By Kelsey Prose
The final score of the Friday, October 29 game didn’t reveal how tough Sylvania had to fight for the victory over the North Sand Mountain Bison to continue their win streak. The game was tied much of the first half, and it wasn’t until late in the third quarter when the Rams scored 27 unanswered points that the scoreboard gave way to the Rams’ 41-20 win and their sixth straight victory.
North Sand Mountain got on the board first after they ended the Ram’s drive with a sack. The Bison drove the ball 83-yards, and Landon Keller hit Derek Bearden for a 29-yard touchdown pass to give the Bison a 7-0 lead. The Rams answered back on the next drive when Styles Hughes tied the game with a 5-yard run at the top of the second quarter.
Sylvania benefited from the halftime break and scored on its opening drive of the second half as Sawyer Hughes scored on a 13-yard run to take the 14-7 lead. North Sand Mountain responded with an 18-yard touchdown run from Mason Smith, but the extra point was no good and gave the Rams the momentum they needed.
Sylvania went on a 27-point run to set up the win. Brody Smith found Hughes for a 35-yard touchdown pass with 8:11 remaining in the third, Styles Hughes scored his third rushing touchdown of the night on a 1-yard run, and Bates scored on a 5-yard run with eight minutes remaining in the game.
Sylvania tacked on their final score with a 17-yard run from Styles Hughes. North Sand Mountain scored on a 9-yard run from Jaxon Smith with 39.7 seconds left in the game.
The Rams accumulated 453 total offensive yards while Brody Smith threw for 167 yards and completed 12-of-18 with one touchdown. Sawyer Hughes was the favorite receiver with 114 yards on five receptions with one touchdown, while Zac Anderson caught five passes for 42 yards. Preston Bates earned 173 rushing yards on 16 carries with one touchdown, while Styles Hughes rushed for 117 yards on 19 carries with four touchdowns.
Sylvania closed out their regular season with a bang and now faces Region 5’s No. 3-seed Piedmont at the Field of Champions, who went 8-2 on the season. Piedmont has won four state championships.
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