By Brad Greer

The 7-8 year-old  Sardis Falcons handed the Batesville Tigers their first loss of the season by a score of 12-0 to end the regular season Saturday morning at Robert H. Dunlap Stadium. Despite the setback, the Tigers will advance to the first round of the playoffs Saturday morning in Charleston at 10:15 where they will square off against Greenwood.

Cordarius Pride got the Falcons on the board at the 1:37 mark of the first quarter with a three-yard touchdown run to make the score 6-0 after the two-point conversion failed. The scoring drive was set up by a 57-yard pass play from Pride to Carl Robinson down to the Tiger 20 where Pride scored three plays later.

The score would stay that way until 4:14 left in the contest when Rodrick Taylor scored from two yards out to give Sardis a 12-0 advantage. The only Batesville scoring threat came midway through the third quarter when Eldridge Brooks busted loose on a 30-yard run to the Falcon 28-yard line. The drive stalled however as the Falcons Jordan Evans recovered a fumble on the Sardis 24.

In the 9-10 year-old contest, Al Osborn’s 55-yard fumble return with 2:07 remaining in the fourth quarter gave Sardis an 18-12 victory over Batesville.

Following a scoreless first quarter, Sardis took a 12-0 halftime lead on a Rhysonne Bishop 19-yard run at the 3:40 mark of the first half. Following a Kenny Anderson fumble recovery, the Falcon’s padded their lead when Bishop hooked up with Jefferson with a touchdown toss with 10 seconds remaining before intermission.

Batesville would not go down without a fight however as Lekendrick Willingham recovered a Sardis fumble on the Tiger 29 yard-line. On the next play from scrimmage, Jordan Strong took an inside handoff and raced 69 yards for the score with 2:12 left in the third quarter. Batesville would tie the game up at 12-12  as Strong rambled 60 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter.

The Tigers had all the momentum turned their way when Patrick Shegog picked off a Bishop pass at midfield. Two plays later, Osborn stripped a Batesville ball carrier of the ball and raced in for the game-winning touchdown.

Batesville will travel to Charleston Saturday at 12:45 p.m. as they take on Greenwood in the first round of the playoffs.