Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Fred Guarino
The Lowndes Signal
The Lowndes Academy Rebels went on the road Friday and defeated regional opponent Sumter 61-22 to improve to 3-3 in Class A Region 2 play and 4-4 overall.
However, playing in one of the toughest regions in the Alabama Independent School Association, the Rebels will not make the playoffs this season, according to Lowndes Academy head football coach Bob Taylor.
“It was a good win for us,” Taylor said. “Sumter came out and played well, but we took control of the game in the second half. We were able to play a lot of younger guys, which is good for the future.”
In their last regional contest of the season, the Rebels hit the Eagles with a balanced attack for 480 yards of total offense. That included 227 yards through the air and 253 yards on the ground.
The Rebels held the Eagles to 282 yards total offense.
Lowndes Academy led Sumter 29-14 at the half before exploding for 26 unanswered points in the third quarter and adding a final touchdown in the fourth quarter for good measure to win going away 61-22.
The Rebels opened the scoring with a 47-yard touchdown strike from Wade Howard to Brian Rayburn to take a 6-0 lead in the first quarter.
After the Eagles answered, the Rebels scored again on a 21-yard pass from Howard to Rayburn and 2-pont conversion to go up 14-6. Owen Nall added a safety for the Rebels to make it a 16-6 first quarter.
The Eagles responded to cut it to a 2-point contest in the second quarter 14-16, but the Rebels added two more touchdowns of their own.
Brandon Reid scored for the Rebels on touchdown runs of 14 yards and 39 yards. And John Taylor added a point after kick to make it a 29-14 contest at the half.
The third quarter was all Lowndes Academy.
David Hussey scored on a 10-yard run, again on an 80-yard run and on a 40-yard pass reception from Howard. Taylor added a point after, and the Rebels led 48-14.
Adding to the woes for the Eagles, Reid of Lowndes Academy returned a Sumter punt 61 yards for a touchdown. Taylor added the point after and the Rebels led 55-14.
The Eagles scored on a run and 2-point conversion in the fourth quarter to make it a 55-22 contest.
Lowndes Academy eighth grader John Morgan closed out the scoring for the Rebels on a 33-yard run to make the final 61-22.
Howard completed eight of 16 passes for 227 yards and three touchdowns for the Rebels.
Leading rushers for the Rebels included Reid with 12 carries for 112 yards and two touchdowns; Hussey with two carries for 90 yards and two touchdowns; and Morgan with one carry for 33 yards and one touchdown.
Leading receivers for Lowndes Academy were Hussey with three receptions for 93 yards and one touchdown and Rayburn with two receptions for 68 yards and two touchdowns.
On defense, Nall had five tackles and a safety, Reid had five tackles and two assists, Hussey had five tackles and one assist, Jimbo Wheeler had four tackles, Alex Thrash had four tackles and Landon Hooper had four tackles and one assist.
Zach Till had two tackles and was credited with one sack.
The Rebels will close out the2015 season on the road with non-regional contests at Macon East and Autauga.