Messenger file photo by Gary Wells
By Daniel Taylor/Sand Mountain Reporter
It was a wet homecoming night for Geraldine, which lost to Sardis, 19-14, on Friday (Sept. 27) at GHS.
The visiting Lions fell behind 7-0 early in the second quarter when Geraldine’s D.J. Graham intercepted the ball and ran it 35 yards to the end zone.
With six minutes left in the first half, however, the Lions’ Brayden Bridges picked off a pass. Sardis (3-2, 3-1) soon cashed in on the turnover on quarterback Jay Owens’ touchdown run at 3:19. The teams ended the half tied 7-7.
Inclement weather delayed the start of the second half, which began at 9:15 p.m.
Bridges’ second interception of the night midway through the third quarter led to a touchdown run by Luke Morris at 3:03, giving the Lions a 13-6 lead. The score was set up by a long pass from Owens (pictured above) to Temon Wilson.
A facemask penalty on Sardis on the ensuing kickoff gave the Bulldogs the ball inside the Lion 35-yard line.
Brian Carnes scored a 13-yard touchdown with 50 seconds left in the quarter. The PAT was good, making it 14-13 in favor of Geraldine.
But Sardis took the lead for good on Jacob Hopper’s 18-yard touchdown catch at 10:52 of the fourth quarter.
Geraldine had a turnover on downs after attempting a pass on fourth-and-11, and the Lions held onto the ball the rest of the game.
Sardis resumes Class 5A, Region 7 play this Friday (Oct. 4) at home against Alexandria.