Staff Reports
CEDAR BLUFF – After spotting the Cedar Bluff Tigers a two-score advantage in the first half, the Sand Rock Wildcats rallied for 29 unanswered points to take a 29-12 win in area high school football action on Friday.
The Tigers (1-1) took a 12-0 lead behind a 3-yard Bucky Leek touchdown run with 1:16 to go in the first quarter and Kade Browning’s 63-yard score just 27 seconds into the second quarter.
Sand Rock (1-1) began its second-half momentum from its defense. Jace Turner intercepted an Aden Green pass and returned it for a touchdown with 8:10 to go in the third quarter. Nathan Haygood connected on the extra point to pull the Wildcats within a score at 12-7.
Quarterback Carson Chesnut helped give Sand Rock its first lead on a 1-yard run with 2:29 remaining in the third quarter. Haygood again added the extra point for a 14-12 Wildcat advantage.
Logan Crider accounted for two Sand Rock touchdowns in the fourth quarter. The first came with 4:43 left in the contest on a 6-yard run. Brian Giles connected with Crider on the ensuing 2-point conversion pass to extend the Wildcat lead to 22-12. Crider put the game away with his 4-yard run at the 2:31 mark. Haygood connected on his third extra point of the night for the final.
Chesnut led the Wildcat offense by completing 8-of-16 pass attempts for 69 yards. He also accounted for 32 yards on 12 carries with a score and had an interception on defense. Trace Haygood led the Wildcat rushers with 43 yards on 12 totes. He also had an interception on defense. Crider finished with 20 yards on five carries and two scores. He also caught two passes for 24 yards.
Gatlin Cox led Sand Rock’s defense with seven tackles and an interception.
Browning led Cedar Bluff with 109 yards on 13 carries with a touchdown. He also caught a pair of passes for 45 yards and made seven stops on defense. Leek completed 6-of-13 pass attempts for 72 yards. He also ran for 45 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.
Sand Rock hosts Region 7 opponent Pisgah on Friday night as the Wildcats honor their 1997 Class 2A state runner-up team. Cedar Bluff travels to Woodville to begin Class 1A, Region 7 play.