PULASKI — The Community Vikings made some noise with an impressive scoring drive in the opening quarter, but couldn't maintain the momentum as the undefeated Giles County Bobcats defeated the Vikings 57-8 in a Region 4-3A football game Friday night.

After the game was delayed an hour and twenty minutes due to lightning, the first half was played in a steady rain as the Bobcats took the opening kickoff and scored in just over a minute on a run by Kamari Turner to take a 6-0 lead.

D.J. Gardner scored from 10 yards out on the next Giles County possession to give the Bobcats a 14-0 lead before the Vikings came to life.

Community (2-2, 0-1) started the ensuing possession from its own 20 in grand style as quarterback Dallas Grooms connected with John Stanley for a 19-yard pass completion and a first down.

A pass interference penalty and an eight-yard completion from Grooms to Maki Fleming gave the Vikings two more first downs and kept the drive alive.

Grooms ran for 21 yards and a 19-yard completion to Tyler Sanders gave the Vikings a total of five first downs on the drive and set up a first-and-goal at the Bobcat one-yard line. 

The Vikings were backed up three yards, but on third down Grooms found Fleming on a shovel pass from four yards out for the score to put Community on the board. 

The run by Grooms was successful as the Vikings cut the Bobcat lead to 14-8.

"We had a game plan, and the weather halted our game plan some," Coach Chris Grooms of the Vikings said. 

"At that point, we decided we'd go back to the game plan."

Community continued its momentum on defense, but two big plays turned the tide.

The Vikings appeared to gain possession on the first Bobcat play from scrimmage, but an apparent interception was ruled incomplete.

Giles County was backed up by the inspired Viking defense and faced a third-and-25.  After the Bobcats were stopped short of the first down, a Community personal foul gave Giles County a new set of downs.

"We didn't get our way, and we ended up giving them a 15-free, and we can't do that," Grooms said.

The Bobcats ended the quarter with a four-yard run by Chaye McElroy to take a 21-8 lead and were not stopped the rest of the way.

With the help of a strong Bobcat kicking game, the Vikings were forced to start drives deep in their territory.

Giles County took advantage and added 22 points in the second quarter to take a 43-7 halftime advantage.

The Bobcats added a touchdown in each of the last two quarters as the Vikings could not solve the tough Giles County defense.       

Community will celebrate homecoming and face its second undefeated team in a row as Cascade travels to Unionville for the Battle of Bedford Friday night at 7 p.m. 

"We've got to regroup and get ready," Grooms said.       

Community    8   0  0  0  —  8  

Giles Co.       21 22  7  7 — 57

First Quarter

GC – Kamari Turner 29 run, (kick failed), 10:49.

GC – D.J. Gardner 10 run, (Landon Askins pass from Turner), 8:24.

C – Maki Fleming 4 pass from Dallas Grooms, (Grooms 2pt. run), 2:28.

GC – Chaye McElroy 4 run, (Chase Cardin kick), 0:03.

Second Quarter

GC – Xzorion Randolph 7 run, (Reed Owens run), 7:59.

GC – Jayden Abernathy 56 pass from Eric Goodnight, (Cardin kick) 5:29.

GC – Abernathy 48-yard pass from Goodnight, (Austin Mayes kick) 2:49.

Third Quarter

GC – Bryson Gordon 2 run, (Mayes kick), 3:25.

Fourth Quarter

GC – Randolph 45 run, (Mayes kick), 8:58.