A quick strike by Luverne Middle School proved to be the difference in its matchup with Greenville Middle School Tuesday night at Tiger Stadium.

On the game’s opening play from scrimmage, Luverne scored on a 70-yard run to take a 6-0 lead en route to a 14-8 victory. Luverne’s win avenged an 8-6 loss to Greenville on Aug. 23.

“We were unorganized and not ready to play,” first-year head coach Daniel Ingram said. “(The responsibility for that) falls on me.”

The loss dropped the Tigers to 2-2 on the season.

After Greenville’s offense stalled on a pair of drives, Luverne extended its lead with another long scoring run and a two-point conversion that boosted its lead to 14-0.

“We were arm tackling,” Ingram said.

Following adjustments to its offensive game plan, Greenville began to have success moving the football, but a pair of fumbles ended promising drives.

The Tigers finally got on the scoreboard when quarterback Barrett Bush connected with wide receiver Timmy McCall for a touchdown. Bush then found Jaquan Smith for the two-point conversion to trim Luverne’s lead to a single score, but the Tigers would be unable to draw any closer.

Greenville will be back in action Thursday when it travels to Wetumpka. A contest between the schools’ seventh grade teams will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the middle school game set to follow.