Eddie Choice and Sam Boutwell ran for first and second quarter touchdowns here Wednesday giving the Bainbridge Middle School seventh grade Bearcats an early 16-8 lead over Cairo’s Washington Middle School seventh grade Tigers, but the Tigers bounced back to score 22 unanswered points  and post  a 30-16  victory.

The Tigers, who finished the regular season 5-0-1, and in first place in the Southwest Georgia Middle School Seventh Grade League, will host the 4-2, second place Bearcats in the league championship game Wednesday, October 22 at 5  p.m.  at Cairo’s West Thomas Stadium.

The Tigers took an early 8-0 lead on an eight-yard touchdown run by Choice with 7:05 left in the first quarter and a two-point conversion run.

The Bearcats pulled even 8-8 when Eddie Choice ran eight yards for a touchdown and ran in for the two point conversion  with 2:13 left in the first quarter.

Boutwell ran in for the two point conversion. Boutwell set up the touchdown when he picked up 20 yards from the 40 to the 10.

The Bearcats went ahead 16-8 when Boutwell ran 32 yards for a touchdown, and Choice ran in for the two-point conversion with 5:11 left in the second  quarter.

The Tigers scored on touchdown runs of 20 yards in the third quarter and 16 yards in the fourth quarter.

Seventh grade Bearcats head coach Blake Carruthers said he was proud of his team’s Thursday performance.

“We hustled and played hard the whole game,” Carruthers said. “That is what we have done all season and I am very proud of our young players.”