Tigers roar past Panthers for their second Region 7-3A victory

October 11, 2025

Braxton Elrod hands off to Ezequiel Carter.

On a crisp fall night in Rossville, the Adairsville Tigers dominated the Ridgeland Panthers with a decisive 30-3 victory on Friday, in a Region 7-3A matchup.

The game started with a miscue for Ridgeland, who won the toss and elected to receive, but fumbled the opening kickoff. Adairsville’s Gatlin Fair pounced on the loose ball, giving the Tigers prime field position. They capitalized with an eight-play, 63-yard drive, capped by a 27-yard field goal from Cooper Souders with 8:20 left in the first quarter, putting Adairsville up 3-0.

Ridgeland answered on their next possession, marching 48 yards in seven plays, highlighted by a 36-yard pass from Kaiden Williams to Jamarcus Lewis, moving the Panthers to the Tigers’ 24. Cash Ellis knotted the score at 3-3 with a 29-yard field goal at the 4:29 mark of the first quarter.

After both teams traded punts, Adairsville struck again late in the first. 

Quarterback Braxton Elrod scampered untouched for a 14-yard touchdown on a keeper, finishing a swift four-play, 55-yard drive aided by three Ridgeland penalties. The score gave the Tigers a 10-3 lead with 36 seconds left in the quarter.

Ridgeland’s next drive showed promise, with Tabrone Ball carrying nine times for 68 yards to push the Panthers to the Adairsville 7. However, a missed 23-yard field goal attempt with 5:55 left in the second quarter kept them off the board. 

Adairsville seized momentum, driving 80 yards in 11 plays, fueled by three completions from Elrod to Colton Sanford for 19, 30, and nine yards. Matthew Cook capped the drive with a 7-yard touchdown catch from Elrod, and Souders’ PAT extended the Tigers’ lead to 17-3 at halftime.

The second half opened with a setback for Adairsville as Ridgeland’s Jamarcus Lewis intercepted an Elrod pass and returned it into Tigers’ territory. The Panthers drove to the Adairsville 1, but Ball fumbled, and the Tigers recovered with 9:20 left in the third. 

Adairsville made Ridgeland pay, covering 97 yards in six plays, with Elrod connecting with Torron Hale for a 74-yard touchdown strike down the right sideline. A blocked PAT kept the score at 23-3 with 6:16 remaining in the third.

Ridgeland’s next drive reached the Adairsville 29 but stalled on downs. 

The Tigers sealed the game in the fourth quarter with a nine-play, 68-yard drive, finished by Jake Barszcz’s 1-yard touchdown plunge. Souders’ PAT made it 30-3 with 8:52 left. 

Ridgeland’s final possession fizzled at the Adairsville 37, and the Tigers ran out the clock with 10 plays, ending in victory formation.

Adairsville’s balanced attack and opportunistic defense proved too much for Ridgeland, who fell to 2-6 overall and 0-4 in region play. The Panthers head into a bye week before facing Northwest Whitfield on October 24. 

The Tigers, now 3-4 overall and 2-1 in Region 7-3A, return home to host the Northwest Whitfield Bruins on Friday, looking to build on their momentum.

~~ Larry Gardner contributed to this report.