Record-setting win for Lowndes in 2009 Winnersville Classic

VALDOSTA �" Pure domination.
That's a good way to describe Lowndes ' 57-15 victory over Valdosta on Friday night in the 2009 Winnersville Classic. The Vikings dominated the game like no Lowndes team ever had against their archrivals.
Coming into the game, Lowndes had never scored more than 28 points in a football game against Valdosta. On Friday night, the Vikings had 30 points by halftime, and wound up putting 57 on the board before the final horn sounded.
Many people consider Lowndes one of the best teams in the state, and possibly the nation.
“I'm real proud of the kids and the coaches,” Lowndes head coach Randy McPherson said. “We pushed them all week, and they responded. I think we found out what we were made out of tonight.”
Lowndes jumped on its archrivals early, scoring 17 points in the first quarter and taking a 30-7 lead into halftime. By the time the Georgia Bridgemen came on the field to perform their impressive halftime show, Lowndes had already pretty much put the game away.
The win was Lowndes ' sixth straight against their crosstown rivals.
Lowndes strong safety Geraldo Orta was chosen the player of the game. Orta had two interceptions on defense, both of which led to Viking touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 61 yards, had one run for 14 yards on offense and ran for a two-point conversion.
Lowndes ' domination began early. Orta ended Valdosta's opening drive with an interception near midfield, and returned the ball to the Valdosta 38.
The Vikings then drove for a touchdown. Khary Franklin raced 18 yards on the first play, then after a false start penalty, Troy Braswell went 10 yards and Robert Anderson went up the middle for 12, moving the ball to the VHS 3. A tackle in the backfield and a penalty moved the ball back to the 10. Then Franklin took a handoff, went right was grabbed around the 4, but kept his legs moving and powered his way into the end zone for the touchdown. Jed Solomon's extra point gave the Vikings a 7-0 lead.
On the ensuing possession, Valdosta quarterback DaShay March was tackled in the end zone for a safety, making it 9-0.
Then Braswell returned the ensuing free kick 34 yards, back to the Valdosta 39, and the Vikings proceeded to drive again. On the second play of the drive, Braswell dashed 26 yards, to the VHS 13. Two plays later, quarterback Cole Parker faked a handoff, dropped back, and found Franklin open in the flat inside the 5. Franklin caught the ball, and crossed the goal line for his second touchdown of the game. On the extra point, Lowndes lined up in the swinging gate, then snapped the ball to Orta, who ran it in for a two-point conversion, increasing the lead to 17-0.
Lowndes continued to dominate in the second quarter. After stopping the Wildcats on fourth-and-inches at their own 42, the Vikings put the ball in the end zone in just five plays. Parker threw a 12-yard pass to Orta, Braswell ran for 13 yards, then Anderson went 21 yards on a trap, moving the ball to the 12. Two plays later, Braswell found a hole between the center and the right guard, and ran into the end zone for the score, making it 23-0. Lowndes tried to run the ball in again out of the swinging gate, but was stopped short.
Valdosta got on the board with a play very similar to one that Northside had executed against Lowndes a week ago. March faked a handoff to the running back, then faked a reverse to a receiver. He stood there for a second, then threw deep. Odell James was waiting in the end zone for the ball, and hauled in the pass for a 39-yard touchdown catch. Zach Wang's extra point cut Lowndes ' lead to 23-7.
On the kickoff, the return man slipped and fell at his own 1-yard line. But Lowndes proceeded to drive 99 yards in eight plays. The longest play was a 55-yard pass from Parker to Aaron Winston, down to the Valdosta 10. A penalty and a sack moved the ball back to the 25. But on third-and-long, Parker found a wide open Josh Clemons in the end zone for the touchdown. Lowndes went into halftime leading 30-7.
On the first possession of the second half, Lowndes drove 86 yards for another score. Again the biggest play came through the air, when Parker threw a 49-yard pass to Orta, all the way to the Valdosta 7. Braswell went up the middle for the touchdown on the next play, making it 37-7.
Then another big play by Orta set up another Lowndes touchdown. The junior strong safety stepped in front of a pass at the Viking 30, picked it off, and took off down the sideline. He raced all the way to the 1 before being hauled down. Anderson ran the ball in on the next play, making it 44-7 Vikings.
On the next play from scrimmage, Lowndes linebacker Chris Scurry recovered a fumble at the Wildcat 23. Three plays later, Sam Duncan went six yards on a trap for the Vikings' seventh touchdown of the night, making it 51-7.
With Lowndes holding a big lead, the fourth quarter was played with a running clock.
The fourth quarter began with the Vikings at the Wildcat 14. Three plays later, on fourth-and-1 from the 5, Darnell Swoopes took the handoff on a sweep, turned the corner, and ran in for another touchdown, making it 57-7.
Valdosta scored a late touchdown, driving 60 yards in eight plays. Reggie McQueen carried the ball on five of the first six plays, March found Jay Rome for a 17-yard completion and Phillip Moore finished off the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run. The snap was low on the extra point, but Chad Prain picked up the ball, rolled left and found Dontavis Sapp for the two-point conversion,  making the final score 57-15.
Parker completed 5-of-8 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Braswell was Lowndes ' leading rusher, running for 87 yards on 10 carries.
A predictably distraught Valdosta head coach Rick Tomberlin politely declined comment after the game.