Valley rolls past rival Lanett

VALLEY — Note to Valley’s next five opponents — the Rams are the real deal.

Behind a punishing defense and even harder-hitting rushing attack, Valley had little trouble with archrival Lanett.

The Rams led by 22 at the half, head coach Roger McDonald called off the dogs in the second half and Valley cruised to a 35-12 win over Class 2A, No. 7 Lanett.

“They ain’t been hit like we hit them tonight,” McDonald said. “We told our kids that all week — that they haven’t faced the type teams we’ve faced and they haven’t been hit like we’re going to hit ’em.”

The win was sweet revenge after Lanett snapped a six-year losing streak to the Rams last year with a 24-21 victory.

“We’ve listened to it and taken it for a year now,” McDonald said of Lanett having bragging rights. “We were tired of taking it, and our guys took it out on them tonight.”

For Lanett, the loss continued a streak dating back to the 1980’s — the Panthers haven’t defeated Valley in consecutive games since the 1988 and ’89 seasons.

“It was an old fashion whipping and we had it coming,” Lanett coach Ronnie Sikes said. “All week we had the type of practices like we were playing a team we knew we were going to beat — against your archrival, you have to step it up and we didn’t do that all week.

“My hat’s off to Valley. They just took us to the woodshed — and it might be something we need.”

And Lanett’s trip to the woodshed came quickly, as Valley built a 13-0 lead at the end of the first quarter and led, 28-6, at halftime.

Valley running back Tim’Vontae Walker was a big reason for the fast start. The junior piled up 68 yards on 11 carries in the first half with a touchdown. Several of his runs were finished off by lowering his shoulder and crushing a Lanett defender. McDonald sat Walker the entire second half.

Valley scored touchdowns on its first four possessions.

Richard Hopkins got on the board first with a 12-yard run and Walker scored from 2 yards out with a missed PAT making the score, 13-0.

Hopkins then scored from 2 yards out in the second quarter, and Brent Osborn hit Salasky Gates for a 2-point conversion and the 21-0 lead.

The ensuing kickoff was a miskick that Lanett’s Lander Chappell was able to recover and race down the sideline 44 yards to the 13. A personal foul penalty on Valley after the play gave Lanett the ball at the 7.

Lanett scored three plays later, as quarterback Deontrelle Silmon dove in from 1 yard out. The point-after kick was blocked.

Valley answered right back, though, as Hopkins returned the ensuing kickoff 45 yards to the Lanett 45.

Valley needed just three plays to answer Lanett’s touchdown, as Jamarcus Darden weaved his way through Lanett’s defense for a 28-yard touchdown.

Hopkins added his third touchdown of the day in the fourth quarter, and Lanett had an oh-by-the-way touchdown late in the game when Chappell returned a fumbled handoff 7 yards for a score.

Valley (4-1) goes back into Class 5A-Region 2 play next week against Eufaula. Currently the Rams are the only team in that Region with spotless record (3-0).

Lanett will try to bounce back next week in Class 2A-Region 5 play with a trip to second-ranked Clay County.

tpeavy@oanow.com | 737-2568