Ripley ends six-game skid; Falkner rolls in region opener

Ripley ended a six-game losing streak Friday with its strongest scoring performance of the season, beating Byhalia 42–6 on the road to earn its first region football victory.

The Tigers’ breakthrough and Falkner’s 44–8 win at Ashland gave Tippah County two decisive road victories Oct. 16. Walnut lost its region opener at home, falling 41–6 to Hamilton on senior night.

Ripley had not won since defeating Mooreville 34–23 in the season opener Aug. 28. Friday’s result lifted the Tigers to 2–6 overall and 1–1 in region play, giving them a split of their first two league games after an Oct. 2 loss to Clarksdale.

A third-quarter update from The Shark 102.3 showed Ripley ahead 42–0. MaxPreps confirmed the 42–6 final. It was Ripley’s highest point total and fewest points allowed in a game this season; Byhalia fell to 2–6.

Falkner built its winning margin before halftime. The Eagles scored 12 points in the first quarter and 20 in the second, taking a 32–0 halftime lead. They added six points in each remaining period, while Ashland’s eight points came in the third, according to the MaxPreps box score.

The 44 points were also a season high for Falkner, which improved to 4–3 and 1–0 in Class 1A Region 2. The Eagles have won consecutive road games after beating Riverside 28–22 on Oct. 8. Ashland remained winless at 0–8.

At Walnut, Hamilton built a 28–0 halftime lead and held a 41–0 advantage in the third quarter, according to The Shark’s updates. A postgame scoreboard photograph confirmed the 41–6 finish. The Wildcats dropped to 3–5 overall and 0–1 in region play; Hamilton improved to 4–4.

No additional Friday varsity final was verified for Blue Mountain or Pine Grove. Ripley next visits Rosa Fort and Walnut travels to Hatley on Oct. 23, both scheduled for 7 p.m. Central. Falkner’s remaining regular-season opponents are Byers and Potts Camp, both at home.