Red Bank's Lions kept two streaks alive with their 35-12 win over Brainerd on Friday at the Panthers' Eddie Lambert Field.
The Lions kept their unbeaten streak alive late in the season and, more importantly, their third consecutive region title. They are 7-0 overall, 3-0 in 3-3A.
"We're proud to call that the expectation here," first-year head coach Chris Brown said about the region title. "I'm not going to act like we're not extremely proud of that. The coaching staff deserves a lot of credit for that. We've lived up to the expectation, so now we need to carry through and finish the season strong."
Red Bank's offense revolved around the two-headed attack of senior Calvin Jackson and sophomore Lumiere Strickland. Jackson led both teams with 156 yards on 20 carries and reached the end zone three times - including a 47-yard score when he took a handoff and veered left down the sideline and shook several defenders on his way to the goal line.
Strickland scored a 48-yard touchdown on the sixth play of the game on a screen pass from quarterback Maddox Wilkey. Strickland added a 14-yard rushing touchdown late in the third quarter and finished with a total of 99 yards from scrimmage.
Defensively, Red Bank held the Panthers (3-5, 2-2) to 21 yards rushing, but the Lions fell victim to a few big plays from Brainerd through the air. Brainerd quarterback Xiyeer Lattimore passed for 182 yards and a touchdown.
Jeff Pinkerton and LeDarrion Freeman were the key deep threats for the Panthers with Pinkerton catching a 58-yard pass that set up a 10-yard touchdown run by Robert North and Freeman totaling 106 yards receiving with a 26-yard touchdown reception in the closing moments of the game.
Brainerd coach Tyrus Ward was ejected from the game during halftime for arguing a referee's decision and will be suspended for next week's game at Tyner. Red Bank will host Lenoir City.
Contact John Mitchell at sports@timesfreepress.com.