1 of 19
Photo by Laura Chramer.
John Carroll hosts Fultondale football
John Carroll wide receiver/defensive back Christian Harper (3) gains yardage during the first half of a football game between Fultondale and John Carroll at John Carroll Catholic High School on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, in Birmingham, Ala. The Cavaliers beat the Wildcats, 27-0. Photo by Laura Chramer
2 of 19
Photo by Laura Chramer.
John Carroll hosts Fultondale football
John Carroll wide receiver/defensive back Christian Harper (3) makes a catch for a touchdown during the second half of a football game between Fultondale and John Carroll at John Carroll Catholic High School on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, in Birmingham, Ala. The Cavaliers beat the Wildcats, 27-0. Photo by Laura Chramer
3 of 19
Photo by Laura Chramer.
John Carroll hosts Fultondale football
John Carroll running back/defensive back Derrick Davis Jr. (22) runs under pressure from Fultondale quarterback/wide receiver Brent Barnes (2) during the first half of a football game between Fultondale and John Carroll at John Carroll Catholic High School on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, in Birmingham, Ala. The Cavaliers beat the Wildcats, 27-0. Photo by Laura Chramer
4 of 19
Photo by Laura Chramer.
John Carroll hosts Fultondale football
John Carroll defensive lineman Tyler Johnson (95) and other defenders get ready for a snap during the second half of a football game between Fultondale and John Carroll at John Carroll Catholic High School on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, in Birmingham, Ala. The Cavaliers beat the Wildcats, 27-0. Photo by Laura Chramer
5 of 19
Photo by Laura Chramer.
John Carroll hosts Fultondale football
Fultondale quarterback Tyler Grayson (14) is downed in the endzone for a safety in the first half of a football game between Fultondale and John Carroll at John Carroll Catholic High School on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, in Birmingham, Ala. The Cavaliers beat the Wildcats, 27-0. Photo by Laura Chramer.
6 of 19
Photo by Laura Chramer.
John Carroll hosts Fultondale football
John Carroll head coach Will Mara talks to his staff during the first half of a football game between Fultondale and John Carroll at John Carroll Catholic High School on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, in Birmingham, Ala. The Cavaliers beat the Wildcats, 27-0. Photo by Laura Chramer.
7 of 19
Photo by Laura Chramer.
John Carroll hosts Fultondale football
John Carroll defensive lineman/linebacker Kennedy Bonner (45) reacts to a play during the second half of a football game between Fultondale and John Carroll at John Carroll Catholic High School on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, in Birmingham, Ala. The Cavaliers beat the Wildcats, 27-0. Photo by Laura Chramer.
8 of 19
Photo by Laura Chramer.
John Carroll hosts Fultondale football
John Carroll running back/linebacker Brandon Rashleigh (21) reacts after a play during the first half of a football game between Fultondale and John Carroll at John Carroll Catholic High School on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, in Birmingham, Ala. The Cavaliers beat the Wildcats, 27-0. Photo by Laura Chramer
9 of 19
Photo by Laura Chramer.
John Carroll hosts Fultondale football
John Carroll’s student section gets loud during the second half of a football game between Fultondale and John Carroll at John Carroll Catholic High School on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, in Birmingham, Ala. The Cavaliers beat the Wildcats, 27-0. Photo by Laura Chramer.
10 of 19
Photo by Laura Chramer.
John Carroll hosts Fultondale football
John Carroll defensive/tight end CJ Wyatt (9) looks to put pressure on Fultondale quarterback/wide receiver Brent Barnes (2) during the second half of a football game between Fultondale and John Carroll at John Carroll Catholic High School on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, in Birmingham, Ala. The Cavaliers beat the Wildcats, 27-0. Photo by Laura Chramer.
11 of 19
Photo by Laura Chramer.
John Carroll hosts Fultondale football
John Carroll’s marching band performs during halftime of a football game between Fultondale and John Carroll at John Carroll Catholic High School on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, in Birmingham, Ala. The Cavaliers beat the Wildcats, 27-0. Photo by Laura Chramer.
12 of 19
Photo by Laura Chramer.
John Carroll hosts Fultondale football
Fultondale linbacker/running back Demarion Hatten (5) runs by John Carroll running back/defensive back Derrick Davis Jr. (22) during the second half of a football game between Fultondale and John Carroll at John Carroll Catholic High School on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, in Birmingham, Ala. The Cavaliers beat the Wildcats, 27-0. Photo by Laura Chramer.
13 of 19
Photo by Laura Chramer.
John Carroll hosts Fultondale football
John Carroll defensive lineman/athlete Lawrence Chambers Johnson (5) puts pressure on Fultondale quarterback Tyler Grayson (14) during the football game between Fultondale and John Carroll at John Carroll Catholic High School on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, in Birmingham, Ala. The Cavaliers beat the Wildcats, 27-0. Photo by Laura Chramer.
14 of 19
Photo by Laura Chramer.
John Carroll hosts Fultondale football
John Carroll running back/defensive back Derrick Davis Jr. (22) runs the ball during the second half of a football game between Fultondale and John Carroll at John Carroll Catholic High School on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, in Birmingham, Ala. The Cavaliers beat the Wildcats, 27-0. Photo by Laura Chramer.
15 of 19
Photo by Laura Chramer.
John Carroll hosts Fultondale football
John Carroll running back/defensive back Derrick Davis Jr. (22) runs the ball during the first half of a football game between Fultondale and John Carroll at John Carroll Catholic High School on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, in Birmingham, Ala. The Cavaliers beat the Wildcats, 27-0. Photo by Laura Chramer.
16 of 19
Photo by Laura Chramer.
John Carroll hosts Fultondale football
John Carroll wide receiver/defensive back Jonah Gibbs (2) and John Carroll wide receiver/defensive back Bobby Campbell (7) hug after a football game between Fultondale and John Carroll at John Carroll Catholic High School on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, in Birmingham, Ala. The Cavaliers beat the Wildcats, 27-0. Photo by Laura Chramer.
17 of 19
Photo by Laura Chramer.
John Carroll hosts Fultondale football
John Carroll defensive lineman/linebacker Kennedy Bonner (45) plays during the first half of a football game between Fultondale and John Carroll at John Carroll Catholic High School on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, in Birmingham, Ala. The Cavaliers beat the Wildcats, 27-0. Photo by Laura Chramer.
18 of 19
Photo by Laura Chramer.
John Carroll hosts Fultondale football
John Carroll’s marching band performs during halftime of a football game between Fultondale and John Carroll at John Carroll Catholic High School on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, in Birmingham, Ala. The Cavaliers beat the Wildcats, 27-0. Photo by Laura Chramer.
19 of 19
Photo by Laura Chramer.
John Carroll hosts Fultondale football
Fultondale quarterback Tyler Grayson (14) is downed in the endzone for a safety in the first half of a football game between Fultondale and John Carroll at John Carroll Catholic High School on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, in Birmingham, Ala. The Cavaliers beat the Wildcats, 27-0. Photo by Laura Chramer.
HOMEWOOD -- After finishing last season with its best record in a decade, the John Carroll Catholic High School football team blanked Fultondale, 27-0, for its first victory of the 2021 campaign.
“I love this group,” John Carroll head coach Will Mara said. “They have come together lately and I could not be more proud of this group of guys.”
Cavaliers sophomore quarterback Carson McFadden completed 9-of-17 passes for 128 yards and three touchdowns, while senior running back Aaron Mason paced the squad on the ground with 101 yards and a score.
Three different receivers found the end zone for John Carroll, as Quad Harrison, Christian Harris and Derrick Davis Jr. all reeled in touchdown grabs.
Perhaps most notable, though, was the Cavs defense. The unit finished the game with five sacks and eight tackles for loss, while forcing three Wildcats turnovers.
“We want 11 guys going to the ball on defense,” Mara said. “We might miss a tackle, but there is another guy right there to clean it up. I saw that tonight and I am proud of these kids’ attitudes and effort.”
John Carroll struck first on a safety with just over a minute left in the first quarter after pinning Fultondale at its own 1-yard line, as a swarm of Cavaliers downed Fultondale quarterback Tyler Grayson in his own end zone to go up 2-0.
The Cavs extended their advantage midway through the second stanza. After an 18-yard rush by Mason got John Carroll into the red zone, McFadden found tight end Harrison in the back right corner of the end zone for the first offensive points of the night. After the ensuing PAT was blocked, the Cavaliers took an 8-0 lead into the locker room.
After two three-and-outs to start the second half, John Carroll found the end zone on a pair of consecutive possessions to effectively slam the door shut on the Wildcats.
With just over three minutes remaining in the third, Christian Harper hauled in a 20-yard, over-the-shoulder pass from McFadden to make the score 14-0. On the next Cavaliers drive, McFadden rifled a pass down the middle of the field to Davis for a 70-yard touchdown to put John Carroll up 21-0.
The final score of the contest came on the last drive of the game. On his sixth rush of the seven-play drive, Mason found the back of the end zone from 32 yards out to give John Carroll the final 27-0 margin.
“This team has worked hard all summer for four hours, four days a week,” Mara said. “They may have hated me at times, but in the third and fourth quarters, we weren’t cramping and we weren’t struggling because of our conditioning.”
The Cavaliers return to Pat Sullivan Field next week for a non-region home tilt with Moody.
