three fumbles, but came up with three interceptions and a blocked punt on defense.

“Any time you can force turnovers it is good,” Stephenson said. “We have got to take advantage of the other teams’ mistakes, and I don't think we did that.”

The Forrest defense held again, stopping the Vikings on a fourth-down play and four snaps later, Davis scored from three yards out and Baker kicked the extra point through the uprights for a 19-0 Forrest lead with 9:08 remaining in the game.

“Our defense and special teams played well all night,” Stephenson said. “The boys did a great job of reading their keys and playing fast and physical to the ball.”

The Vikings imploded from there as Swift came up with an interception and then scored on a 2-yard touchdown run moments later to make it 26-0.

Senior Cole Perryman, filling in for the injured Kirby in the defensive backfield, intercepted a pass at the 5:22 mark of the fourth quarter and two plays later Swift capped off the win with a big 60-yard touchdown scamper.

The Rockets (6-2, 4-0) return home on Friday for their first game in Chapel Hill since Micah McClendon’s injury versus Moore County as they entertain longtime rival Cascade (4-4) on Senior Night at the Murrey E. Holton Memorial Field with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.

The Rockets have won six games in a row and eight out of the last ten versus Cascade after losing seven out of eight dating back to 2001.

“We have to approach it like every game and get better as a team,” Stephenson said. “We got to keep working on our fundamentals and being physical.”

The Champions lost 35-3 to Trousdale County on Friday after winning three in a row over Community (42-6), Jackson County (13-0), and Cannon County (28-0).

After the non-region battle versus the Champions, the Rockets travel to Lewis County (8-0, 4-0) for the regular season finale that will decide the Region 5-AA winner.

Forrest 2 3 7 21 33

Community 0 0 0 0-0

First Quarter

Forrest-Safety bad snap on punt, (3:01).

Second Quarter

Forrest-Carson Baker 37-yard field goal, (0:00).

Third Quarter

Forrest-Austin Dillon 4-yard run, (Baker kick), 2:54.

Fourth Quarter

Forrest-Chris Davis 3-yard run, (Baker kick), 9:08.

Forrest-Tayton Swift 2-yard run, (Baker kick), 5:22.

Forrest-Tayton Swift 60-yard run, (Gavin Grissom kick), 1:12.

Total Offense: Forrest 342, Community 62

Rushing: Forrest 342, Community (-12).

Passing: Forrest 0, Community 74.

First Downs: Forrest 17, Community 5.

Penalties: Forrest 3-15, Community 1-10.

Turnovers: Forrest 3, Community 4.

Forrest Offense

Rushing: Chris Davis 16-122-TD, Brenton Burchell 12-91, Joseph Whittaker 13-56, Tayton Swift 3-68-2TD, Austin Dillon 2-8-TD, Jamie McDaniel 1-(-4).

Passing: Austin Dillon 0-1-0-0-0.