SAVANNAH — Dyer County showed plenty of fight in its first road test of the 2026 season Friday night, rallying from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to take the lead before Hardin County answered with the final score of the night to hand the Choctaws a 31-28 loss in the Region opener. Coming off wins in their first two games of the season, the Choctaws made their first road trip of the year looking to remain unbeaten. Instead, Dyer County and Hardin County battled through a game that was decided by just three points, with both teams moving to 2-1 on the season. Neither team found the end zone in the opening quarter, but the offenses came alive in a second quarter that produced 31 combined points. Hardin County struck first on an eight-yard touchdown run to take a 7-0 lead. Dyer County responded immediately with one of its biggest plays of the night. Quarterback Landen White connected with Grant West for a 66-yard touchdown, and Dillon Rogers' extra point tied the game at 7-7. Hardin County went back in front 14-7 on a nine-yard touchdown run, but once again the Choctaws answered. Korey Taylor scored from four yards out, and another Rogers PAT pulled Dyer County even at 14. Hardin County had the final points of the half, connecting on a 32-yard field goal to take a 17-14 advantage into the break. Choctaws Make Their Move in the Fourth After a scoreless third quarter, Hardin County extended its lead early in the fourth with a three-yard touchdown run, putting Dyer County in its largest hole of the night at 24-14. The Choctaws responded in a big way. White found KeAnthony Barbee for a 47-yard touchdown, trimming the deficit to 24-21 following Rogers' extra point. The big play was part of an impressive night for the Dyer County passing game, which consistently produced explosive gains despite having far fewer offensive snaps than Hardin County. Dyer County then completed the comeback when Taylor found the end zone for the second time, scoring on a five-yard run. Rogers remained perfect on extra points, and suddenly the Choctaws had turned a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit into a 28-24 lead. Hardin County, however, had one final answer. Facing third-and-six from the Dyer County six-yard line, Hardin County completed a touchdown pass to regain the lead, 31-28. The extra point provided what would become the final margin. The result ended Dyer County's bid to remain unbeaten, but the Choctaws' ability to erase a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit on the road gave them an opportunity to win late in their first Region contest. Big Plays Fuel Dyer County Offense Dyer County's offensive numbers tell an unusual story. The Choctaws ran just 30 offensive plays compared with 72 for Hardin County, yet finished with 290 total yards. That worked out to an impressive 9.7 yards per play. Hardin County accumulated 313 yards but needed more than twice as many plays to do so, averaging 4.3 yards per snap. The difference was Dyer County's ability to create explosive plays, particularly through the air. White completed 10 of 16 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 21.1 yards per completion. He was intercepted once. Dyer County added 79 yards rushing on 14 attempts, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. White also contributed 18 rushing yards on four attempts. Grant West was Dyer County's leading receiver, catching three passes for 114 yards and a touchdown. His 66-yard touchdown reception accounted for the Choctaws' first score and was their longest play recorded in the box score. Barbee was another major part of the passing attack, hauling in five receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown, including the 47-yard fourth-quarter score that started Dyer County's comeback. Jaiden Sebourn added two receptions for 10 yards. Taylor provided the production on the ground, carrying nine times for 63 yards and two touchdowns while averaging seven yards per carry. His longest run went for 27 yards. His first touchdown tied the game at 14 in the second quarter, while his second gave Dyer County its 28-24 fourth-quarter lead. Defense Faces Heavy Workload Dyer County's defense spent much of the night on the field as Hardin County ran 61 times for 248 yards and attempted another 11 passes. Hardin County finished with 26 first downs compared with 12 for Dyer County and converted eight of 13 third-down opportunities. The home team was also 2-for-2 on fourth down. Despite that workload, several Choctaws turned in big defensive performances. Ethan Sweatt led Dyer County with 12.5 tackles, the highest total listed for any Choctaw defender. River Johnson followed with 8.5 tackles and one tackle for loss, while Oakley Joiner recorded six tackles. Eli Pollock finished with five tackles and led the Choctaws with 1.5 tackles for loss. Grant West added 2.5 tackles and half a tackle for loss, while Zay Bowen recorded 3.5 tackles and a pass breakup. Landon Kuykendoll contributed 3.5 tackles, while Clark Ross, KeAnthony Barbee and Montrale Smith each finished with two. The Choctaws also created a turnover. Landon Hendrix forced a fumble, and Charlie Madison recorded a fumble recovery. The official box score credits Dyer County with one takeaway while the Choctaws committed one turnover of their own on an interception. Rogers Perfect on PATs Special teams also played an important role in a game decided by three points. Dillon Rogers finished 4-for-4 on extra-point attempts, converting after each Dyer County touchdown. Bennett Black handled the punting duties, recording two punts with a 32-yard average. Hardin County was also perfect on its four PAT attempts, but its 32-yard field goal late in the second quarter ultimately accounted for the difference in the three-point final margin. A Game of Contrasting Styles The statistical comparison highlights just how different the two offenses were Friday night. Hardin County relied heavily on its running game and sustained drives, rushing 61 times and accumulating 26 first downs. Dyer County, meanwhile, generated nearly as much total offense despite running 42 fewer plays. The Choctaws produced 290 yards on 30 plays, while Hardin County finished with 313 yards on 72 plays. Dyer County averaged more than twice as many yards per play—9.7 compared with Hardin County's 4.3. Dyer County was also efficient on third down, converting three of six opportunities for 50 percent. Hardin County went 8-for-13 for 62 percent. Penalties were relatively limited, with Dyer County flagged four times for 20 yards and Hardin County five times for 40 yards. In the end, the Choctaws' explosive offense gave them a chance despite Hardin County controlling the number of possessions and snaps. Dyer County erased a 10-point deficit, scored 14 unanswered points to take a fourth-quarter lead and forced Hardin County to respond late to secure the win. The 31-28 loss drops Dyer County to 2-1 on the season as the Choctaws move forward from their first road game and Region contest of 2026.