Marengo Academy (4-4, 3-2) hosted Sparta Academy (4-4, 3-2) on Friday night, and fell short, losing by a score of 24-16.

Josh Holifield was the leading rusher for the Longhorns. He had 74 of the team?s 101 yards on the ground. The Longhorns had a season high in passing yards, with 157 yards, but it was not enough to down the Warriors.

Sparta jumped out to a 16-0 lead, but Marengo Academy answered with a 45-yard TD pass from Tyler Barkley to Hayden Huckabee to make it 16-8 at halftime.

Sparta added another score in the third to make it 24-8, and Marengo was again able to answer early in the fourth on a 4-yard TD run by Huckabee.

Marengo Academy had a chance to tie the game late in the fourth quarter, but time expired before they could get it in. Two fumbles on spike attempts at Sparta’s 12-yard line ended the game.

Head coach Robby James said his team had opportunities to win the game, but just could not capitalize.

“We had a few miscues that hurt us,” he said, “with two punts snapped over the punter’s head. We drove from our own five to their 12 at the end, but couldn’t punch it in.”

The Longhorns travel to Sumter Academy next week.