No. 4 Fairview Holds Off Sardis in 41-39 Thriller
BOAZ, AL. – The Fairview Aggies, ranked No. 4 in Class 5A, secured a dramatic 41-39 road victory over the Sardis Lions in a back-and-forth non-region contest Friday night. A critical defensive stop by Adyen Batz on a two-point conversion attempt in the final minute sealed the win for the undefeated Aggies.
The victory improves head coach George Redding Jr.’s Aggies to a perfect 8-0 on the season. Sardis drops their seventh straight contest to slip to 1-8.
Sardis started strong, establishing a 13-0 lead in the first quarter. The Lions scored on their opening drive and followed up with a 35-yard touchdown run to extend their advantage with 3:30 left in the period.
The visitors’ offense ignited in the second quarter. Running back Jake Harper put the Aggies on the board with a 7-yard touchdown run, cutting the deficit to 13-7. Following a defensive stop, the Aggies marched downfield, with a 20-yard scramble by quarterback Kolt Redding setting up another Harper touchdown run to tie the game at 13-13.
The offensive shootout continued as Sardis answered with a 44-yard touchdown run to reclaim the lead, 20-13. Fairview responded just before the half. A long run from Rex Chandler and a key reception by Jace Stevens moved the Aggies into the red zone. Harper then broke loose for a 25-yard touchdown, his third of the night, leveling the score at 20-20. However, Sardis connected on a 5-yard touchdown pass in the final seconds to take a 26-20 lead into halftime.
Sardis extended its lead to 33-20 early in the third quarter after an interception led to a quick score. Fairview countered on the next possession when Redding found Conner Scott for a 17-yard touchdown pass, narrowing the gap to 33-27. Later in the quarter, Harper ripped off a 50-yard touchdown run, giving Fairview its first lead of the game at 34-33.
Ayden Batz shifted the momentum with a crucial interception on the ensuing Sardis drive, returning it to the Lions’ 2-yard line. Two plays later, Harper scored his fifth touchdown of the night, pushing the Aggies’ lead to 41-33 with nine minutes remaining.
The Lions mounted one final drive, scoring on a 10-yard touchdown pass with only 51 seconds left to play, making it a 41-39 game. On the decisive two-point conversion attempt, Batz broke up the pass, preserving the narrow victory for Fairview.
Looking ahead, Fairview travels to Athens to take on the East Limestone Indians (1-7, 0-5) next week to wrap up region play. Sardis will hit the road to face the Brewer Patriots (2-6, 1-4) to cap their 2025 campaign.
