Marla Jones, Sports Editor

marla@southerntorch.com

SYLVANIA, Ala.- The Sylvania Rams defeated the Collinsville Panthers, 35-7 on Friday night. 

Sylvania jumped to an early lead, scoring on their first five possessions.

Brody Smith made the 22-yard pass connection with Sawyer Hughes, to put the first Ram points on the board. The kick by Conner Andrade, an eighth-grader, gave the Rams the 7-0 advantage, with 11:40 remaining in the first quarter. With 8:11 remaining in the first quarter, Smith connected with Hughes on a 66-yard pass for the touchdown. The kick by Andrade gave the Rams the 14-0 lead. With 1:22 remaining in the first quarter, Hughes sailed in from 5-yards out. The PAT by Andrade gave the Rams a 21-0 lead at the end of the opening quarter. At the end of one, Sylvania substituted players in order to give the younger athletes some valuable playing time. 

Hughes showed out in the second quarter scoring on a 7-yard pass from Smith with 8:36 remaining in the half. Hughes then stampeded into the endzone with 3:50 remaining in the second quarter to give the Rams the 35-0 advantage going into intermission. 

Collinsville scored in the third quarter on a Colton Wills 18-yard run.

Sylvania's Sawyer Hughes had 3 touchdowns on 66 yards rushing and 112 yards receiving. Brody Smith was 8 of 9 passing for 162 yards. The kicker, Conner Andrade, went 5-for-5 on extra points. 

“We were able to take care of business. I thought that we fought hard and played hard, especially our first group,” stated Sylvania Head Coach Tyler Mann. “It was good to get time for our second group who also played hard.”

“We are just so young, and we still have got a lot of work to do,” stated Collinsville Head Coach Ernie Willingham. “I still thought that we played hard, and we did not let them score in the second half.”

Sylvania will have a bye week this week. 

Collinsville will host Sand Rock on Friday night. This will be the 98-3 Wild Country Game of the Week.