Lanier falls to Wetumpka in final home game for the program

Wetumpka quarterback Nate Rogers is swarmed under by the Lanier defense in the Indians’ win over the Poets Thursday at Cramton Bowl. (Tim Gayle)

By GRAHAM DUNN

Turnovers proved to be the difference in the Wetumpka Indians’ 20-12 win over Sidney Lanier in a key Class 6A, Region 2 contest at Cramton Bowl on Thursday.

The win gave the Indians (5-4, 4-2) the third seed in the region while Lanier (5-4, 3-3) fell to the fourth seed with the loss.

Lanier suffered its first turnover of the night in the first possession of the game when a backwards pass from quarterback Cordez Arrington was too high for the intended receiver. The loose ball was scooped up by Wetumpka’s James Hall who raced 48 yards for the first points of the game with 10:52 left in the first period.

In the second quarter, Lanier dented the scoreboard on a 4-yard pass from Trevon Gilmer Berry to Jamarcus Howard. The Poets missed the extra point, which would be a key play as the game progressed.

Holding a one-point lead, Wetumpka scored on a 73-yard touchdown pass from Nate Rogers to Jamarion Thrasher with 2:42 left in the first half. Wetumpka missed the extra point but held a seven-point lead at that point.

Both teams scored again before the end of the first half with Lanier’s Jimmy King scoring on a 3-yard run with 56 seconds remaining in the half but Wetumpka countered with a Rogers’ 1-yard run right before the half ended to give Wetumpka a 20-12 lead at the break.

The Poets had a couple of drives in the second half end with errant passing plays. On their first possession of the period, they drove deep into Wetumpka territory to the 7 but an interception by Davin Lee ended the threat.

Later, Lanier reached the Wetumpka 13-yard line but an intentional grounding call pushed the Poets back to the 31 where the drive ended on a failed fourth-down try.

Lanier also had a drive stall after hitting a 38-yard pass from Arrington to Howard to the Wetumpka 35-yard line but it would be as far as the drive would reach as the Wetumpka defense stiffened.

Wetumpka also suffered two turnovers in the game and had nine penalties. But Rogers proved to be the difference with both his arm and his legs. He rushed for 154 yards on 19 carries and added 109 yards completing 4-of-8 passes.

Thrasher added 76 yards on 13 carries.

Lanier was led by King’s 103 yards on nine carries. Arrington had 218 yards passing on 10-of-26 attempts. The Poets played without their starting quarterback, Jacques Thompson, who was injured in last week’s loss to G.W. Carver.

The game had significance for Lanier fans and alumni as it was the final home game of the regular season for the program, which will be shut down after this year. Lanier has called Cramton Bowl home since the bowl was erected in 1922. That year the Poets played the first-ever football game on Sept. 30 against the Alabama freshmen squad.

Depending on their results in the Class 6A playoffs, Thursday’s game could be the last in the storied program’s history. Lanier will face Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa in the first round on Nov. 10. The Poets will finish the regular season next Thursday at Vigor.

Wetumpka is home  next Friday against Class 5A Central-Clay County.