By KATE ARCHER/CORRESPONDENT

WAKEFIELD—Fuqua School scored a 41-20 victory on homecoming night for Tidewater Academy here Friday, but the visitors didn’t spoil all the fun.

“Even though we lost, we still had fun,” said Ferley Yerby, the Warriors’ quarterback. “I wish we’d played a better half.”

Yerby referred to an opening half in which Fuqua exploded to a 41-6 lead.

The visitors, fresh off a home rout of Southampton Academy a week earlier, drew first blood on Michael Marquez’s 4-yard touchdown run and a two-point conversion by Larry Askins to make it 8-0.

Tidewater, 0-4, responded with a 2-yard run by Ferley Yerby to cut it to 8-6.

Marquez’s 11-yard touchdown run stretched the lead to 14-6, and Charles Williams returned a fumble 37 yards to make it 20-6 after one quarter.

Williams’ 10-yard touchdown made it 28-6, and Jai Jamerson caught a 36-yard scoring strike from Kraig Green to extend the lead to 35-6.

Williams capped the first-half scoring with a 52-yard run. The point-after kick was blocked by Tidewater’s Charlie Moseley.

Tidewater scored two touchdowns in the game’s final four minutes. Lamont Moore caught a 13-yard pass from Yerby with 3:36 remaining, and Yerby scored on a 20-yard run with 2:33 left. Joshua Clarke ran for the two-point conversion.

TA had 156 yards rushing and 122 yards passing.

Yerby rushed 14 times for 63 yards. Moore caught 7 passes for 78 yards.

Fuqua had 281 yards of offense.

“We are still in the process of learning how to win, but we’re getting there,” said Tidewater coach David Rodgers.

During halftime festivities, Richard Hoagland and Chandler Williams were crowned homecoming king and queen.