Lowndes crushes Morgan Academy, clinches region championship

The AISA Class AAA Region2 Lowndes Academy Rebels steamrolled Morgan Academy 51-16 on the road to clinch the region championship Friday night.

With the loss, the Senators fell to 4-4 on the season and 1-2 in region play. Lowndes improved to 7-1 overall and 4-0 in region play. The Rebels clinched both the region championship and a home field advantage in the playoffs.

Despite the loss of quarterback Bradyn Stokes, who went one for two passing for 52 yards and one touchdown, the Rebels continued their air attack with quarterback Kimmins Morgan, who went three for six passing for 102 yards and two touchdowns.

The Rebels had 387 yards total offense to 292 yards total offense for the Senators. The Rebels had 154 yards passing and 233 yards rushing. The Senators had 79 yards passing and 213 yards rushing. But Morgan Academy suffered three interceptions.

Lowndes Academy head football coach Speed Sampley said, “We played well. Huston Hampton had a great night, two touchdowns on pass receptions and two interceptions, including one for a touchdown.” He also said the defense played well and held Morgan Academy to its lowest point total of the year.

Also, Lowndes Academy’s Jeremy Hardy Jr. rushed 17 times for 183 yards and three touchdowns. And Hardy also claimed one interception for the Rebels.

The Rebels were led on defense by Hardy with eight tackles, Crawford Dansby with seven tackles and one assist, and Jack Holley with five tackles and a safety.

Trailing 20-0, the Senators got on the scoreboard at the 11:03 mark of the second quarter on a 37-yard touchdown pass from Alex Johnson to Sean Pope and 2-point play run by Alex Johnson. And in the final minutes of the game, trailing 51-8, the Senators scored on an 18-yard pass from Patrick Johnson to Alex Johnson. Alex Johnson added the 2-point run to make the final 51-16 in favor of the Rebels.

Lowndes Academy scored three touchdowns in the first quarter. The Rebels scored on a 30-yard Hardy touchdown run and Hardy 2-point run, on a 52-yard touchdown pass from Stokes to Cooper Carver and a 16-yard Hardy touchdown run to take a 20-0 lead.

In the second quarter, the Rebels scored on a safety by Jack Holley and a Hardy 8-yard touchdown run and Hardy 2-point run to take a 30-8 lead.

The Rebels scored in the third quarter on a 57-yard pass from Morgan to Hampton and Bradford Tidwell point after kick. And in the fourth quarter, the Rebels scored on a 28-yard pass from Morgan to Hampton and Tidwell extra point kick and on a 91-yard Hampton interception return and Tidwell kick to take a 51-8 lead.

Morgan Academy will travel to face 6-2, 2-0 Chambers Academy in a non-region game on Oct. 17. Chambers has two losses, both against out of state teams defeated, but defeated Lowndes Academy 27-0.

Lowndes Academy will travel to face non-regional opponent Wilcox Academy on Oct. 16.