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By Fred Guarino

The Lowndes Signal

After giving up an early touchdown to the visitors, the Lowndes Academy Rebels went on to defeat the Coosa Valley Academy Rebels in a non-regional contest for homecoming 35-6 on Friday Sept. 21.

The home standing Rebels put together 423 yards of total offense, 184 through the air and 239 on the ground while holding Coosa Valley Academy to 6 points, 146 passing yards and 79 rushing yards for 225 yards of total offense.

“We were kind of clicking pretty good on offense and on defense tonight,” said first year Lowndes Academy head football coach Shane Moye. “The boys played pretty good and hard.”

Moye said his Rebels play their best football in the third and fourth quarters of games. But, he said, “We’ve got to quit fumbling.”

On the negative side, Lowndes suffered two fumbles and one interception. And Moye said those turnovers were the only time their opponent stopped them Friday.

Moye said if his team keeps working, “We’ve got a chance to be really good.”  And, he recognized the play of quarterback Tyler Smith and both Daniel Janes and Mason McCurdy, who carried the ball.

But, Moye said, “The key was our offensive line. They finally controlled the line of scrimmage… They loaded the box and we were still running the football, so I’m really proud of those five guys up front.”

Friday’s contest got off to a rocky start for Lowndes when Kaleb Allen scored on a 2-yard run to put visiting Coosa Valley Academy up 6-0 early. But that would be it for the opposition.

Lowndes took the lead on a 10-yard Janes run and Rostik Smith point after to go up 7-6 in the first quarter and never looked back.

The home team made it a 15-6 contest at the half when Zack Miller took a Tyler Smith pass 78 yards for a touchdown. Tyler Smith then ran the ball for a 2-point conversion.

McCurdy would score the next three touchdowns for the Lowndes Academy Rebels scoring on a 6-yard run and a 36-yard pass reception from Tyler Smith in the third quarter and a 20-yard run in the fourth quarter.

Rostik Smith added two point after touchdown kicks to make it a 35-6 final.

Tyler Smith was 9 of 17 passing for two touchdowns for the Lowndes Academy Rebels. He suffered one interception.

Also for Lowndes, Janes rushed 16 times for 153 yards and a touchdown, McCurdy rushed 10 times for 49 yards and two touchdowns, Trevor Haney rushed seven times for 27 yards and scored a 2-point conversion, and Tyler Smith rushed 11 times for 25 yards.

Miller caught three passes for 78 yards and a touchdown, and McCurdy caught three passes for 68 yards and a touchdown.

On defense for the home standing Rebels, McCurdy had nine tackles and three tackles for loss, Daniel Callaway had six tackles, one assist and three tackles for loss, and Gus Page had six tackles and one assist.

Janes and Landon Hooper both collected interceptions for the Lowndes Academy Rebels.

Presented Friday night was the 2018 Lowndes Academy Homecoming Court including: Crown Bearers, Parker Moye and Gunner Hawk; Elementary Queen Katie Lockhart and Elementary King Watters Box; Seventh Grade Attendant Haley Briggs; Eighth Grade Attendant Harley Hooper; Ninth grade Attendant Summer Gordon; 10^th Grade Attendant Olivia Reeves; 11^th Grade Attendant Emma Casey; 12^th grade Attendant Grace Gothard; and Homecoming Queen Hannah Claire Till.

The home team Rebels are 4-1 overall, not counting a pre-season scrimmage win over Fort Dale. Lowndes is 2-1 in Class AA, Region 2. They travel to Macon East on Friday, Sept. 28 for a non-regional encounter.

In other Lowndes County football action Friday, Sept. 21, Central fell to Luverne in a regional encounter on the road 43-0 and Calhoun fell to Zion Chapel in a regional contest at home for homecoming 46-6.

Senior Johnny Allen scored for Calhoun on an 8-yard run.