Coach Blake Carruthers’ Bainbridge Middle School seventh grade Bearcats football team dropped a tight 20-14 decision to Cairo’s Washington Middle School seventh grade Tigers Wednesday in the Southwest Georgia Middle School League seventh grade championship game at Cairo High School’s West Thomas Stadium.
The Bearcats, who finished the season 4-3, took an early 6-0 lead when fullback Sam Boutwell ran 10 yards for a touchdown with 3:23 left in the first quarter. Boutwell tried to run up the middle for the 2-point conversion but was stopped short.
The Tigers went ahead 8-6 on a 72 yard kickoff return down the right sideline for a touchdown with 3:07 left in the first quarter and a two point conversion pass. The Bearcats reclaimed the lead 14-8 when Boutwell ran a yard for a touchdown with 4:20 left in the third quarter then ran in for the 2-point conversion.
The Tigers pulled even 14-14 on a 64-yard touchdown pass with 3:49 left in the fourth quarter.
The Tigers scored the winning touchdown, a one-yard quarterback run, with 14 seconds left in the game.
Following the Tigers final touchdown Dewayne Kiles returned the kickoff 10 yards to the Bearcats 35 yard line. Boutwell’s first down pass intended for wide receiver Calvin Bowens was incomplete. On second down he completed a seven-yard pass to Jaylon Peterson as the clock ran out.
Coach Carruthers said he was very proud of his team’s efforts throughout the season.
“We hustled and played hard every down,” he said. “I also want to thank my fellow seventh grade coaches Chip Ariail and Patrick Clark. They did an outstanding job preparing the players for the next opponent week in and week out. I congratulate Washington on he victory. They have a very good team.”