Courtesy of Ft. Payne Times-Journal
Keith Bender caught eight passes from Zach King, a
connection that led Sylvania past Sardis, 35-28, in high school football action
last Thursday (Aug. 30) at Sylvania.
After a 2-yard touchdown run by Tyler cooper in the first
quarter, King made his first scoring strike to Bender. The 40-yard touchdown
pass with 7:31 left before halftime made it 14-0.
But the Lions (0-1, 0-0) rallied behind Toby Pee.
The senior halfback took a toss from quarterback Will Scott
on the final play from scrimmage in the first half, then tossed it back to
Scott for an 8-yard touchdown. Scott passed to Jared Shirley on a conversion
that cut it to 14-8 at halftime.
Sardis’ opening drive of the second half ended on Pee’s
22-yard touchdown run by Pee that tie the game with 9:57 to play in the third.
Sylvania reclaimed the lead on King’s 3-yard touchdown pass
to Bender midway through the third.
The Lions answered with a drive that ended on a 2-yard
touchdown run by Pee.
But Sylvania’s defense stopped Pee short on a two-point
conversion run, and the Rams led 21-20 entering the fourth quarter.
From there, the King-to-Bender connection was the difference.
Bender hauled in touchdown passes of 70 and 52 yards in the
first 4:07 of the fourth quarter to put the game away.
Sardis added a touchdown on a 6-yard run by Pee with 6:59 to
play, but the Ram defense stiffened to run out the clock.
Sardis opens its Class 4A, Region 6 schedule on Friday with a
trip to Locust Fork.