Red Bay picks up 58-24 homecoming victory
After a wild quarter and a half, the Red Bay Tigers settled in and delivered a knockout punch to the Hackleburg Panthers to get a sweet 58-24 homecoming win.
There were seven lead changes in the first quarter and a half before the Tigers righted the ship and put the game away.
The Tigers did most of their damage on the ground, running the ball 58 times for 466 yards and six touchdowns. Brady Hardin led the way once again, carrying the ball 28 times for 221 yards and three touchdowns.
Keeton Lanphear had big play after big play, carrying the ball six times for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Holden Inman had a big night on both sides of the ball; offensively, he caught a touchdown pass, and on defense, he had two interceptions and returned one for a touchdown.
Lanphear got the Tigers on the board first with a 48-yard touchdown run, just over three and a half minutes into the game. The two-point conversion try gave Red Bay an 8-0 lead.
Hackleburg answered on a big play to tie the game 8-8 with 6:31 to go in the first quarter.
The Panthers then converted a Red Bay turnover to points and took a 16-8 lead with 3:24 to go in the quarter.
Lanphear added his second touchdown run of the night with 00:39 to go in the first quarter on a 13-yard run to tie the game 16-16.
Red Bay capitalized on a Hackleburg turnover early in the second quarter. The Tigers took the lead on a 13-yard pass from Gage Edgmon to Inman to give Red Bay a 24-16 lead.
Hackleburg responded on the ensuing drive to tie the game 24-24.
After that quarter and a half, Red Bay adjusted and settled in, scoring 34 unanswered points. Late in the second quarter, Red Bay got a 43-yard run by Hardin and 41-yard interception return by Inman to give the Tigers a 38-24 halftime lead – and the second half was all Red Bay.
Hardin had a 4-yard run for a touchdown in the third quarter and a 31-yard run in the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 52-24. Vinson added a final touchdown in the fourth quarter from 25 yards out.
Jaycee Vinson was crowned Red Bay’s homecoming queen before the game.
Red Bay will host rival Belmont this week.