The Valdosta Daily Times
— Lowndes High’s football team had a tough battle last Friday against the Warner Robins Demons. The Vikings won 31-17, but the game was tied 10-10 with 32 seconds left in the third quarter. Lowndes head coach Randy McPherson said that fans got their money’s worth in Friday night’s game.
— McPherson said he felt that Warner Robins was the best Region 1-AAAAA team that the Vikings played this season. He said it was a great battle, but players on both sides showed good sportsmanship. “It’s hard for me to imagine that Warner Robins isn’t a playoff team,” McPherson said.
— On Lowndes’ first offensive play of the game, Tyler Hunter gained 11 yards, was hit and fumbled. McPherson said that when Hunter gets hit, he experiences numbness in his arms, and it’s almost like a stinger. McPherson said it’s not an injury, it’s a condition. He said Hunter is going to Tallahassee today to see a specialist. “We’re praying for Tyler, and hope he gets a good report from Tallahassee (today),” McPherson said.
— McPherson said that the way the Demons’ defense lined up, if Lowndes was going to move the ball, it either had to run up the middle or beat the Demons by throwing the ball. Lowndes fullback Robert Anderson rushed for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Cole Parker threw for 122 yards and two touchdowns. “Parker had a great game,” McPherson said. “He keeps getting better and better. We feel really good about throwing the football right now.”
— McPherson said the Demons didn’t care about covering the Vikings’ receivers. He said they were concerned about knocking the quarterback down and stopping the run.
— The Vikings fumbled four times against Warner Robins, and lost all four. “We’re done with the turnovers this year. We’re ready to move on,” McPherson said.
— Lowndes’ Offensive Player of the Week is right tackle Ed Christian. McPherson said Christian played a great game lined up against Warner Robins standout Jeffrey Whitaker, a four-star defensive tackle with a bunch of Division I offers. McPherson said he’s looking for big things from Christian in the playoffs.
— The Defensive Player of the Week is linebacker Telvin Smith, who had 15 tackles against Warner Robins. The Special Teams Player of the Week is kicker Jed Solomon, who made a field goal that put the Vikings up 10-7. The Scout Team Player of the Week is Tim SaintFort.
— McPherson was impressed by sophomore wingback Darnell Swoopes. McPherson said Swoopes was in the game due to injuries to Hunter and Geraldo Orta. Swoopes didn’t get many carries because the Demons took away the wingbacks, but McPherson said he did a good job blocking.
— McPherson said Orta suffered an ankle injury, and he only wanted to use him on defense.
— McPherson said defensive lineman Jordan Black suffered a mild concussion after a collision with a Demons running back. McPherson said Black was questionable for the first round of the playoffs.
— The Lowndes broadcast team’s Player of the Week is Smith.
— Smith said he played Friday’s game like it was the region championship game, because the team knew that Warner Robins was going to bring it, with a playoff spot on the line.
— Smith has played on both sides of the ball this year, but he said he likes defense better, because he likes to hit people.
— Smith said he’s not going to make any predictions for this week’s game; he’s just going to work hard and try to have a better game than he did last week.
— The Vikings host the East Coweta Indians in the first round of the playoffs on Friday. Tay Willis has over 1,800 rushing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns for the Indians. McPherson said he makes a lot of big plays for East Coweta, similar to how Greg Reid made big plays for the Vikings last year. “He’s a very, very fast kid,” McPherson said. “He’s a tough kid as well.”
— McPherson said East Coweta will use Willis in a wildcat-type package.
— McPherson said that on defense, the Indians use the 4-3 and roll the safety to the weak side, which results in what some people call an eight-man front.
— McPherson said the Vikings are excited about being in the playoffs, and look forward to playing at home. “I look for us to play absolutely our best football game of the year,” McPherson said.
