Staff Reports

HACKLEBURG – The Spring Garden Panthers’ football season ended Thursday night with a 32-16 loss at Hackleburg in the first round of the Class 1A state playoffs.

Brady Ruark led the Panthers (6-5) with 205 total yards and a touchdown. He completed 9-of-17 pass attempts for 132 yards and ran for 73 on 15 carries with a score.

Hackleburg (8-3) built a 16-0 lead in the second quarter until Ruark scored on a 3-yard run. Clayton Sadler’s ensuing 2-point conversion cut Hackleburg’s lead in half at 16-8 with 5:26 remaining in the first half.

Hackleburg scored just before halftime, and with its 2-point conversion, took a 24-8 advantage at intermission.

Ben Baker scored on a 17-yard run with 4:39 to go in the third. Another successful 2-point try by Sadler made it a 24-16 game, bu

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