MORRISON COLUMN: Loachapoka making believers out of everyone

By: David Morrison On The Beat | Opelika Auburn News
Published: November 21, 2009

DAPHNE — I was wrong.

And let me be the first to apologize.

Apologize for thinking that Loachapoka couldn’t handle Sweet Water, the team that routinely waxes other Class 1A schools to the tune of 70-0 scores, as the Bulldogs did in the first round of this year’s playoffs against Providence Christian.

Sweet Water, the team that routinely takes down 2A schools, has shown that it can play with one of the best in 4A (Thomasville) and hasn’t lost to a 1A team since 2005.

Let me be the first to apologize for thinking that Loachapoka could not handle a three-hour bus drive to the boonies of west Alabama, one that would end with them playing the No. 1 team in the state in the quarterfinals.

Sweet Water, the team that Loachapoka took down, 19-17, Friday night.

I had said all week that the Indians probably didn’t have enough firepower to take down the Bulldogs, but that Jerome Tate was the one coach who could get his players to bring out the big guns.

Tate, who is not one to be boastful, was still high on his team and his group of 12 seniors — most of them proven winners from the Indians’ state title basketball team — coming into the season.

Even after Loachapoka’s only setback, a 27-0 loss to Reeltown, the No. 1 team in 2A — a team that is also still alive, by the way — Tate was proud of the way his team played and confident that the Indians would be OK.

That’s because of the ace up his sleeve: The fact that, when his players are on their game, they can beat anybody in the state.

When Patrick Moore is reading his options right, when that big offensive line is pushing its counterpart off the line, when Cory North, Greg Moss and the rest of that ball-hawking back seven are shutting down anything on the perimeter, Loachapoka can beat anyone in the state.

And the Indians did. They beat Sweet Water. On the road. To get to the program’s first-ever semifinals.

Tate said before the game that he wanted his players well-versed on Sweet Water’s history because he didn’t remember David not wanting to hear about Goliath.

David found his slingshot.

Loachapoka is going to the semifinals.

David Morrison covers high school sports for the Opelika-Auburn News. He may be reached at dmorrison@oanow.com or 737-2568.