By Marty Stamper/Special to The Star
DECATUR — In a game of many big plays, Southeast Lauderdale made the most in taking a 35-25 victory against Newton County on Friday night.
It was just the Tigers’ second win in the series over the last 11 years.
“We had big plays on both sides, some good, some bad,” said Southeast first-year head coach Boo Smith. “It was obvious we’ve got some things to work on, but it’s also obvious our kids played with a lot of heart and a lot of guts.
“We had four people that didn’t make the trip or didn’t play that were all starters and we were still able to gut it out. I challenged them before the game and they accepted the challenge and just played gritty all the way.”
Newton County had one of the game’s few sustained drives to take a 6-0 lead with 3:35 left in the first quarter. The Cougars covered 61 yards in 12 plays with Hakeem Wesley scoring from a yard out. The extra point was no good.
Southeast’s Ledarious Clark quickly answered with a 79-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Brandon Bowen’s PAT gave Southeast a 7-6 lead.
Clark had another big play to get the Tigers’ second touchdown. Facing fourth-and-2 at the Cougar 45, Southeast ran a play from punt formation and Lakelvin Newell picked up seven yards, only to lose the ball on a fumble. Clark scooped it up and dashed the final 37 yards to the end zone to complete the 44-yard play with 10:03 left in the second period. Shelby Moseley completed a two-point pass to Nathan Freeze to put the Tigers up 15-6.
Newton County covered 96 yards in just four plays to close to within 15-13. Diason Martin raced the last 80 yards up the middle with 5:38 left in the half. Jordan Walker kicked the extra point.
Southeast’s Desmond Johnson opened the second half scoring with a 58-yard jaunt around right end with 8:58 remaining in the third quarter. Bowen’s kick gave the Tigers a 22-13 advantage.
The Cougars threatened when a 60-yard kickoff return by Wesley and a 15-yard penalty for a horse collar tackle had Newton County at the Tiger 14. Clark picked off Trenton Evans’ pass in the end zone on the next play to kill the threat.
A 28-yard pass from Evans to Chris Thames had Newton County at the Southeast 28 early in the fourth quarter, but Evans was picked off by Demarcus Pringle to end that scoring bid.
Pringle returned the pick 37 yards to the Cougar 35 and Clark dashed 30 yards two plays later for a 28-13 Tiger lead.
Newton County, 0-2, closed to within 28-19 with 5:31 left when Wesley scored on a 71-yard pass from Thames.
The Tigers got a defensive score when D.D. Goudy fell on a fumble in the end zone by Evans, who was under heavy pressure, with 2:23 to go.
Wesley gave the Cougars one final hurrah with a 68-yard kickoff return that led to a 1-yard scoring plunge by A.J. Mapp with 17.6 seconds remaining.
Southeast, 1-1, hosts Northeast Lauderdale next Friday, while Newton County goes to Choctaw Central.
