VALDOSTA, Ga. — In a flash, the Lowndes Vikings had a lead.

Then they quickly added to it.

The Vikings scored four first-quarter touchdowns and cruised to a 55-14 victory against the Cherokee Warriors in the first round of the GHSA Class 7A state playoffs at Martin Stadium on Friday night.

“I feel like we played our best game of the year, without a doubt,” Lowndes coach Randy McPherson said. 

Shawn Martin took the opening kickoff 92 yards for a score. The Warriors (5-6) lost a fumble and Gary Osby followed with a 4-yard TD run, Travis Tisdale added a 60-yard scoring run, and Osby recovered a blocked punt and ran it in for another touchdown all within the first 7 minutes.

Lowndes (8-3) had a 27-0 lead using just two plays from scrimmage.

Tisdale rushed for 70 yards on three carries and two scores for the Vikings. Jacarri Brown threw for 89 yards on 3-of-6 passing with a 55-yard scoring pass to a wide open Jaylon Rowe to extend the Vikings’ advantage to 41-0 at intermission.

“We didn’t play real good last week, but we sure got better this week,” McPherson said.

Lowndes’ defense kept the Warriors from passing midfield until their final drive of the opening half. Osby led the defensive showing with six solo tackles, including three for losses. Martin had five solo stops, Devonn Lane contributed three solo tackles and Tiberius Drocea assisted on four tackles.

“The kids stuck to the plan,” Vikings defensive coordinator Byron Slack said. “Everybody was trying to do what they were coached to do and we have enough athletes where, if we can do that, we’re going to be fine.”

Cherokee finished with 207 yards of offense, including 172 passing. The Warriors turned the ball over twice in the first half and were 7 of 19 on third-down conversion attempts.

The Vikings had 283 yards of offense, finding some balance with 163 yards rushing and 120 yards passing. They had no turnovers, committed 12 penalties for 100 yards and were 3 of 7 on third-down conversion attempts.

Lane intercepted a pass on Cherokee’s opening drive of the third period and returned it for a touchdown that gave the Vikings their largest lead of the night at 48-0.

“The defense was getting off blocks, the secondary was swarming and solid and it was just a great defensive effort all the way around,” McPherson said.

The Warriors reached the end zone with 54 seconds left in the third. Keith Adams capped the drive with a 1-yard dive. AJ Swann hit Devin Ellison for a 23-yard score late in the fourth.

Ellison rushed for a game-high 120 yards on nine catches and Landon Ergle passed for 101 yards with an interception for the Warriors.

UP NEXT

The Vikings travel to Atlanta next week for their second-round game against Westlake at 7:30 p.m. Friday.