SPRING GARDEN – Spring Garden junior tailback Tyler Morgan rushed for 182 yards on 19 carries and scored three touchdowns to lead the Panthers to a 40-22 victory over Valley Head in Class 1A, Region 7 football action Friday.

Spring Garden (3-0, 2-0 Region 7) welcomed junior quarterback Will Ivey back into the lineup after he suffered a bruised shoulder at practice to miss last week’s game at Gaylesville. After a scoreless first quarter, Ivey got the Panthers going on a 4-yard touchdown run with 11:13 to go in the second quarter. Will Penton’s extra point put the Panthers up 7-0.

Ivey finished the game with 52 yards on eight carries. He also completed 1 of 3 passes for 11 yards.

Morgan scored his first touchdown of the game on a 59-yard run at the 6:50 mark of the second. Penton’s kick made it 14-0 Panthers.

Spring Garden’s defense got in the on the scoring act just 12 seconds later. Josh Hale picked off a Ben Kirby pass and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown. The extra point attempt failed, but Spring Garden was out in front 20-0.

Valley Head (0-3, 0-3) finally got on the scoreboard on Dallas Gregory’s 8-yard touchdown run with 3:47 left before halftime. The point after was no good, keeping the score at 20-6.

Gregory led the Tigers’ ground game with 68 yards on 11 carries.

Panther senior fullback Forrest Livingston opened the third-quarter scoring with a 4-yard run. Penton’s kick gave Spring Garden a 27-6 advantage.

Livingston ended the game with 146 yards on 25 carries.

Morgan added his second touchdown of the night on a 1-yard run later in the quarter, increasing the Panther lead to 34-6.

Valley Head scored first in the fourth on Jonathan Cuzzort’s 3-yard run. He also added the 2-point conversion, closing Spring Garden’s lead to 34-14 with 10:35 remaining in the game.

Cuzzort finished with 59 yards on 10 carries.

Morgan found the end zone one final time in the game on a 58-yard scamper late in the fourth. The extra point was no good, but Spring Garden was in command at 40-14.

Cuzzort scored the game’s final touchdown with 45 seconds to go on a 6-yard pass from Kirby. Kirby added the 2-point conversion for the final. He was 6 of 15 passing for 149 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.

Spring Garden travels to Gadsden to face Coosa Christian next Friday. Valley Head returns home to host the Gaylesville Trojans.