BY EVAN BROWN
FOR THE OBSERVER
LOACHAPOKA — After allowing 12 first-half points, Loachapoka High School shut out Wadley High School in the second half to secure a 27-12 win at Jones-Tate Stadium on Sept. 18.
The Indians’ (3-1, 1-1) defense allowed just one first down after halftime while forcing two Bulldogs (2-3, 1-2) fumbles, one of which Jay Holloway returned for a touchdown. Ryquan Butler led the defense with 13 total tackles and a forced fumble.
The Indians’ run game also thrived. Lareaco Echols rushed 20 times for 164 yards and a TD, while Hayden Lipscomb added 130 yards and two TDs on six carries.
“It was good for the team to bounce back,” Loachapoka head coach Branden Hall said. “[Wadley head coach Dake Rivers] does a great job at Wadley. They’re a good, hard-nosed football team that plays tough.”
Hall said the win was an important response after the Indians’ 22-10 loss at Winterboro High School two weeks earlier and sets his team up for a crucial stretch of Class 1A Region 6 play.
“I was excited for our guys to come out after losing to Winterboro a couple of weeks ago,” Hall said. “We were able to get healthy, play hard and finish the game. But there was still some sloppy football. We’ve got to clean some things up on both sides of the ball, but it’s good to still be able to get the win.”
Loachapoka struck first when Echols broke loose for a 25-yard TD run with 9:03 left in the first quarter, putting the Indians up 7-0.
Wadley answered early in the second quarter when Jaylon Marable scored on a 2-yard run, a drive set up by four Loachapoka defensive penalties.
The Indians responded quickly. Lipscomb, just inserted into the game, scored on a 35-yard read option to push the lead to 14-6 with three minutes left in the half.
Wadley found another score before the break. After the Indians muffed a punt at their own 11, Lyn Robertson punched in a 2-yard TD run on fourth-and-1 with less than a minute to go. The Bulldogs’ two-point conversion failed, leaving Loachapoka up 14-12.
On the first play of the second half, Lipscomb beat the Bulldogs’ safety to the left edge for a 65-yard TD and a 21-12 lead, and the Indians’ defense forced consecutive three-and-outs to keep it.
Wadley had a chance when Loachapoka fumbled at its own 33, but the Indians’ defense forced another punt.
A big hit on the Bulldogs’ running back knocked the ball loose, and Ziquan Williams fell on it to give the Indians possession at midfield with just over three minutes left in the third quarter.
Loachapoka drove to the Wadley 8 but turned the ball over on downs, keeping the Bulldogs in striking distance.
The Indians’ defense answered immediately, with Butler stripping the Bulldogs quarterback and defensive back Holloway recovering and running it in untouched. The fake PAT failed, but Loachapoka extended its lead to 27-12.
Wadley didn’t record a first down in the second half until 8:22 remained in the fourth quarter, when a deep pass moved the Bulldogs to the Loachapoka 30. It didn’t last as the Indians forced a turnover on downs on the ensuing possession, then held the ball for most of the rest of the game to close out the win.
Hall said the defense had to adjust after Wadley showed a different look than expected.
“They gave us a different look than we had really been preparing for, because we had been expecting the wishbone and they tried to spread us out a little bit,” Hall said. “We were about to go back to our base defense, but Ryquan said, ‘Coach, let’s stay with what we’ve been practicing. I think we can get it right this time.’ They really took it on themselves to fix the mistakes they were making, and I think that was a big step for our defense.”
Hall also praised Echols for his toughness and what he means to the team as a whole.
“He plays hard, man. He takes hits, gets back up and continues to pound the ball,” Hall said. “He’s just a great kid in general. Having him on our football team is a blessing. He does a phenomenal job for us.”
Echols said the victory was especially meaningful coming back home.
“It felt pretty great coming back home and getting to play with my teammates,” Echols said. “We came out there with a mentality that we were going to win the game, and we did.”
The Indians will look to build momentum as they travel to face Georgiana High School (1-4) at Harmon Field on Friday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m. The Panthers are coming off a 30-6 home win over Red Level High School (1-3) on Sept. 18.
