BY DANIEL SCHMIDT
THE OBSERVER
LOACHAPOKA — No. 5-ranked Loachapoka High School earned its third shutout of the season with a 41-0 homecoming win over LaFayette High School on Oct. 16 at Jones-Tate Stadium.
The victory mathematically clinched a playoff berth for the Indians (7-1, 4-1) in Class 1A Region 6 and put them in position to host a first-round game.
According to Loachapoka head coach Branden Hall, the win over the Bulldogs (2-6, 1-4) continued a strong run in his third season leading the program.
“Their preparation [is] paying off. We had a wonderful week of practice,” Hall said. “It’s good to solidify another playoff berth in our third year being here.”
Hayden Lipscomb, a defensive back by trade who has moved to quarterback part-time this season, ran for 182 yards and three touchdowns on just 11 carries.
Lareaco Echols added 119 yards and two TDs on 15 carries, surpassing 1,000 rushing yards on the season in the first quarter. Loachapoka finished with 306 rushing yards on 29 attempts.
“Electrifying athlete, great human being, plays hard, plays fast, very coachable,” Hall said of Lipscomb. “He’s everything we want in a Loachapoka Indian. He’s really a defensive back, but he had to come play some quarterback for us this year. He’s been doing a wonderful job for us.”
Loachapoka’s defense was just as dominant, holding LaFayette to 6 total yards, including minus-18 on the ground, while recording 11 sacks and 15 tackles for loss.
Ryquan Butler led the way with seven tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks and an interception. Qua’shaun Satterwhite had six tackles and two sacks, Peter Chenier added six tackles and a sack, and Emmanuel Baker and TaKaq Brown had two sacks each.
That pressure, along with Loachapoka’s special teams, kept the Indians working with short fields. Their first six possessions all began near midfield or in LaFayette territory.
Lipscomb opened the scoring with an 11-yard TD run with 7:02 left in the first quarter, capping a drive that started at the Loachapoka 48-yard line. Echols followed with a 3-yard score with 1:11 left in the period for a 14-0 lead.
After LaFayette’s T.J. Lockhart intercepted a pass near the goal line, Lipscomb answered with an 18-yard TD run with 6:05 left in the second quarter. The extra point was no good, leaving the score 20-0.
The Indians sacked the LaFayette quarterback on fourth down at the Loachapoka 47 yard line with 4:28 left in the half, and Echols scored from 7 yards out with 1:42 remaining. A bad snap on a LaFayette punt then gave Loachapoka the ball at the Bulldogs’ 13 yard line with 32 seconds left. On the next play, Cruz Hall hit Zemarion Hughley for a 14-yard TD pass to make it 34-0 at halftime.
Lipscomb said the Indians’ crowded backfield makes life difficult for opposing defenses.
“Right now, it’s pretty easy. You know, we can pick them apart,” Lipscomb said. “We also got this two-back set where we put me, Reaco and Ryquan in there. So, it’s a lot going on in the backfield.”
With 2:25 left in the third quarter, Lipscomb broke off tackle before cutting back through the heart of the defense for a 75-yard TD, making it 41-0.
Butler added his interception at the Indians’ 40 with 7:12 left, and the defense protected the shutout after LaFayette took over at the Loachapoka 28 yard line with 3:24 remaining.
“They want to keep the goose egg up,” Hall said. “They fight their butts off. I’m just happy for them.”
The Indians have rattled off a string of lopsided wins since a 22-10 region loss at No. 3 Winterboro High School (9-0, 6-0) on Sept. 4, and Hall credited his players’ approach to the response since then.
“They’ve just been coming to work every day, bringing their lunchpails and buying into what we’re trying to do here,” Hall said.
Lipscomb said the team is already looking ahead to the next game.
“I feel great. I’m ready,” Lipscomb said. “We’re ready for next week, and the week after.”
Loachapoka travels to Notasulga High School (1-6, 0-5) on Oct. 23 for the “Battle of Highway 14” to wrap up Class 1A Region 6 play. The Blue Devils are coming off a 45-0 road loss to Winterboro on Oct. 16.
