Greenville High School needed to play its best game of the season Friday night.

It did not.

No. 10 Saraland High School topped the Tigers 35-6 at Spartans Stadium.

“We just didn’t play very well,” Greenville High School head coach Earnest Hill said. “They jumped on us early and it was all downhill from there.”

Hill said the Tigers struggled on both sides of the ball, but particularly on defense.

“We didn’t tackle very well, and we gave up a lot of big plays,” he said. “The bottom line is we just didn’t play well.”

On offense, the Tigers turned the ball over, and the Spartans’ offense, which entered Friday’s game averaging 42 points per game, took advantage.

“When we turned it over they capitalized and put the ball in the end zone,” Hill said.

Junior Jerome Watkins scored the Tigers’ lone touchdown.

The loss drops Greenville to 3-5 overall and 3-3 in Class 5A, Region 3 play.

Greenville will be back in action next Friday when it hits the road for a showdown with region-rival Sumter Central High School.