The Indians suffered a season-ending loss at home against #2-ranked Sandy Creek (10-2) in a marquee top-5 battle at The Reservation. After Stephens County (9-3) tied the game in the third, the Patriots scored the final 2 TDs to win 20-7 in a low-scoring affair.

The Indians came away empty 3 times in the first half after getting deep into enemy territory, turning it over on downs twice in the red zone and fumbling once just a couple yards out from the red zone. The defense held strong, despite a 9-yd TD run by Sandy Creek QB Geimere Latimer with 5:04 left in the first.

Stephens County got a big boost in the second just before halftime when Corey Richie intercepted a pass in the end zone. Coming out of the break, a Ben Stowe to Cam Lacy 24-yd TD on 3rd and long tied the game with 7:34 left in the third. After both teams stalled out their next drives, Latimer threw a ball deep that was tipped by Jasec Smith and right into the hands of Cameron Watts for the go-ahead score. That came with 3:09 to play in the third. Early in th final period, a Latimer pass to Dalen Persen inside the one led to a Latimer 1-yd plunge for the 20-7 lead.

Stephens County later forced and recovered a fumble in the end zone, and had a TD from Stowe to Smith called back due to an illegal forward pass. The Indians’ season comes to a close in the second round.