MOULTRIE — Lowndes’ Randy McPherson couldn’t help but smile when he was walking off the field during his postgame radio interview. His team had just made a statement to the rest of the region. The Vikings aren’t going anywhere, and they are a real contender for the region championship this season.

Lowndes battled and bruised its way to an impressive 17-14 region opening win over the Colquitt County Packers Friday night at Mack Tharpe Stadium in Moultrie, avenging a blowout loss to the Packers last year.

“I’m proud of our kids. They just fought hard,” McPherson said. “I mean, I don’t know what to say about them. My coaches had a great game plan. It was just a great team effort.”

The Packers dominated the line of scrimmage, smacking the Packers around and holding them to a season-low 164 yards of total offense, forcing three interceptions, the final one clinching the game with 14 seconds remaining, and sacking the Packer quarterbacks three times, including twice inside the final minute.

Even though the Vikings dominated, the Packers had their chance at the end. But Lowndes’ defense was too fast, too strong and ultimately too physical.

With the Vikings leading 17-14, the Packers regained possession of the ball with 1:24 remaining. After back-to-back runs that took the Packers to the Viking 28, Lowndes’ Donte’ Robinson sacked Packer quarterback Cole Seagraves. Then, Jacey Wright and Sam Washington sacked Seagraves on the very next play, forcing a fourth down and 24 for Colquitt County.

Tre’ Jackson iced the game with an interception, his second of the night. It was pandemonium on the Vikings’ sideline. Lowndes had won, and beaten its rival from Moultrie.

“It is a great feeling,” Jackson said. “We did a great job to come out with the victory. It came to me, and I had to make the catch. It wasn’t just me. It was my team. We all had to come together to get the victory. We all worked hard in practice this week.”

Lowndes’ defense allowed its first touchdown since the season opener four weeks ago. The TD came in the fourth quarter, when Seagraves hit a 51-yard touchdown pass to cut the Vikings’ lead to 17-14. That was all the Packers got from the stingy Viking defense.

The Lowndes defense, which entered the game riding a three-game shutout streak, hammered away at the Colquitt County offense all night, holding the Packers to minimal production.

“We’ve got a chance to be real special,” McPherson said. “We quit making all those stupid mistakes.”

Offensively, Lowndes was held to 219 yards of total offense, all of which came on the ground. Nick Burgman led the way with 71 yards on 13 carries. Tiquan Lang scored the Vikings’ only offensive touchdown of the night, smashing into the end zone in the third quarter to give Lowndes a 10-7 lead.

Lang found the end zone again in the fourth quarter, when he broke free for a 60-yard punt return, which put Lowndes in front 17-7.

Colquitt County responded on its next possession with the touchdown strike from Seagraves that cut Lowndes’ lead to three.

On Lowndes’ next possession, the Vikings nearly imploded near their own goal line, as a string of penalties backed them into a third and long. After a few plays for breathing room, the Vikings punted the ball back to the Packers, and the defense did the rest.

“I never thought it was over,” Lang said. “We had to come back out and play. They are a tough team, and we had to play.”

The Vikings started the game with a methodical drive down the field, using 13 plays to travel 59 yards to set up a 38-yard field goal by Gustavo Gonzales.

Lowndes’ rushing attack dominated the drive, as Burgman, Jordan Williams, Tevin Orr and Ahman Brown all carried on the drive. The Vikings’ only pass on the drive was on 3rd and 1. Quarterback Alex Stephenson was sacked, and Lowndes was forced to settle for the field goal.

The Vikings continued to hold the momentum into Colquitt County’s first drive. On just the Packers’ second play of the night, Jackson intercepted Seagraves’ pass, giving the Vikings possession at the Packer 47.

After seven plays, the Vikings were held to another 38-yard field goal attempt, which was blocked by Colquitt County. On the block, the ball bounced perfectly into the hands of a Packer defender, who returned it 70 yards for the Packers’ only score of the first half.

Neither team was able to produce any offense for the rest of the half.

Things got heated between the two Region 1 rivals throughout the first half. Both head coaches were seen arguing calls and walking well onto the field to speak with the referees. The two teams combined for 11 penalties in the first half, seven of which were called on the Vikings. Lowndes was flagged a total of 14 times in the game for 105 yards.