Forty-five seconds is not a long time. But it was long enough to change the course of the 2010 Winnersville Classic.

The Lowndes Vikings, who trailed for a quarter-and-a-half, scored two touchdowns and made an interception in a 45-second span midway through the fourth quarter to seize momentum, and earn their seventh straight win over the Valdosta Wildcats.

With 7:07 left in the fourth quarter, Vikings quarterback Cole Parker ran for a touchdown from 10 yards out to cut Valdosta’s lead to 14-13. Jed Solomon’s extra point tied the game at 14-14.

Three plays later, Kenneth Durden intercepted a pass that went off of a Wildcat receiver’s hands, and returned it to the Valdosta 15.

Parker struck again on the very next play with a touchdown pass to Troy Braswell in the back corner of the end zone.

Solomon’s extra point with 6:22 remaining gave Lowndes a 21-14 lead.

In 45 seconds, the Lowndes bench went from quiet to euphoric. The Vikings’ fans went from frayed nerves to hysteria, and rocked the visitors’ side of Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.

“It was definitely crazy,” Parker said. “The atmosphere from the fans and on the sidelines was insane. It was electric. We could feel the momentum turn.”

“Yeah, that was sweet. That was quick,” Lowndes head coach Randy McPherson said. “I’ll tell you what, what a great game. What a great game.”

Valdosta, which had control for nearly the whole game, was stunned.

Until those 45 seconds, Lowndes looked like it could be in big trouble, especially on offense. Parker hit Durden for a 65-yard touchdown on the third play of the game, but it was all downhill from there.

The next two times the Vikings got into Valdosta’s red zone, Parker turned the ball over. He fumbled at the Valdosta 1, and was picked off at the Valdosta 2 after being hit while throwing a pass. He also threw another interception in the third quarter.

However, he calmly led the Vikings down the field midway through the fourth quarter on the game-tying drive. On the drive, fullback Sam Duncan converted a fourth-and-inches at the Vikings’ own 32-yard line. He also converted a third-and-3, and later made a 21-yard run to the Valdosta 10.

Parker took the next snap after Duncan’s 21-yard run, found daylight and ran to the goal line before diving head first to finally get Lowndes on the board in the second half.

“Obviously, it was a designed pass play, but I looked down field, and all the receivers were covered,” Parker said. “The defense was all on the right side, so I cut back across the grain.”

Parker continued to put his earlier troubles behind him when he confidently zipped a ball to Braswell for a touchdown the next time he touched the ball.

“That was probably the deciding factor in game,” Parker said. “The play was pretty well covered, but Troy ran a great route, and the o-line gave me a lot of time.”

Lowndes had a lead that few saw coming minutes earlier.

“Cole threw it in the right spot, and I had to go get it,” Braswell said. “Cole kept his head on his shoulders, and was ready to play.”

All told, six plays between 7:07 and 6:22 in the fourth quarter swung the Winnersville Classic from Valdosta’s favor to Lowndes’ favor. The six plays: Parker’s 10-yard touchdown run, Solomon’s extra point, Solomon’s kickoff into the end zone, Valdosta’s next play, which was a run that was called back for a hold, Durden’s interception of Ryan Whilden and Parker’s touchdown pass to Braswell.

“I didn’t feel any doubt,” McPherson said.