Linkin Sanders scores 4 TDs as Horn Lake beats Southaven

Photo: Isiah Mims (22) of Horn Lake finds a running room for yardage against Southaven Friday night. (Mary Scott/Oak River Media)

HORN LAKE — Linkin Sanders rushed for four touchdowns Friday night, leading the Horn Lake Eagles to a critical 31-14 division victory against the Southaven Chargers.

The Region 1-7A win moves Horn Lake (6-3 overall) to 2-2 in region play, placing the Eagles in a tie for third place with Hernando with one regular-season game remaining. The loss drops Southaven to 3-6 overall and 1-3 in the region, placing them fifth.

Sanders was the offensive catalyst, finding the end zone in three different quarters. He opened the scoring with a 6-yard run with 9:37 left in the first quarter and added a 1-yard touchdown plunge with 5:45 remaining in the first half.

Sanders secured the victory in the fourth quarter, scoring from 10 yards out with 10:49 left and adding a final touchdown to cap the scoring with 2:31 remaining.

Horn Lake’s defense also put points on the board when Tyson Gray returned an interception 8 yards for a touchdown with 4:37 left in the first quarter.

Southaven briefly took the lead in the second quarter, carried by running back DeShawn Sykes, who scored both of the Chargers’ touchdowns. Sykes first tied the game at 7-7 with a 7-yard run in the first quarter. He then gave Southaven its only lead of the night, 14-13, on a 4-yard run with 10:19 left in the first half.

Both teams conclude their regular season next Thursday night. Horn Lake travels to Lewisburg as they await their 7A playoff fate, while Southaven plays at Hernando.

Photos are credit Mary Scott of Oak River Media

SCOREBOARD

Friday, Oct. 31

Prep football

• Lake Cormorant 28, Grenada 26
• Magnolia Heights 52, Bayou Academy 21
• Horn Lake 31, Southaven 14
• Center Hill 27, Saltillo 14
• Lausanne Collegiate 41, Northpoint Christian 14

JUCO women’s soccer

NJCAA Region 23 playoffs – first round

• Northwest 3, Itawamba 0

JUCO men’s basketball

• Northwest 106, National Park College 90

NOTABLES: Despite Friday’s loss to Lausanne, Northpoint Christian earned a home game for the first round of the TSSAA Division II-AA playoffs on Nov. 7. Northpoint (7-3) will host Franklin Grace (also 7-3) at 7 p.m….With Madison Central’s 38-35 victory over Starkville, Oxford clinched the number one seed from Region 2-7A. That means Oxford will play the fourth seed from Region 1-7A, which includes DeSoto County schools in the first round of the playoffs….New Northwest men’s basketball coach John Redman earned his first win as Rangers’ coach in the 106-90 victory over National Park College Friday in West Memphis, Ark.