Red Bay has leaned on the run game all year long with success. Friday night, however, might have been the Tigers’ best game yet. They beat the Tanner Rattlers 54-14 in dominating fashion to stay alive in the play–off picture.

Red Bay ran the ball 46 times for 525 yards, throwing the ball five times for short yardage.

Brady Hardin was the workhorse, with 31 carries for 347 yards and five touchdowns. Hardin’s run game overshadowed what would usually be a solid night for Keeton Lanphear, who had nine carries for 128 yards and a touchdown.

Hardin scored the first of five straight touchdown runs with 8:28 to go in the first quarter. He also converted the first of three straight two-point conversions, starting the Tigers with an 8-0 lead.

Tanner answered quickly on the ensuing drive with a 45-yard run to cut the Red Bay lead to 8-6.

Hardin and the Tigers then scored four unanswered touchdowns to complete the rest of the first half.

Hardin scored on runs of 1, 5, 1 and 44 yards to take a 38-6 lead into the halftime locker room.

Tanner scored with 4:23 to go in the third quarter to stop the Red Bay scoring streak, making it 38-14.

Red Bay added two more touchdowns late in the game from Lanphear: on a 28-yard run in the third quarter and a 27-yard run in the fourth quarter.

Eli Farris led the Red Bay defense with 10 tackles.

The Tigers will travel to Hatton Friday night.