The SelmaTimes-Journal

Tyler Bozeman scored two touchdowns to lead the Lowndes Academy Rebels to a 21-14 win over Meadowview Friday night.

The Trojans, who came into the season ranked No. 8 in AISA, lost for the first time this season.

Penalties plagued the Meadowview Trojans in the second half, and the Rebels battled the blitz all night.

“We adjusted to their blitz. We worked on it all week,” said Lowndes coach Art Sullivan. “They got us once in a while. But we got the right plays called at the right times.”

Penalties and turnovers cost the Trojans in the third quarter.

“I don’t want to take anything away from Lowndes. They played real hard,” said Meadowview coach Rick Jackson. “But we made some mistakes that hurt us.”

Jackson said his team made some adjustments in the second half, but it was not enough.

“Our guys played hard,” Jackson said. “We’re going to hurt for a day or two. But we’ve go to put things together quickly next week because we go to Greensboro.”

Lowndes first scored on an eight-play drive that ended with Bozeman running it in the end zone from 10 yards out with 34.2 seconds to play in the first quarter. The extra point was good and the Rebels took the lead, 7-0.

The Trojans scored on a 3-yard run by quarterback Randal Hamilton after a 12-play drive. The attempt at a two-point conversion was no good, making the score 7-6 with 7:29 left in the half.

A seven-play drive for the Rebels ended when Bozeman scored again on a 27-yard run with 4:48 left in the half, but the extra point was no good for a 13-6 score.

Meadowview took the lead in the second half with a 53-yard run by Brett Collins. A two-point conversion was good, for a 14-13 lead.

On their next possession, however, the Trojans had three penalties called against them, dragging them back to their own 21-yard line.

Another penalty put them on their own 16-yard line.

Then, with 4:18 left in the third quarter, Hamilton found J.R. Lowe for a 48-yard pass completion. On the next play, Collins broke through for a 33-yard run. Three plays later, the Trojans were on the Rebels’ 6-yard-line when they fumbled and Lowndes recovered.

The Rebels were unable to capitalize on the turnover, and the third quarter ended with Meadowview in the lead 14-13.

Lowndes’ third touchdown of the night came with 2:14 left to play in the game when quarterback Rob Smith ran it in from the 7-yard line. The two-point conversion was good for a 21-14 score.

“This was a must-game for us, so we had some motivation,” Sullivan said. “We all played together – had a lot of effort.”