By Kelsey Prose
North Sand Mountain (0-2,0-1) led 7-0 the entire game, but after a few ill-timed turnovers, the Ider Hornets (2-1,1-0) started to rally with 9 minutes left in the game to take the 13-7 victory on Friday, September 3, in Higdon for a class 2A region 7 game.
NSM put points on the board first when they strung together a 15-play touchdown drive with Derek Bearden rushing in from 11-yards out to put the Bison up 7. Neither team could put together another scoring drive and traded possessions throughout the second quarter.
The Bison set up their offense and drove 16 plays with 39 seconds left in the first half before they fumbled the ball, and the Hornets recovered. Ider’s Hunter Robinson broke free for a 55-yard run that would have tied the game going into halftime, but it was called back for a holding penalty, so the Bison remained in the lead at the half.
NSM continued to control the game and the clock throughout the rest of the game, but another turnover set up the Hornets’ first score in the fourth quarter. Ider’s Dylan Grant punched in a one-yard touchdown run to knot the game at 7-all with 9:22 left in regulation.
The Bison got the ball back and went to work. They got to the Ider 40-yard line, but a bad handoff caused another ill-timed turnover, and the Ider Hornets responded. Matt Norman broke away for 44-yards to set up Robinson’s 34-yard touchdown run to take the lead with one minute left in regulation.
The ensuing PAT bounced off the upright and was no good. The Bison tried to score again after they got the kickoff, but the Hornets’ defense swarmed on fourth down to end the Bison’s chances of winning the game.
North Sand Mountain travels to Section (2-1,0-1) for their second region matchup on Friday, September 10.
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