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Lincoln upsets Demopolis in playoff stunner

Jeremy D. Smith , , , , , ,
11-4-16 -- Demopolis, Ala. -- A.J. Jackson looks for running room in Friday night's game in Demopolis. Demopolis fell to Lincoln by a final of 27-24. (WAW | Stewart Gwin)
11-4-16 — Demopolis, Ala. — A.J. Jackson looks for running room in Friday night’s game in Demopolis. Demopolis fell to Lincoln by a final of 27-24. (WAW | Stewart Gwin)

Demopolis final offensive effort stalled suddenly Friday night as the Tigers fell to Lincoln 27-24 in Class 5A first round playoff upset.

11-4-16 -- Demopolis, Ala. -- Lincoln's Lejephryes Carmichael (1) is tackled by Demopolis' Xavier McShan (36) in Friday night's game in Demopolis. Demopolis fell to Lincoln by a final of 27-24. (WAW | Stewart Gwin)
11-4-16 — Demopolis, Ala. — Lincoln’s Lejephryes Carmichael (1) is tackled by Demopolis’ Xavier McShan (36) in Friday night’s game in Demopolis. Demopolis fell to Lincoln by a final of 27-24. (WAW | Stewart Gwin)

“We didn’t deserve to win that game. Dating all the way back to June 7 up until now, we didn’t deserve to win that game,” Demopolis coach Stacy Luker said. “We didn’t do the things that good football teams do on a daily basis, on a consistent basis to win a playoff game. Just point the finger at me because it starts at the top and I’ll take it.”

After Lincoln’s Lejehryes Carmichael put his team up with a 1:15 to play before Weston Perry hauled in a conversion pass to move the lead to 27-24. Demopolis then drove the ball down the field and hit William Wilkins at the Lincoln 20 with 35.6 seconds left. After the Golden Bears tackled Wilkins in bounds, the clock ticked down to 19 seconds before the ball was set and Demopolis was able to take a snap. When the Tigers were able to snap it, they incurred a false start penalty that moved them back to the 25. After a third down spike, a 42-yard field goal attempt fell three yards short to seal the Tigers’ fate.

11-4-16 -- Demopolis, Ala. -- Lincoln QB Montrell Johnson (4) grabs the face mask of Demopolis' Xavier McShan (36) in Friday night's game in Demopolis. Demopolis fell to Lincoln by a final of 27-24. (WAW | Stewart Gwin)
11-4-16 — Demopolis, Ala. — Lincoln QB Montrell Johnson (4) grabs the face mask of Demopolis’ Xavier McShan (36) in Friday night’s game in Demopolis. Demopolis fell to Lincoln by a final of 27-24. (WAW | Stewart Gwin)

“We were going to run a play, get a first down and take a shot at the end zone but the ball wasn’t set,” Luker said of the timing scenario.

Demopolis got a 39-yard field goal from Clay McVay and a 46-yard touchdown run from A.J. Jackson to hold a 10-7 lead after the first quarter. Jackson later scored on a 7-yard run to put his team up 17-10 at half.

Lincoln struck quickly in the third quarter as Montrell Johnson hit Quindarious Carter for a 57-yard touchdown strike. Demopolis later move the lead to 24-16 on an Antonio Besteder run but watched as Stephen Pope drilled a 40-yard field goal midway through the fourth to cut it to 24-19. Carter then picked off a Demopolis pass at midfield to set up the game-winning touchdown drive.

Jackson led Demopolis with 131 yards on 16 carries. R.J. Cox led the Tiger defense with 16 total tackles including 11 solo stops.

Demopolis ends its season at 7-4.

11-4-16 -- Demopolis, Ala. -- Demopolis' Shakari Williams (10) goes up top for a pass from QB Logan McVay in Friday night's game in Demopolis. Demopolis fell to Lincoln by a final of 27-24. (WAW | Stewart Gwin)
11-4-16 — Demopolis, Ala. — Demopolis’ Shakari Williams (10) goes up top for a pass from QB Logan McVay in Friday night’s game in Demopolis. Demopolis fell to Lincoln by a final of 27-24. (WAW | Stewart Gwin)
11-4-16 -- Demopolis, Ala. -- Demopolis QB Logan McVay gets past Lincoln's Dre'Tavious Dye (34) in Friday night's game in Demopolis. Demopolis fell to Lincoln by a final of 27-24. (WAW | Stewart Gwin)
11-4-16 — Demopolis, Ala. — Demopolis QB Logan McVay gets past Lincoln’s Dre’Tavious Dye (34) in Friday night’s game in Demopolis. Demopolis fell to Lincoln by a final of 27-24. (WAW | Stewart Gwin)