Under muggy skies Friday night, the Mendenhall Tigers jumped out to an early lead and then held firm in the second half to escape with a 20-12 win over the South Pike Eagles.
The victory lifts the Tigers to 2-1 on the season and provides a jolt of momentum heading into the heart of their schedule.
Mendenhall wasted no time striking. Quarterback Ty Davis connected on a long pass to Cameron Smith to set the tone early, moving the Tigers deep into South Pike territory. A few plays later, Davis zipped a 14-yard touchdown pass to Henry Funchess. Kicker Easton Benton added the extra point, giving Mendenhall a 7-0 lead with 6 minutes left in the first quarter.
The Tigers extended their lead just before halftime. After another drive into the red zone, running back Jeremy Butts bulldozed his way in for a 10-yard rushing touchdown. The Tigers converted the extra point to take a 14-0 lead.
But South Pike would not go quietly. In the third quarter, Eagles quarterback Dondra Turner Jr. found Antwaun Adams for a 7-yard touchdown. A missed PAT left the score at 14-6. Minutes later, running back Artevius Kizer powered in from eight yards out, trimming Mendenhall’s lead to just two, 14-12, after another missed kick.
Just when the momentum seemed to be swinging, Butts silenced the South Pike crowd. He fielded the ensuing kickoff, cut through a seam, and sprinted 75 yards Despite missing the PAT, the Tigers regained control at 20-12.
From there, the Mendenhall defense dug in. Despite South Pike’s attempts to mount a late comeback, the Tigers forced punts and held their ground through the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
With the win, Mendenhall improves to 2-1, showing resilience in the face of a second-half surge from a determined South Pike squad.
The game took the shape of a defensive battle in the first half with both teams trading turnovers and struggling to move the ball. The Tiger offense was kept out of the endzone in the second half but produced some bright spots for the team to build on.
Defensively the Tigers put together another solid performance, forcing turnovers and doing an excellent job shutting down receivers. The team has built some solid momentum as they prepare for their matchup against the Florence Eagles this Friday at home.
