Lowndes Academy’s record still unblemished with shutout win

By George L. Jones

The Selma Times-Journal

HAYNEVILLE – Trent Pate accomplished in less than four minutes what most running backs would like to do in four quarters.

Here was the line: Three carries, 102 yards, two touchdowns.

And that was all in the first 2:45 of Thursday night’s ball game.

Lowndes Academy (6-0, 5-0 AA Region 2) had a three-touchdown lead by halftime and went on to a 35-0 win over Meadowview.

Pate finished the game with 133 yards and three touchdowns on six carries.

The Trojans (2-4, 1-4) crossed into the Rebels’ territory just twice in the ball game and never had a chance in the red zone.

The closest they came was a drive early in the second quarter that stalled after an incompletion and a fourth-down run for no yardage that gave Lowndes the ball back on its own 26.

Just 41 seconds into the game, on the third play, Pate galloped for a 49-yard touchdown to put the Rebels ahead 7-0.

After forcing a three-and-out, Lowndes needed just two plays to score again. Pate ran for another touchdown, this time from 50 yards, giving the Rebels a 14-0 lead.

They scored again on their very next possession, this time through the air.

Quarterback Drew Harrell hit Robin Haygood for a 9-yard touchdown with 6:28 left to play in the first.

On their first possession of the second half, the Rebels once again gave Pate the ball and he scored on a 23-yard run.

Momentum looked like it might tip when a 41-yard run by Pate was called back on a holding penalty on Lowndes’ next possession.

But the Rebels bounced back from that and ended an eight-play drive with a 16-yard touchdown pass from Harrell to Bradley Adams. Their lead stood at 35-0 with 3:25 in the third.

On the Trojans’ ensuing possession, Lowndes forced a fumble on Blake Smith just as he was crossing the 50-yard line.

Will McCurdy recovered for the Rebels, but they were not able to score off the turnover.

Late in the fourth, Meadowview’s Cooper Hain recovered a Rob Smith fumble and the Trojans had the ball on their 7.

They drove the ball all the way to the Lowndes 30-yard line before turning the ball over on downs with 26 seconds left to play.