Sparta Academy defeated Wilcox Academy 44-20 in its season opener.

Sparta drew first blood in the first quarter when Taylor Brown connected with wide receiver Cody Baggett for 34 yards.

Wilcox would have to wait until the second quarter to come back, which it did as Morgan Harper ran it into the end zone from eight yards out. The point-after attempt failed. But Sparta came right back to tack on another touchdown on a 39-yard run from Mason Black.

And before Wilcox could score again, Baggett returned a punt 83 yards for a touchdown, but the point-after failed. Sparta led 20-6.

Wilcox did come back before the half with a 12-yard touchdown run by Luke McNeece. The PAT failed.

Sparta extended the distance before going into the locker room with a kickoff return by Baggett for 92 yards. Black’s run added two for a halftime score of 28-12.

In the third quarter, Wilcox came out firing. Harper ran 34 yards for the touchdown, and Clay Watson added the two-point conversion.

Before the end of the quarter, Nick Andrews booted a 32-yard field goal to make the score 31-20.

Sparta scored twice more in the fourth. Justin Smith picked up a fumble and returned it 22 yards for a touchdown. Brown hit receiver Baggett for a 40-yard touchdown for the final score.

Black was the leading ball carrier for Sparta with 102 yards on 11 carries.

For Wilcox, Watson had 116 yards on 20 carries, and Harper rolled up 91 yards on six carries.

Wilcox (1-1) will play host to Meadowview Academy (1-0) next Friday night.