By Shannon J. Allen/Sand Mountain Reporter
Last Friday’s matchup between two of the elite players in Class 4A, Region 6 saw Fairview senior quarterback Luke Bailey lead his team to a 55-44 triumph over the Toby Pee-powered Sardis Lions.
Fairview’s high-scoring triumph broke the Lions’ six-game winning streak and spoiled their 2012 homecoming game. More importantly, it denied Sardis a chance to clinch a home game in the Class 4A state playoffs.
The Aggies improved to 6-2, 4-2 while the Lions slipped to 6-2, 5-1.
Sardis can still secure a home game in the opening round of the postseason, but it will need an upset of No. 1 Oneonta combined with a Fairview loss this week to accomplish that goal.
Pee rushed 27 times for 270 yards and four touchdowns and caught six passes for 57 yards for a Lions’ offense that rolled up 549 yards.
Will Scott was 17-of-26 in passing for 234 yards and one touchdown.
Kailon Robeson had four receptions for 92 yards and a score, while Seth Smith caught four passes for 56 yards.
Sardis’ defense had no answer for Bailey, who passed for 281 yards and three scores and rushed 20 times for 150 yards and two TDs.
The Lions, who led 30-29 at intermission, lost a fumble at the Fairview 2-yard line on the opening series of the second half.
The mistake turned the game around, as the Aggies zoomed 98 yards in five plays.
Dex Gregory gained 49 yards on a third-and-four play from the 8. Two plays later, Bailey threw a 43-yard TD pass to Bryant Powers, making it 35-30 with 7:17 left in the third quarter.
Sardis answered with Scott’s 56-yard touchdown strike to Robeson, regaining the lead for a final time at 36-35 with 6:26 remaining in the third.
Fairview responded with an eight-play scoring drive, capped by Marco Rodriguez’s 8-yard run with 2:43 remaining. The Aggies went up 41-36 and never trailed again.
Fairview extended its margin to 49-36 on Bailey’s 49-yard TD pass with 8:45 to play in the fourth quarter. Trent Shoemaker ran for two points.
Sardis marched 80 yards in 11 plays, with Braun Pee darting five yards for a touchdown with five minutes left. Toby Pee fought his way across the goal line for two points, cutting it to 49-44.
Justin Bryan returned the ensuing kickoff 59 yards to Sardis’ 16-yard line. Four plays later, Bailey scored on a 2-yard run to make it 55-44 with 2:46 left.
Bryan’s interception set up the game’s first touchdown, a 4-yard run by Rodriguez at the 8:44 mark of the opening period. Bailey passed to Bryan for two points.
Sardis answered with Toby Pee’s 29-yard scoring run. He added the two-point conversion, tying it 8-8.
Gregory scored on a 15-yard run with 2:41 remaining. The point after made it 15-7.
Toby Pee returned the kickoff 46 yards to the Fairview 39. He scored on a 7-yard run with 59.6 seconds to go, and he added the two-point conversion to give Sardis a 16-15 advantage.
Defensively for the Lions, Zack Childers recorded 15 tackles, followed by Jesse Hubbard with 12 and Colton Salers with seven.
Bailey connected with Gregory on a 38-yard touchdown pass on the opening play of the second period. Braun Pee blocked the extra point, leaving the Aggies in front 21-15.
Toby Pee scampered 16 yards for his third touchdown with 10:47 remaining in the second quarter. Scott’s pass for two points was incomplete, but Sardis led 22-21.
Just 1:10 later, Bailey ran 22 yards for a touchdown. He also ran for two, putting the Aggies up 29-22.
Toby Pee’s 47-yard TD sprint trimmed it to 29-28 with 7:28 remaining. Braun Pee ran for two to put Sardis in front 30-29.
Sardis finishes out region play on Friday at home against Oneonta.