Sweet Water falls to Thomasville, 24-20

The Thomasville Tigers jumped out to a 14-0 lead, then battled with the Sweet Water Bulldogs, with the Dawgs taking a lead in the third. The Tigers eventually added a touchdown in the fourth quarter to claim the 24-20 win.

Thomasville’s Quez Jackson got the Tigers on the board first with a 16-yard run with 3:52 to go in the first quarter. Jacob Horner’s PAT gave the Tigers a 7-0 lad over the Bulldogs.

Jackson struck again with six seconds to go in the quarter, this time from 41 yards out. Horner’s PAT gave the Tigers a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Dawgs finally got on the board with 7:31 to go in the second quarter when Walker Thompson connected with Lashon Young on a 34-yard touchdown pass. Michael Alan Cole’s PAT closed the gap to 14-7, in favor of the Tigers.

The ensuing kickoff was fumbled by the Tigers and recovered by Sweet Water’s Trace Luker at the Tigers’ 40. With 6:27 to go in the half, Thompson connected with Jaland Lewis Horton for a 39-yard touchdown pass. Cole’s PAT tied the game at 14-14.

Later in the quarter, Thomasville made it the the Bulldog 13-yard line before the drive stalled. Horner hit a 30-yard field goal to put the Tigers back on top, 17-14, with 1:01 to go in the first half. The Bulldogs were unable to score and the half ended with the Tigers on top, 17-14.

The Dawgs received the opening second half kickoff, but were forced to punt. On the Tigers’ ensuing possession, Jaden Lewis picked off a Thomasville pass and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown. The PAT was blocked, leaving the Bulldogs with a 20-17 lead with 9:26 to go in the third quarter.

Neither team was able to put more points on the board until the fourth quarter. After stopping the Bulldogs on fourth down at their own 30, the Tigers took over and reached the Dawg’s 9-yard line before being pushed back to the 12. On third down, Thomasville’s Hankins connected with Grissom for a 12-yard touchdown pass. Horner’s PAT gave the Tigers a 24-20 lead with 6:08 to go in the game.

The Bulldogs were unable to get into the end zone again and the Tigers held on for the 24-20 win.

Sweet Water’s Thompson completed 5 of 11 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns. Lewis Horton had two catches for 54 yards. Lewis had one catch for 36 yards. Lashon Young and Trace Luker each had one catch for 34 and 15 yards, respectively. Lewis Horton was the only Bulldog with positive rushing yards, with 16 carries for 26 yards.

The Bulldogs (0-1) are scheduled to travel to Dixons Mills to take on the Marengo Panthers next week. The Panther’s Aug. 28 game with McKenzie was cancelled.