PREP FOOTBALL: Loachapoka holds off Maplesville, faces three-time champs next week

LOACHAPOKA — Jerome Tate has used almost every superlative imaginable to describe the play of his senior quarterback, Patrick Moore, this season.

Let’s add a couple more.

“That’s the man,” Tate said. “That’s Mr. Loachapoka. If you took a poll right now, he’d be voted Mr. Loachapoka.”

This came as Tate walked off the field following an 18-12 Indians win over Maplesville in the second round of the Class 1A playoffs Friday, a win in which Moore accounted for 310 yards of total offense and all three of Loachapoka’s scores.

Moore finished with 178 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries, and also completed 11-of-26 passes for 132 yards, two scores and two interceptions.

It didn’t look promising in the first half, when Moore completed only 5-of-18 passes for 47 yards, an interception and a 5-yard touchdown pass to Gregory Moss, staking the No. 5 Indians (10-1) to a 6-0 lead over the No. 4 Red Devils (10-2) at the break.

But the senior started turning it around on the first drive of the third quarter, completing 5-of-5 passes for 75 yards and a 15-yard touchdown toss to Rontavis Dinkins that put the Indians up 12-0.

Then, after Maplesville cut the lead to 6, Moore made a little magic happen with his legs.

On a third-and-inches from the Indians’ 21, the quarterback held the ball on a read option, made his way to the home sideline and outran everyone to give Loachapoka an 18-6 lead at the end of the third quarter.

“I try to put the team on my back,” Moore said. “I figured if we could just get the inch, we’d be alright. Turned into a big play.”

But the Red Devils still had some fight left in them, as Matthew Hamner found Chris Bailey for an 85-yard touchdown catch and run that pulled the visitors to within 6 with 3:36 to go.

After Loachapoka went three-and-out, the Indians downed a Willie Davis punt at the Maplesville 10 to give the visitors a long field with 1:55 to play.

Two plays later, Hamner’s pass ended up in Indians defensive back Tracy Brooks’ arms, and the celebration started on the home sidelines.

But it was a little premature, as Maplesville used its two timeouts to force Loachapoka to punt again with 0:28 to play.

And, again, Davis downed it deep with a punt that rolled dead at the 8.

And, again, Hamner’s pass ended up in the arms of Brooks, definitively ending the game this time around. Brooks corralled three of the Indians’ four interceptions on the night, as they harassed Hamner into a 10-of-23 performance for 205 yards.

The Indians also sacked the Maplesville quarterback four times, with Jerome Greer recording two. He also led the team in tackles with eight, and blocked an extra point in the third quarter.

Tate said his defensive players became avid readers of publications that predicted the Indians to lose in the run-up to Friday.

“They said the score was gonna be ‘35-18,’ and our defense took a little offense to that,” Tate said. “We’re kind of tough to beat at home, and we’re just happy that we’re moving on.”

Loachapoka racked up 269 rushing yards on the night and held Maplesville to 100, with Hunter McCay leading the way with 82.

Quindravius Richardson led Loachapoka with three catches for 48 yards — also picking off a pass on defense — and Cory North rushed for 54 yards on eight carries.

Friday night marked the fourth time in the past six years the Indians have advanced to the state quarterfinals.

They travel to face No. 1 Sweet Water (11-1) — winner of four of the past five state titles in 1A — next Friday. Loachapoka bowed out, 14-7, to Linden in the quarterfinals last year.

“Back in the third round again,” Moore said. “Just have to fight a little harder.”

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