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Sumter uses big second half to power past Lowndes

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Nathan Williamson takes a hand-off from Clay Truelove
Nathan Williamson takes a hand-off from Clay Truelove

By Larry Jowers

Special to the Watchman

Sumter Academy scored five touchdowns in the second half to turn a four-point halftime deficit into a 17-point win, 54-37, against Lowndes Academy, Friday, Oct. 17.

Clay Truelove scored the first of his three rushing touchdowns in the first quarter to put the Eagles ahead 7-0. Lowndes answered that score with a 29-yard rushing touchdown by Cody Harrell and took the lead, 8-7, with a 2-point conversion on a fake PAT kick. Truelove would once again put the Eagles ahead, rushing for a 7-yard score to give Sumter a 13-8 advantage at the end of the first quarter.

Hansons team up to make the tackle.
Hansons team up to make the tackle.

Lowndes regained the lead in the second as Harrell scored from four yards out. Another successful two point play made the score 16-13. Truelove wasted no time putting Sumter back in the lead at 19-16, following his blockers for a 34-yard score. The back-and-forth scoring continued as Harrell would find Thomas Ward for a 16-yard touchdown pass, giving Lowndes the lead at 23-19.

Following a Sumter turnover, Lowndes threatened to put the Eagles behind two scores going in to halftime. Freshman safety, Anderson Newman, would keep the deficit at four with a shoestring tackle at Sumter’s 3 yard line as the half expired.

Winsett, Jowers, and Maness block for Williamson during an 80-yard kickoff return return.
Winsett, Jowers, and Maness block for Williamson during an 80-yard kickoff return return.

Sumter would go ahead for good on the second half’s opening possession. Nathan Williamson returned the second half kickoff 80 yards to put the Eagles in scoring position then topped it off with a 1-yard touchdown run. Following a successful onside kick, Williamson would score from four yards out to give the visiting Eagles a 33-23 advantage. Sumter would never look back, scoring again in the third quarter on an 11-yard pass from Truelove to Hayden Shaw and again in the fourth with Williamson’s fourth rushing touchdown, this one a 1-yard run.

Williamson rushed for 136 on 25 carries, Truelove ran for 122 yards and threw for 197 yards on 18-for-25 passing. Zach Maness and Hayden Shaw led the Sumter receiving corps, each with five catches for 72 yards. Blake Jowers added four catches for 30 yards.

Defensively, the Eagles were led by Blaine Winsett with 11 tackles, Williamson racked up 7 stops. Anderson Newman intercepted his fourth pass of year, picking off a pass in the endzone to stop a Lowndes scoring threat.

Sumter returns home this week to take on Patrician Academy Friday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m.

SA Offensive Summary: Rushing – Williamson 25/136, Truelove 22/122. Passing – Truelove 18/25 for 197. Receiving – Shaw 5/72, Maness 5/72, Jowers 4/30, A. Newman 3/19, Williamson 1/4. KO Returns – Williamson 2/96, Jowers 3/34.

SA Defensive Summary: Tackles – Winsett 11, Williamson 7, Cl. Hanson 5, Co. Hanson 5, Jowers 4, Shaw 4, Maness 3, Truelove 3, A. Newman 2, Atcheson 2, McElroy 2, Duke 1, C. Newman 1. Fumble Recovery – McElroy 1, Shaw 1. Interceptions – A. Newman 1.