A clear sky. Low 64F. Winds light and variable..
A clear sky. Low 64F. Winds light and variable.
Vidalia senior quarterback Sema’J Hayes scored on a 1-yard run and added the two-point conversion run with 3:50 remaining to cap off a wild Viking 30-29 comeback win over Cedar Creek of Ruston Friday at Dee Faircloth Viking Stadium.
”A lot of people will ask if I’m surprised,” said Vidalia head coach Michael Norris. “The only thing I am surprised about is that we haven’t done this more. I know these kids. They never do not show up. I don’t know why, but it seems we always have to wait until our back is against the wall. We became a better team in the second half because of what the players did, not what the coaches did.”
The first quarter was all Cedar Creek, and Cougar running back Lane Thomas, who carried the ball four times on Cedar Creek’s opening possession, accounting 60 of the 70 yards, going over from one yard out for the first score. Davis Long added the first of three extra point kicks.
Thomas, who had 81 rushing yards in the first quarter, added to the Cougar lead with an 8-yard run
Thomas then intercepted a Hayes pass and returned it 35 yards for the score. Ladd Thompson picked up a bad snap on the conversion and ran it in for a 22-0 lead.
Vidalia got on the board early in the second quarter as Tyson Davis picks up a fumble and returned it to the Cedar Creek 25.
Eight plays later, Hayes scored from five yards out and ran in the conversion to make the score 22-8 with 10:09 remaining in the second quarter.
Vidalia’s Zion Buck recovered a Cedar Creek fumble on the ensuing kickoff.
But the drive stalled on the Cougar 28.
The Cougars marched the ball down the field with Thomas scoring his fourth TD on a 5-yard run with 4:34 remaining in the second quarter.
Vidalia converted a fourth-and-one at its own 30 and moved the ball to the Cougar 40-yard line where Hayes threw a 35-yard pass to Chris Brooks, who made a circus catch at the Cougar 15-yard line.
After a holding call brought the ball back to the Cedar Creek 23-yard line with 10 seconds remaining, Hayes threw a rainbow pass to the left side of the end zone where Brooks caught the ball over his shoulder for the score.
“I knew I had to get it,” Brooks said. “It was big. Our team needed a play and I knew I had to make it. I was just focusing on catching the football.”
Brooks finished the game with six catches for 94 yards.
Hayes ran in the conversion to cut the Cedar Creek lead to 29-16 at halftime.
“The last couple of years when we got down we would get scared,” Norris said. “We had a couple of players step up and talk at halftime. Everybody was engaged.”
Cedar Creek moved the ball down the Vidalia 15-yard line on its first possession of the second half, but the Viking defense held on fourth-and-three.
Following a change of possessions, Vidalia started from its own 31 yard line to begin the final quarter.
Following a 7-yard pass to Buck to the Viking 38, Hayes went back to pass, saw an opening to the right, and sprinted down the right sideline 62 yards for the score.
“It was a busted play,” Hayes said. “I was just thinking I could not go down. I saw a hole and got a good block. I just turned on the jets. I have never run that fast in my life.”
A penalty negated Hayes running in the conversion, and the try for two failed, leaving the Vikings trailing 29-22.
The Viking defense forced a three-and-out, and after a short punt Vidalia took over on its own 45-yard line.
Facing fourth-and eight from the Cougar 46, Hayes threw a short pass to Buck, who ran to the 37 for a first down.
The Vikings grinder the ball down to the Cedar 11 with under five minutes remaining.
Kabari Davis got the handoff and carried several Cougar players down to the five yard line.
“I was just trying to get the score,” Davis said. “I was determined not to be denied.”
Four players later, Hayes ran it in from 1-yard out to bring the Vikings to within 29-28 with 3:50 remaining.
Two straight offsides penalties against Cedar Creek moved the ball to the 1-yard line on the conversion. Hayes went under center from the shotgun and went straight up the middle for the conversion to give Vidalia its first lead of the game.
Glenbrook quarterback Caden Middleton threw a screen to Thomas from the Viking 43-yard line, and Thomas carried the ball inside the Viking 10-yard line. But a holding call negated the play.
Vidalia’s defense held from there and the Vikings ran the clock out for their second win of the season.
Hayes finished the game 13-28-1 for 137 yards and a touchdown, while rushing the ball 19 times for 102 yards and three TDs.
Thomas who had 91 yards at halftime, finished with 143 rushing yards.
“The kids figured it out, and started flying around,” said Vidalia defensive coordinator Kale Davis.
Cedar Creek quarterback Caden Middleton, the son of head coach Matt Middleton, completed 12-of-22 passes for 157 yards in the game. Thompson caught five passes for 47 yards while Connor Norris added two catches for 36 yards and Thomas two catches for 30 yards. Brian Osborne also had two receptions for 31 yards.
Kabari Davis led the Viking defense with 11 solo tackles and four assists.Devin Jackson collected four solo tackles and five assists, while James Brixey had four solo stops and four assists.
Vidalia finished 2-8 last year in Norris’ first year as head coach, having to forfeit two games because of COVID.
“This is the biggest win for me as a head coach because of the way the guys had to battle back and kept their wits about them,” Norris said.
Vidalia plays at Block Thursday.
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