MAN - It couldn't have been any better of a homecoming for Man High School as the No. 18 Hillbillies handed No. 8 and previously unbeaten Fayetteville its first defeat of the season with Friday night's 20-10 victory over the Pirates at Man's George A. Queen Memorial Field.

Man improved to 3-2 and should move up in this week's Class A ratings, which are to be released on Tuesday.

The Billies came back from a 10-0 deficit to outscore the Pirates 20-0 the rest of the way.

"We came together after we were down 10-0," Man coach Harvey Arms said. "We started to fire off the ball on offense and defense. Then we had the big momentum turn for us on that long run by (Cory) Spence just before the half to give us the lead."

Arms told his players after the game, "That was what you call a total team effort. We were down 10-0 and from then on it was all us. I guarantee we will go up in the ratings."

Seniors Kris Tolliver and Cory Spence led Man's offensive attack.

Tolliver finished with 103 yards on 25 carries and two touchdowns while Spence ran for 96 yards on 10 tries including a 74-yard score.

Defensively, Man was led by David Johnson, Zack Underwood and Tolliver with five solo tackles each. Ryan Crum had three tackles and one big interception for the Billies.

Man's kicking game was impressive as Ryan Crawford netted an average of 33 yards per punt and newcomer Derrick Earnest had two extra point kicks on the night.

The Pirates got on the scoreboard first as they cashed in on a Man mistake, picking off a Spence pass at the Man 41-yard line. But the Hillbillies' defense was able to hold FHS to a 27-yard field goal by Michael Angelo Hernandez to make it 3-0 with 4:17 left in the first period of play.

Fayetteville then pinned Man back deep at its own 9-yard line and then held the Billies on three plays, forcing Man to punt. The Pirates then got great field position at the MHS 40-yard line. Four running plays later the Pirates moved to the Man 4-yard line with a first-and-goal as the first quarter came to a end.

Fayetteville pushed its lead to 10-0 on the first play of second stanza on a 4-yard TD run by Drew Weis with 11:54 showing on the clock. Hernandez booted the PAT.

The Billies then put together a drive midway in the quarter, driving 74 yards on 8 plays with the big play being a 25-yard gainer by Tolliver. Two offsides flags on Fayetteville also kept it going. The capper was a 10-yard run by Tolliver. Earnest, a transfer kicker from North Carolina, booted the PAT to cut the Pirates' lead to 10-7 at the 2:15 mark.

Man's defense then held Fayetteville on its next possession, forcing them to punt.

Man took over on its own 26-yard line.

Then on first play from scrimmage Spence raced around the left end and ran to paydirt for a 74-yard TD. Earnest PAT kick was good as Man took a 14-10 lead for good with 1:16 to play until the half.

The third period was a battle of the defenses as both teams were able to hold off the other team's offense.

Man's Ryan Crum highlighted the scoreless quarter with an interception as neither team could muster any offense.

The Billies got good field position to open the final quarter at midfield.

Man drove the ball deep into Pirate territory at the 27-yard line, but a forward lateral cost Man five yards in penalties and also a loss of down, forcing the Billies to punt. Crawford's punt sailed into the end zone for a touchback, giving the Pirates the ball at their own 20-yard line.

Man's defense stepped up as Cody Harvey sacked Hernandez, forcing the Pirates to go on fourth-and-13.

Man held Fayetteville, taking over on downs at the Fayetteville 30.

The Billies then drove the ball down field, milking the clock and punching the ball in on Tolliver's second score of the game with 50 seconds left. Earnest's kick was partially blocked and no good but Man led 20-10 with under a minute to play.

Man would hold on to win as the Billies handed Fayetteville its first loss of the season.

The Billies travel across the county next Friday night to play at Chapmanville this coming Friday night.

It will also be Chapmanville's annual homecoming game.