SAND ROCK — What a difference a couple of weeks can make.

On Sept. 23 the Sand Rock offense looked absolutely anemic in a lopsided homecoming loss to North Sand Mountain. Friday night against Section, however, the scoreboard operator stayed so busy he never finished his popcorn. The Wildcats won the game 46-26 to run their season record to 4-3 (4-2 in Class 2A Region 6).

Coach Russell Jacoway said he was very happy with the way his offense has performed since homecoming. Last week, the Wildcats ran up 47 points in a win at Victory Christian.

"The two big wins have been a good thing for us right now because earlier in the year we struggled offensively," Jacoway said. "Now we're clicking."

The Wildcats compiled 350 yards rushing, led by senior back Chad Thompson, who had 144 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. He finished the night with 161 yards on 13 carries.

Nine other Sand Rock running backs saw action in the game.

Sophomore quarterback Dylan Mackey suffered an injury early in the game that affected Jacoway's plan to continue bringing his young starter along.

"If he hadn't cut his hand we would have thrown it a lot more," Jacoway said. "He was having a little trouble throwing with the bandage on his hand."

Justin Little was the first Wildcat to reach the end zone, scoring from two yards out midway through the first quarter. Mackey's point-after boomed through the uprights to make the score 7-0.

Thompson got his first score four minutes later, on a 10-yard run.

Section closed the score to 14-7 early in the second quarter when quarterback Trent Linderman found Zane Wheeler for a nine-yard score.

Sand Rock answered with 25 consecutive points, beginning with Dustin Chamber's 14-yard run midway through the second quarter. Thomson got his second score on a 54-yard scamper with three minutes left in the half. With less than a minute to go before halftime, Mackey found Stethan Chandler in the corner of the end zone. Chandler's sliding catch, just at the pylon, increased the halftime score to 33-7.

The Wildcats didn't let up in the second half. Chambers picked up where his teammates left off, increasing the lead to 39-7 on a four-yard run with 6:28 left in the third.

Chase Garrett scored Sand Rock's final touchdown on a two-yard run early in  the fourth quarter.

The region win helps clarify the Wildcats' post-season plans. But Jacoway said he needs to see his team continue to get better over the final three weeks of the regular season.

"We need to win at Ohatchee to sew up the number-four spot in the playoffs," Jacoway said. "We don't want to go into the playoffs with a 5-5 record."