Oneonta (8-0, 6-0) at Sardis (6-2, 5-1)
Series record: Oneonta 17, Sardis 1
Last meeting: 2003 Oneonta 53, Sardis 0
Last week: Fairview 55, Sardis 44; Oneonta 63, Saint Clair County 16
By Gene Stanley/Messenger Sports Correspondent
There will be a lot of Crossville fans in Sardis City this week.
If Sardis beats Oneonta, the Lions win the Class 4A, Region 6 crown. But if the Redskins win, Sardis’ fate depends on Fairview.
An Aggies win over Crossville combined with a Sardis loss knocks the Lions down to third place and a road game to start the playoffs. But if Fairview should lose to Crossville, Sardis finishes second and will host.
To sum it up, the winner of this game is region champ, but Oneonta is guaranteed at least second, while Sardis can drop to third.
With two high-powered offenses (Oneonta averaging 48 points per game with Sardis right behind at 44), this game could come down to defense, and in that area, it would appear to the naked eye that Oneonta has the edge. The Redskins are allowing a little over 11 points per game while Sardis is giving up a bit over 34.
“Obviously, they’ve got a lot of talent,” Sardis coach Gene Hill said of Oneonta. “But what impresses me the most is that on both sides of the ball, all 11 kids do their job and do it well. There are no holes in their team.
“We’re not to that point yet and will have to click on all cylinders to have a chance against them.”
Hill said that last week against Fairview, the Lions could’ve posted 75 points if mistakes hadn’t killed a drive or two.
“But we couldn’t stop them after their first possession,” he said. “They scored every time they got the ball. We did everything else we needed to do to win.”
Last week against Fairview, 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. Sardis is averaging 445 yards and 44 points per game.
Pee has 35 touchdowns on the season – 28 rushing, four receiving, two passing and one on a kickoff return.
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.
Zack Childers recorded 15 tackles, followed by Jesse Hubbard with 12 and Colton Salers with seven.