The number-five ranked Fayetteville Tigers invaded Cornersville Friday night to face the Bulldogs in a District 8-A battle.

The Bulldogs stayed close as they trailed by three points, but fell victim to hot 3-point shooting and accurate free throws in the second half as the Tigers rolled to a 60-29 victory.

The Cornersville faithful fans were matched by those for Fayetteville and the gymnasium echoed with cheers from both sides.

Fayetteville controlled the tip and former Bulldog Tyler Wolaver banked home a jumper to put the Tigers on the board first.

Answering the call, Cornersville’s Michael Ashley side sank a 3-pointer from the left side to put the Bulldogs up 3-2.

Wolaver answered with another jumper for the Tigers and after Cornersville misses, Eli Dotson banged home a basket and Marquese Nance drilled a 3-pointer to put Fayetteville up 9-3.

Jackson Mitchell stole the ball and laid it in and Eli Welch scored on a jump hook to cut the margin to two points.

Dotson scored again, but Welch did the same to make the score 11-9.

On the next two Cornersville possessions, Welch scored quarter and Tanner Reese tallied a short jump shot from the right side to put the Bulldogs up 13-11.

The Cornersville lead would be short-lived as Nance connected on another 3-pointer and when the horn sounded to end the first quarter, Fayetteville led 14-13.

At the outset of the second quarter, Cornersville took the lead quickly as Bryce Woodard, off a great feed by Ashley, swished a 3-pointer to put Cornersville in the lead 16-14.

Nance sank a free throw, but Ashley sank another rainbow 3-pointer before Brayden Hockett sank two free throws to narrow the Cornersville lead to two points at 19-17.

The quarter turned at this point when Mitchell was called for a technical foul and Hockett sank both.

On the inbounds play, Dotson got loose and sank a basket to make the score 21-19 with 1:48 left in the first half.

Demarcus Franklin drilled a 3-pointer basket to make the score 24-19.

Ashley prompted a roar from the crowd as he brought the Bulldogs back to within two points at 24-22.

The score remained the same when the horn sounded to end the first half.

The third quarter began and Fayetteville promptly went on an 11-point run due in part because of foul trouble on Welch, who went to the bench with three fouls.

The Bulldogs scored their first points of the quarter at the three minute mark when Reese pumped in a short jumper, but the score by then was 35-24 in favor of the Tigers.

The Tigers continued to roll as Franklin sank another 3-pointer and the shots would not drop for Cornersville and Fayetteville led 43-25 at the end of the third quarter.

The Tigers continued to roll in the fourth quarter as Cornersville struggled and when the game ended Fayetteville had turned a close game into a rout.

The Bulldogs get no relief as they must travel to Eagleville to take on the number-seven ranked Eagles on Tuesday night.

The host Eagles boast the state’s top scorer in Ryley McClaran, who averages 31 points a game.

Fayetteville 14 10 19 17 – 60

Cornersville 13 9 3 4 – 29

Fayetteville (60) Floyd Nance 19, Eli Dotson 10, Brayden Hockett 9, Demarcus Franklin 8, Tyler Wolaver 5, Bryson Casey 3, Carter Hill 2, Isiah Thomison 2, D’Marcus Pullen 1, Camaurionn Taylor 1.

Free Throws (17-for-23): Hockett 9-for-10, Nance 5-for-6, Taylor 1-for-2, Wolaver 1-for-1, Pullen 1-for-2, Thomison 0-for-1, Aljarea Johnson 0-for-1.

Three-Point Goals (7): Nance 4, Franklin 2, Casey.

Cornersville (29) Michael Ansley 12, Eli Welch 7, Bryce Woodard 4, Tanner Reese 4, Jackson Mitchell 2.

Free Throws (2-for-6): Woodard 1-for-3, Welch 1-for-3.

Three-Point Goals (5) Ansley 4, Woodard.

Halftime score: Fayetteville 24, Cornersville 22.