After a slow start, the Lookout Valley run game erupted in the fourth quarter Friday night, and the Yellow Jackets rolled to a 50-20 homecoming victory over the Sale Creek Panthers.
Last year the Yellow Jackets fell just short of Sale Creek, 26-21, so they were looking for revenge. The win elevated the Yellow Jackets to 3-3 overall and 1-1 in Region 3-1A and made them playoff-eligible for the first time since 2012.
"It feels good," first-year Lookout Valley head coach Lance Rorex said. "We've had a couple of years where we've been down a little bit, but you can look around this place and see the energy."
Rorex already is beginning to turn the program around. In the past three years Lookout Valley won only three games. The Jackets have tied that total in his first year, and the season isn't over yet.
Going into the fourth quarter Friday, the Yellow Jackets led 28-14, but then they ran for one touchdown after another. Quarterback Zane Howard had a 50-yard touchdown run. Fullback Avery Hamrick scored on a 20-yard burst.
After a kickoff bounced off the feet of a Sale Creek player and was recovered by Lookout Valley, wide receiver Marquis Coffey went on to score on a 38-yard run.
The Yellow Jackets ended with more than 300 yards on the ground. Senior running back Joshua Ibach was the leading rusher with 127 yards and two touchdowns.
"We came out and gave it our best," Ibach said. "We stayed on our blocks tonight, and that's what got us the victory."
The Yellow Jackets' defense held Sale Creek (1-5, 0-3) to 200 yards of offense and forced a fumble.
"We've had some opportunities we haven't had in a while," Rorex said. "Our guys did a good job of staying under control."
Luke Roberts and Chase Pool were bright spots in what was a stagnant Sale Creek offense. They combined for 107 yards on the ground.
Contact Isaiah Buchanan at sports@timesfreepress.com