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By Fred Guarino
The Lowndes Signal
Behind the stellar play of senior Marcus Mitchell, the Central High School Lions reached another milestone Friday night as they claimed their second victory since 2007, defeating Autaugaville 34-14 at home.
Last year, the Lions ended six years of frustration with a 38-12 win over Zion Chapel, but that proved their only win as they ended the season with a 1-9 record.
Central head football coach James Bibb Jr. said his team stays in a rebuilding process because they don’t have a feeder program. “And every year, we just try to reach another milestone,” he said.
After Friday night’s victory, he said, “The guys played hard. They deserved that win. They do everything we ask them to do and we just try to get better each week. I tell them all the time football is running, blocking and tackling. We ran, we blocked and we tackled tonight,.”
Bibb said he was happy for his players, Central-Hayneville High School and the fans, “But we’ve got to keep pushing. We’ve got to stay in the race… see what the end is going to be like.”
Mitchell scored all but one of the Lions’ touchdowns. And he scored just about every way possible.
He scored on a 6-yard run, a pass interception and 2-point conversion, a punt return and a 61-yard pass reception and 2-point play.
“He’s small but he plays big,” Bibb said of Mitchell. “And he does that week in and week out, regardless of who our opponent is. He’s got a real big heart. And he has the heart of a lion.”
Bibb also had praise for his quarterback Alex Bryant and running back Jaquez Bolling, who scored the Lions’ only other points on a 4-yard run.
He called Bolling a great, but green sophomore athlete who is trying to fill the shoes of T.J. Saffold.
Lions’ senior lineman Darryl Dixon called the win Friday night “awesome.” He said, “We’re not a team anymore… we’re a family. So, we’ve got to work hard and play hard.” He echoed his coach saying, “Football is running, blocking and tackling and we’ve got to do that to the best of our ability.”
The Lions. 1-3, 0-3, will host the team they beat last year, Zion Chapel in a regional contest this coming Friday night.
In other football action:
Lowndes Academy fell to South Choctaw on the road 53-12.
Once again, turnovers were a key factor in the Rebels’ loss.
For Lowndes Academy, Cody Harrell had 110 rushing yards and scored on 4-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Thomas Ward had 51 yards rushing for the Rebels and scored on a 15-yard run in third quarter. He also had 16 yards in pass receptions.
Harrell was 9 of 16 passing for 33 yards passing.
The leading receiver for the Rebels was Wade Howard with 26 yards.
Harrell also handled punting duties for 64 yards.
For the Rebels defensively, Ethan Bennett had five tackles, Harrell had five, Owen Nall had four and Gray Johnson had two with three assist.
Lowndes, 0-5,0-3, will host Southern in regional action this coming Friday.
Calhoun fell to W.S. Neal on the road 81-13.
For Calhoun Jemarcus Davison scored on a 70-yard pass from Jakeem Davison and Demetric Smith scored on a 6-yard run. Jemarcus Davison also kicked a point after touchdown.
Calhoun, 0-5,0-3, will travel to Luverne for a regional encounter.