Lowndes vs. Douglass - Game Report
The Vikings advanced to the second-round of the Georgia AAAAA State Playoffs with a 42-18 win over the Douglass Astros Friday night. The defense controlled Douglass strongly, allowing only one first-down in the first half. The Astros did manage a few quick scores, but could never mount a steady drive. The Vikings, however, steadily drove all night, punching through the Astro defense for the win.

The game didn’t start off on the best note for Lowndes, when the Vikings fumbled at the 24 yard line on the first play. The defense didn’t let Douglass capitalize on this though, as they held the Astros to a turnover on downs. Later in the first, Stanley Dickson dashed 17 yards to the 14-yard line. Darriett Perry took the ball in to the 4 yard line, and Lynn Williams followed a block by Devaris Leonard from one-yard out for the TD. Schimdt’s PAT was good, making the score 7-0. However, the Astros fought back. Douglass faked a punt, and their punter cut through the defense for a 44-yard touchdown. The low PAT was blocked by Jack Schroepher, protecting the Vikings’ lead, if only by one point.

Early in the second, Perry returned a kickoff to the Viking 45. After being held to 4 th-and-short, Coach McPherson decided to go for it. “Bus” Leonard plowed through the line for the 1st down. It wasn’t the last time “Bus” would have to do that this drive. Leonard also gave the Vikings a 1 st down after a 4th-and-short in the redzone. Williams took the ball in the final 4 yards with a quick sweep around the right end. Near the end of the half, Douglass threw deep on 3rd-and-2. Jermel Demps picked off the pass, his first of three interceptions of the night. Demps took the ball all the way back for the touchdown. The 2-point conversion failed, setting the score at 20-6. With only minutes remaining, Doug Belk threw a pass to Matt Harper in the corner of the endzone. A disputed offensive pass interference penalty was called on the play though, so the touchdown was no good.

To start off the second half, Demps picked off the Astro’s quarterback at the LHS 24. Williams then struck downfield, sprinting 29 yards closer to the endzone. Dickson capped off the drive, with a 17-yard run to the redzone, and then three straight smashes, with the offensive line blasting holes in the defense. Dickson used one of those holes for his 1-yard touchdown run. Demps got his third INT of the night when he grabbed a tipped pass by a Douglass receiver at the Astro 26. Dickson capped off that short drive with a 1-yard touchdown run.

In the fourth Douglass added on another six points. They scored on a 41-yard TD pass, but failed the 2-point conversion. The Astros tried an onside kick, but Matt Harper recovered it for the Vikings on the LHS 33. Lowndes pounded away at Douglass, capping off their scoring with a 1-yard TD run by Tavarus Williams. Schmidt’s PAT split the uprights, putting 42-12 on the scoreboard. Douglass never gave up, and returned the Viking kick to the 3-yard line. They pounded the ball in on 3 rd-and-2, but their 2-point attempt pass was blocked by the Vikings, making the final score Vikings 42, Astros 18.