Southside ends Baird's unbeaten run

Mt. Juliet ends 8-0 season

From staff reports

Tyler Bowes scored on two long touchdown runs and visiting Southside converted both two-point conversion tries Tuesday night as the Saints ended Walter J. Baird's bid for an undefeated season with a 16-14 victory in the season finale.

Bowes scored on a 60-yard run for an 8-0 halftime lead and a 35-yard scamper to snap an 8-8 tie early in the fourth.

Walter J. Baird came to within two on a 50-yard jet sweep by wingback Corbin Pickard for a touchdown. But quarterback Mike Jones Jr., who scored on a 55-yard sweep for a touchdown and two-point run on the first play of the second half, was stopped on the two-point try.

WJB got the ball back with about 2:30 left but stalled as the Blue Devils dropped to a final 7-1 while Southside moved to 6-2.

Baird had other chances to score. But the Blue Devils missed an open receiver in the end zone on their first series of the game. Jones later had a 40-yard touchdown run called back by a holding penalty.

Blue Devil coach Eric Lawrence said he and Winfree Bryant coach Chip Sparkman will put together an all-star team featuring the best players from their teams and send the team out for an 11:30 a.m. game Saturday against Montgomery Bell Academy at WBMS. The Aviators are 3-3 going into Thursday's finale against Friendship Christian. With most of the all-stars figuring to be eighth-graders, it will be next year's Lebanon High freshman team.

"We're putting Walter J. back together and see how good we would have been," said Lawrence, alluding to Winfree Bryant's opening a year ago as a second middle school in Lebanon after WJB had served that purpose by itself for decades.

Raines helps Bears to season-ending 12-6 win

MT. JULIET — Aiden Raines scored a first-half touchdown and preserved Mt. Juliet's 12-6 win over Lipscomb Academy with a late interception as the Golden Bears celebrated homecoming by completing a perfect season at Elzie Patton Stadium.

Raines' 1-yard run staked Mt. Juliet to a 6-0 halftime lead.

Lipscomb tied the score by returning the second-half kickoff for a touchdown.

Mt. Juliet resorted to some trickery to get the lead back. Quarterback Joey Hayes threw a backward pass to slot receiver Trey Pruitt, who winged a 42-yard touchdown toss to tight end Jaden White to put the Bears up 12-6.

Lipscomb drove to the Mt. Juliet 36-yard line before Raines, playing free safety, picked off a pass.

Mt. Juliet's defense held Lipscomb to 72 yards and four first downs while recovering a fumble. The Bears did so despite having to replace nose guard Austin Downing when he injured his ankle in the third quarter. Colt Jones came in to play tackle while Jake Parker slid over to the nose, defensive coordinator Rick Johnson said.