VALDOSTA — The middle of Lowndes’ offense has been steady as a rock the past three years thanks to a duo that has shared more than 35 games worth of snaps.

Since 10th grade, center Andrew Dunn has been snapping the ball back to his teammate Doug Belk for the Lowndes football team.

Dunn will continue the tradition as he makes his 40th consecutive start for the Vikings against Central Gwinnett during tonight’s playoff game.

The two became entrenched in the Vikings’ starting lineup their sophomore season after playing together since middle school in Lowndes’ program.

“When we were in ninth grade, we kind of knew we would be playing together,” Belk said. “But neither one of us knew that we would be starting in 10th grade, but after we started in 10th grade we knew we would be together for a while.”

Over the years, the two have formed a solid relationship on the field and hang out every once and a while off.

“We have a good relationship, and we’re so used to playing with each other,” Belk said.

“It’s pretty good,” Dunn said. “He helps me out in places, and I help him out.”

The duo being so comfortable together on the line of scrimmage helps out the rest of the offense.

“The first step in good timing is the exchange from the center to the quarterback,” Lowndes coach Randy McPherson said. “Things run a lot smoother. You can run a lot more stuff on offense.”

The two have developed confidence in each other that the snap has become second nature.

“It just gives you confidence going into the game that you don’t have anything to worry about,” Belk said.

Along with the two meshing in uniform, they also mesh in the type of people they are.

“We both work hard,” Dunn said. “He is a really good worker. He has good motives, and he’s a good kid good to hang out with.”

Hard work has led Belk to be a successful quarterback who took his team to a state championship in 2004 and has led Dunn to be a fixture in the starting lineup for 39 consecutive games.

When Dunn snaps the ball to start Lowndes 8 p.m. game against the Black Knights today he will have started in 40 straight games.

“Andrew Dunn has done a fine job, as well as Doug Belk,” McPherson said. “We want hard-nosed kids that are strong and quick, and that’s what Andrew is.

“He’s a very coachable kid, as well as the rest of them.”

More than 40 games and several years ago, Dunn started his football career with aspirations of one day playing under the Friday night lights at Martin Stadium.

With the possibility of just three games remaining, Dunn looks back and said it went too fast.

“It was my dream to play for Lowndes High School since I was a little kid,” Dunn said. “And it seems now that it’s almost over with. It’s just crazy.

“It seems like just yesterday was my first game. It’s just been great playing this long.”

Dunn, along with the rest of the Vikings, will have a chance to extend their season to the Class AAAAA semifinals with a victory against Central Gwinnett tonight.

“They got a good team,” McPherson said. “They look very good on film, very fast team, defensively probably the best defense we faced all year.

“Offensively they probably have the best running back we’ve seen all year.”

If the Vikings continue to play with the fierceness that has brought them to a 42-18 win against Douglass in the first round and a 41-0 victory against Central Gwinnett in the second, then they have a fair chance to win the quarterfinal contest.

“They’re fired up,” McPherson said. “They know what’s at stake.”