The Salem Seminoles closed out their 2013 season on Senior Night with a 20-17 overtime loss against the Loganville Red Devils.
With the game tied at 14-14 nearing the end of regulation, the Seminoles (3-7, 2-6) missed a field goal that would have given Salem its fourth win of the season, but instead, the Seminoles dropped their sixth region contest and seventh game overall.
The first three quarters of the game featured a defensive chess match between the two teams, as the Red Devils (5-5, 4-4) confounded the Seminoles, forcing quarterback Licash Lackey into throwing three interceptions through the air, while also forcing a fumble.
The Red Devils entered the fourth quarter with major momentum on their side after a 44-yard pass from quarterback Royce Harrison found wideout Jeremy New.
With the score tied 0-0 entering the final quarter of play, Loganville broke the deadlocked contest on its first possession of the fourth.
The Red Devils scored the first touchdown of the game on a 6-yard touchdown pass by Harrison to Jerry Devert and successful kick gave them a 7-0 lead.
It looked as if the Red Devils were going to kick the ball back to the Seminoles, but an unexpected onside kick was recovered by the Red Devils’ Jesse Martin, giving Loganville back the ball.
The Red Devils scored their second touchdown of the game on a 29-yard run by Zach Newberry, giving Loganville a commanding 14-0 lead.
Though the Seminoles were down, Salem did not quit, answering Loganville’s offensive push with back-to-back scores to tie the contest at 14-14, forcing overtime.
The Seminoles scored on a drive that was orchestrated to perfection by Lackey. The quarterback completed a series of passes, but the biggest play came on a 35-yard run that gave the Seminoles a 1st-and-goal opportunity. Salem converted the drive into a touchdown on a Tyriano Greene run, cutting the Red Devils’ lead to 14-6.
The Red Devils went three-and-out on their next drive and the Seminoles came back driving the ball back down the field.
Greene set the Seminoles up nicely with a 26-yard run on the second play of the drive, and Lackey ending the drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass, and completed a two point conversion to Quintavious Byrd, that tied the game at 14.
The Seminoles had a shot to end the game in regulation, but they missed a 37-yard field goal and the game went into overtime.
The Seminoles still came out striking in the extra period and took a 17-14 lead over the Red Devils on a field goal, but the game wasn’t over.
It looked as if the Seminoles’ defense was going to hold the Red Devils to a field goal but on third down, Devert ran the ball into the end zone, giving the Red Devils the road win.
The win gave Loganville its second .500 finish in three seasons.
