Staff Reports
HACKLEBURG – The Spring Garden Panthers’ football season ended Thursday night with a 32-16 loss at Hackleburg in the first round of the Class 1A state playoffs.
Brady Ruark led the Panthers (6-5) with 205 total yards and a touchdown. He completed 9-of-17 pass attempts for 132 yards and ran for 73 on 15 carries with a score.
Hackleburg (8-3) built a 16-0 lead in the second quarter until Ruark scored on a 3-yard run. Clayton Sadler’s ensuing 2-point conversion cut Hackleburg’s lead in half at 16-8 with 5:26 remaining in the first half.
Hackleburg scored just before halftime, and with its 2-point conversion, took a 24-8 advantage at intermission.
Ben Baker scored on a 17-yard run with 4:39 to go in the third. Another successful 2-point try by Sadler made it a 24-16 game, but Hackleburg answered less than a minute later with another touchdown and 2-point conversion for the final.
Baker had nine carries for 33 yards and a touchdown. Sadler had eight totes for 40 yards and two 2-point conversions. He also made seven tackles on defense.
Zane Edwards topped the Panther pass catchers with three receptions for 46 yards. Bowden Boles posted two catches for 34 yards. Hayes Guthrie had a catch for 51 yards.
Colton Driskell and Bryant Williams led the Panther defense with 11 tackles apiece. Driskell also registered a sack. Chandler Rogers made six stops with a sack.
