Demopolis cruises to win at Sumter
LIVINGSTON — Demopolis (4-1, 3-0) took control early and cruised to a 35-6 win over Sumter Central Thursday night to remain unbeaten in Class 5A, Region 4 play.
“It was just like the Jemison game. We told them to come out, let’s take care of our business. I thought we executed on both sides well. I thought our concentration was good,” Demopolis coach Stacy Luker said. “I was proud of them.”
The Tigers proved stout defensively and hindered an already struggling Sumter special teams unit to set their offense up in excellent field position all night.
The Jaguars picked up seven yards on their first two offensive plays and then used a Demopolis offsides call to notch their only first down of the first half. Over the next 18 offensive snaps, Sumter gained positive yardage on only two plays and saw its longest play during that stretch go for two yards.
Rahmeel Cook deflected the first Sumter punt of the game and Demopolis proceeded to cover 50 yards in five plays. The Tigers used a 29-yard connection from Jamarcus Ezell to A.J. Collier to set up a Drew Jones scoring run from a yard out. The R.J. Cox extra point made it 7-0 with 7:06 to play in the first quarter.
After three Sumter plays resulted in the loss of a yard, the ensuing punt attempt grazed the bottom of the Jaguar kicker’s shoe and bounced into the feet of the offensive line, netting one yard on the kick. Demopolis covered the remaining 17 yards in three plays at Keishaun Scott punched it in from 10 yards out for the 14-0 lead with 3:49 to go in the opening frame.
Demopolis scored its third touchdown on the opening play of the second quarter when Ezell went off play-action, rolled to his left and threw across his body to a wide open Tyler Jones for a 12-yard strike to set it at 21-0.
“I think Jamarcus was tired of hearing us talk about (throwing to the tight end),” Luker said. “We know we’ve got to be better throwing the ball.”
The Tigers started their first drive in their own territory after three more hapless Jaguar snaps. Demopolis covered 53 yards in 11 plays on a drive highlighted by a key ladder-climbing catch from Tyler Jones to move the chains and a one-handed snag by Collier to get it inside the five. Scott finished off the effort with a 4-yard touchdown run to set it at 28-0.
Demopolis set up its final touchdown when another Sumter punt came under duress and made it only back to the line of scrimmage, where Scott scooped it and returned it to the Jaguar 1. A.J. Jackson punched it in on the next play for a 35-0 lead with 40 seconds left before halftime.
The game moved to eight-minute quarters in the second half with Demopolis keeping its starters on the sidelines.
Sumter recovered a fumble and followed with a drive of 47 yards that lasted six plays and ended with Tamarius Kirksey hauling in a 15-yard scoring strike from Christopher Millsap.
“We’ve got to be better in our mop-up duty. Let’s face it, that was pretty ugly in the second half and I told the kids that,” Luker said. “We’ve had some solid games with them in there, so I’m not sure (what it was).”
Antonio Besteder led Demopolis with 78 yards on 15 carries.
Demopolis hosts Central-Tuscaloosa next Friday night for Homecoming.
