Ardmore had the lead and the momentum in the second quarter, but an interception turned the tide and was the catalyst to a 40-22 defeat to Lee-Huntsville.

Lee scored first on a blocked punt return for a touchdown late in the first quarter, but Ardmore rallied to take a 7-6 lead early in the second quarter on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Noah Barnett to Mack Hughes, and then recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff.

However, Lee’s Antonio Baker made the play of the game, as he intercepted an Ardmore pass and returned it 75 yards for a score to give the Generals a lead they would not relinquish again.

Lee added another score late in the second quarter on a 50-yard touchdown pass from Noah Watkins to Ke’Mari Artis, and took an 18-7 lead into halftime.

“Lee had three big plays in the first half that gave them the lead,” Ardmore coach Andrew Smith said. “The interception return, the blocked punt for a touchdown and the long pass. That interception in particular was a big play in the game.”

Lee then put the game away with 15 points in the third quarter. The Generals sacked Barnett in the end zone for a safety before Jauquez Harris scored on a 15-yard run. Da’Zarius Burks then scored on a 9-yard run to give Lee a 33-7 lead after three quarters.

But Ardmore didn’t quit. The Tigers rallied to get back in the game with two fourth-quarter touchdowns. Barnett had a 45-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Taylor before Taylor had a 75-yard interception return of his own midway through the final quarter to cut the lead to 33-22 and give Ardmore some life.

However, Lee’s A’Varius Lewis put the final nail in the coffin with a 6-yard touchdown run with 3:08 to play.

“When we cut it to 11 in the fourth, I thought we had a good chance, but we couldn’t get a stop when we needed it,” Smith said. “Lee is a really good team and we gave ourselves a chance. I felt we played hard for the most part. I’m not pleased with losing, of course, but I am pleased with our effort.”

Barnett had 205 passing yards on just 10 completions, with Hughes catching four of those passes for 44 yards. Chase Lay was the Tigers’ leading rusher with 62 yards on 19 carries.

Ardmore (2-4, 1-3 Class 5A, Region 8) plays at Lawrence County next Friday.