Sunrise Mountain holds off Democarcy Prep in sloppy game

Sunrise Mountain and Democracy Prep combined for 11 turnovers on Friday night, including five in the first quarter.

The difference was the host Miners played a clean fourth quarter while the visiting Blue Knights fumbled on back-to-back drives late in the game to seal their fate as Sunrise Mountain earned a 24-13 win.

Sunrise Mountain (1-2) slogged along in the first half, turning the ball over four times (two turnovers on downs, interception, fumble) before quarterback Tyree Hayes ran and passed the Miners to victory in the second half.

Hayes finished the game with 298 total yards (163 passing, 135 rushing) and threw two touchdown passes. Link Rhodes starred in the Miners’ passing attack. The junior caught five passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns, including an 85-yard score with three minutes left that sealed the 24-13 victory. Rhodes also intercepted a pass.

The pivotal sequence of the game came late in the fourth quarter. After the Miners took a 16-13 lead, the Blue Knights began marching downfield. A 41-yard completion from Micah Gayman to Kelley Jones put the Blue Knights inside of the red zone with less than five minutes remaining in the game.

But Gayman fumbled and Sunrise Mountain recovered. A few plays later, Hayes found Rhodes for the game clinching 85-yard touchdown pass.

Damaurier Alexander intercepted two passes, leading a Miner defense that forced six Blue Knight turnovers (four interceptions, two fumbles). Alexander also ran for a touchdown and a successful 2-point conversion and caught four passes.

Gayman finished the night completing 13 of 24 passes for 212 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions for the Blue Knights. Ramon Green caught five passes for 96 yards and a touchdown and also ran for 45 yards on five carries. Kelley Jones caught five passes for 105 yards and a touchdown for Democracy Prep (1-3).