By TAYLOR BECK, Sports Editor
SARDIS CITY — The Sardis Lions took control early Friday night but couldn’t hold on in their Class 5A, Region 8 opener, falling 21-15 to the Arab Knights at Lions Stadium.
Sardis (1-2) built a 15-0 lead midway through the second quarter before Arab (2-1) stormed back, capitalizing on late turnovers to complete the comeback.
The decisive blow came with 3:32 remaining. Clinging to a 15-13 lead, the Lions coughed up the football when Levi Martin lost a fumble that Arab defender Nic Stevens scooped and returned 19 yards for the go-ahead touchdown — the Knights’ first lead of the game at 21-15.
Sardis mounted one final drive, pushing the ball past midfield, but turned it over on downs. With 1:34 to play, Arab’s Dallas Helton intercepted a fourth-down pass from quarterback Grant Coe to seal the Knights’ win.
The Lions finished with three turnovers (two interceptions and one fumble) and struggled on key downs, converting just 6 of 16 third downs and going 0-for-7 on fourth.
Coe went 11-of-24 passing for 150 yards. His top target was Lamont Richardson, who caught five passes for 54 yards. Christian Davis added two receptions for 36 yards, Brayden Whidden had one for 35, and Martin caught three for 25.
On the ground, Martin had 15 carries for 67 yards and two touchdowns. Mike Smiley chipped in 37 yards on 10 attempts.
Sardis led 8-0 after the first quarter when Martin punched in a 1-yard touchdown run, followed by a successful 2-point conversion. With 7:19 left in the second quarter, Martin scored again — this time from 2 yards out — to push the margin to 15-0.
Arab answered before halftime when quarterback Owen Lambert found Stevens for a 14-yard touchdown pass, trimming the lead to 15-7 at the break.
The Knights struck again in the third quarter. On fourth-and-goal from the 2, Jon Loden dove across the line for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 15-13 after the failed 2-point try.
That set the stage for Arab’s fourth-quarter rally, with Stevens’ defensive touchdown and Helton’s late interception turning the tide for good.
“Man, I hate it for our guys,” Sardis head coach B.J. Brooks said. “I had so many guys go out there and just play their hearts out, and that’s all I ask them to do. I ask them to give everything they got because that’s all they can give. We came up a little short tonight, and I got to do a better job. I’ve got to do a better job coaching them. I’ve got to do a better job putting them in the right places at the right time, and I’m gonna do my best to get better.”
The Lions will look to bounce back next week when they visit unbeaten Guntersville (3-0) in region play.
Sardis running back Levi Martin (17) goes up the middle against Arab. Photo by TAYLOR BECK l The Leader
