Elijah Tyler ran for two touchdowns at Centennial Field Wednesday, leading the Bainbridge Middle School seventh-grade Bearcats to a 14-6 victory over the Washington Middle School seventh-grade Tigers of Cairo.

His first touchdown came on the initial offensive play of the game. He took a pitch from quarterback Tyree Crump, went around the right side and raced 60 yards to the end zone as the clock ticked down to 7:45.

Crump went in for the two-point conversion, giving the Bearcats an 8-0 lead. The win improved the Bearcats’ season record to 2-1.

The Tigers cut the lead to 8-6 at the 6:00 mark of the first quarter when Dillon Gilliard ran a yard for a touchdown. Antonio Smith set the touchdown up when he ran left for seven yards from the 19 to the 12 and 11 yards to the 1.

Smith tried to run left for the two-point conversion, but the Bearcats defense rose up to stop him short of the goal line.

Tyler ran 37 yards for a touchdown late in the second quarter to conclude the day’s scoring. The Tigers defense rose up to stop the Bearcats’ two-point conversion attempt.

The big defensive play was turned in by defensive tackle Ty Took, who forced a fourth-quarter fumble and recovered it in his own end zone to stop a potential Tigers’ scoring drive.

Bearcats seventh-grade football coordinator David Kirkland said he was very proud of his team’s play on offense and defense.

“Ty Took is our starting left guard on offense, but he was playing defensive tackle when he caused the fumble and recovered it in the end zone,” Kirkland said.

The Bearcats and Tigers will meet again next Wednesday, Sept. 29, at Cairo High School’s West Thomas Stadium. Kickoff will be at 5 p.m.