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The LaGrange Grangers put up a fight against the no. 1 team in 3A Sandy Creek but ultimately took a 27-7 loss in their region opener.

Despite the loss, the game featured a nearly picture-perfect start for the away team. The Grangers received the opening kickoff and then scored on their first offensive play when Malachi Fannin-Render broke a 70-yard touchdown run.

The Patriots responded with a six-play touchdown drive but missed the extra point as the Grangers retained a 7-6 lead.

Unfortunately for the Grangers, one of their best defensive players, linebacker Noah Outland, was injured on the first defensive possession and didn’t return to the game.

Sandy Creek would eventually take the lead in the first quarter, scoring a touchdown and two-point conversion late in the quarter to take a 14-7 lead.

LaGrange had a chance to cut into the lead but missed a 27-yard field goal with 9:22 left in the first half. The Patriots nearly took a larger lead with just over two minutes to play in the half, but the Granger defense came through in a big way when Sandy Creek got inside the 10-yard line. Harris Grace blew up a third down play and Spencer Stroud got a sack on fourth down to force a turnover on downs. 

Unfortunately, an unsportsmanlike conduct after the fourth down stop left the offense backed up and a poor punt gave the Patriots the ball back on the Granger 33-yard line. With just seconds left on the clock, Sandy Creek scored to break the Grangers’ spirit. 

Personal fouls were a problem for the Grangers and they lost their no. 1 wide receiver Denorayon Reid to an ejection. This left LaGrange extremely short-handed at wide receiver as their no. 2 wide receiver Gryson Cockrell tore his ACL in the season opener against Douglass.

The Patriots scored a touchdown early in the second half to take a 27-7 lead and all but kill the game off.

After the opening touchdown of the game, the LaGrange offense could not find second gear. Despite a big kickoff return from Zy Huzzie to the 32-yard line of Sandy Creek, the offense came up empty-handed after turning the ball over on downs in the red zone. 

The defense got a strip sack from Drek Williams and a recovery to set the Grangers up at the Sandy Creek 29-yard line and again the offense let the defense down. The Grangers gained just 11 yards before they turned it over on downs. 

LaGrange is now 1-2 on the season, having alternated losses between a win. The Grangers will have a short week to prepare for a stout Trinity Christian team at Callaway Stadium next Thursday.