Tabor fell behind 7-0 on an option keeperrun from nine yards out by transfer quarterback Jake Buchanon. Tabor senior defensive back Andy Bartell left the game on the play, and Buchanon ran the option to perfection through the first half,

Sterling went up 14-0 when Buchanon shoveled a pass to Tyler Degenhardt on the first play of the second quarter.

Tabor got on the scoreboard six minutes later. Jason Aubrey entered the game for DeJaun Jones at quarterback for the Bluejays to start the second frame, and on Aubrey’s first series, he completed four passes including a 21-yard touchdown strike to Caleb Marsh.

Derik Martinez added the extra point, and Tabor trailed 14-7 with 9:13 left in the half. The teams traded punts, with Sterling taking advantage of another long run by Buchanon by kicking a field goal with 3:33 remaining in the half. Aubrey took over with Tabor hemmed in at its own 18 and marched the Bluejays methodically down the field, completing seven more passes and converting on third-and-3 with an eight yard scramble to keep the drive going.

He connected with Matt Dean for an 8-yard score with 31 seconds left in the frame. Martinez had his extra point kick try blocked, andTabor trailed 17-13 at halftime. But Sterling’s offense blew the game wide open during a 2:54 stretch that spanned the end of the third quarter and the first play of the fourth.

After turnovers and penalties conspired to kill four straight possessions to open the second half, Degenhardt broke loose for a 35-yard scamper on an option pitch, setting up a second touchdown run by Buchanon with 2:34 left in the third.

Sterling defensive back Craig Mans stepped in front of Marsh to intercept Aubrey’s next pass, giving the Warriors first-and-10 at midfield on the last play of the third quarter. Buchanon fired a 45-yard touchdown pass to Josh Oberle on the first play of the final frame, giving Sterling a 30-13 lead with 14:49 remaining.

Demetrius Cox regained some momentum for the Tabor side late in the game.

Aubrey dropped back to pass and was sacked on third-and-goal at the Tabor 7-yard line. The ball bounced to the right hashmark at the Tabor 22, where Cox scooped it up and sprinted all the way back to the left side before turning up field and strutting into the end zone with Tabor’s third touchdown of the night.

But it was too little, too late to keep the Bluejays comeback hopes alive. Buchanon fired another long bomb to Oberle on Sterling’s next possession for a 36-19 lead with 1:45 left.

Tabor marched for another score before it was over, with a 7-play drive ending in another Marsh score with 4.1 seconds remaining.