Staff Reports

SAND ROCK – Tanner Nelson earned his first high school football win at Sand Rock on homecoming Friday night as the Wildcats defeated Section 35-12 in Class 2A, Region 7 action.

Alec Ashley completed 27-of-32 pass attempts for 367 yards and five touchdowns. Brendon Lindsey and Ryker Woodall were his top targets with 10 catches apiece.

Lindsey had 194 yards and three touchdowns. Woodall gained 98 yards and two scores. He also had an interception on defense.

“(Woodall), Brendon Lindsey, Lathan (Amos), Alex Stone, all of those guys made plays tonight,” Nelson said. They caught the ball and went north.”

Ashley opened the scoring with a 51-yard touchdown toss to Lindsey in the second quarter. The extra point made it 7-0 Wildcats.

Section (0-4, 0-2) responded with a 45-yard touchdown run by Aaron Thomas. The 2-point try failed, keeping Sand Rock in front 7-6.

Thomas led the Lions with 102 yards on eight carries with a score.

Ashley connected with Woodall for a 10-yard touchdown pass and then Lathan Amos for a 32-yard score to put the Wildcats up 21-6 at halftime.

Another Ashley-to-Woodall touchdown connection from 13 yards in the third quarter pushed Sand Rock’s lead to 28-6. Ashley then hit Lindsey again for a 19-yard score in the fourth quarter for the Wildcats’ final touchdown.

Section’s Braxton Rowell scored on a 64-yard touchdown run against Sand Rock’s reserves on the last play of the game for the final. Rowell finished with 92 yards on 12 carries with a score.

“We’re excited to get this win tonight,” Nelson said. “We’ve got a lot of younger guys, and these guys are starting to step up. They’re starting to get in mid-season form right now. They’re starting to see progress and continuing to improve. We challenge them a lot, and they want the challenge. We’re happy to have them.”

Sand Rock travels to Pleasant Valley next Friday.