Tigers pummel Pirates in regular-season finale

Connor Sandridge scored three touchdowns and rushed for nearly 200 yards to lead
Republic in a blowout win over Branson in the regular-season finale for both teams. The
Tigers rushed for more than 400 yards and held the Pirates to only 81 yards total, just
one week after Branson had taken an upset bid against state-ranked Joplin into the
fourth quarter.
Sandridge scored two of Republic's three touchdowns in the first half. He followed up his
first score with the longest play from scrimmage all night – an 81-yard gallop with 1:39
left in the first quarter to make the score 14-0.
"I think it was Carson Taylor on the edge. He had a great block setting up a hole and
nobody was left to come make the tackle," he said. "Every week, we're putting in new
stuff, learning it, and getting better."
Quarterback Avery Moody scored to make the score 21-0 when he got loose on a run up
the middle, going 29 yards to the end zone before halftime.
In the third quarter, the Tigers put the game away with three scores in less than three
minutes. Sandridge scored his third TD of the night, a 61-yard run. Branson fumbled on
its next possession, and after the ball was kicked and dropped by several players,
Republic's Hayden Jones jumped on it in the end zone to give Republic another
touchdown, with the extra point making the score 35-0. Noah Reese recovered a fumble
on the next kickoff, and it didn't take long for Republic to score again. Gunner Ellison ran
for 43 yards to the end zone on a reverse, giving Republic a 42-0 lead.
Branson scored its only points on a field goal after Republic's first-string defense had
finished for the night.
In addition to Sandridge's 197 rushing yards, Republic got a touchdown and 73 rushing
yards from Moody on 14 carries. Ellison had three carries for 57 yards and a touchdown.
Kanon Krol had four carries for 14 yards, and Ezekiel Meads had three carries for three
yards.
Republic improves to 5-4, and will host Springfield Parkview (0-9) this week in the
opening round of district play. A win ensures Republic's first winning record since 2015.
The winner of Friday's game will play Webb City in Week 11.