Grace Academy defeated Lookout Valley 21-13 at the latter's Joe L. Bean Field in both schools' football season opener Friday night.
The visiting Golden Eagles struck on their first possession after a quick Lookout Valley four-and-out. Grace running back Justin Carter scored on a 29-yard draw, breaking two tackles on his way to a 7-0 lead.
The Yellow Jackets began to establish their own rhythm on offense during the next possession. Freshman quarterback Brett Rogers began to keep off the option read, leading his team down the field on an 11-play, 65-yard drive. Rogers earned the Yellow Jackets' first score of the night on a 10-yard run to tie the game at 7.
Carter returned the ensuing kickoff from within his own end zone 73 yards to the Lookout Valley 29-yard line, and he scored his second touchdown two plays later on a 3-yard dive to push Grace ahead 14-7.
However, the Yellow Jackets backfield matched the quick pace. Lookout Valley running back Corey Talley dashed around end, leaving Grace defenders behind on a 33-yard end-around touchdown to the left side of the end zone. A failed point-after attempt left the score to 14-13.
Both teams made plays to keep each other from scoring again before halftime. A blocked punt kept Lookout Valley from pinning Grace deep in its own territory and gave the visiting team good field position. However, on the very next play, Grace quarterback Cooper Knecht was picked off by Ashton Jackson, whose 60-yard touchdown return was called back after a block-in-the-back penalty against Lookout Valley.
In the third quarter both teams anchored down defensively, but the Golden Eagles found their grit more quickly. They held Lookout Valley to 49 yards of total offense in the second half, with punts pinning the Yellow Jackets deep repeatedly.
"We shot ourselves in the foot a bit, and Grace sent a lot of pressure from different angles," first-year Lookout Valley head coach Josh Payne said. "We as coaches didn't prepare our kids for some of the blitzes they did, and we have to do a better job of that in practice."
"In the first half we were missing defensive assignments and not getting where we were supposed to be," Grace coach Bob Ateca said. "But we beat them on special teams and on defense, and that's what helped us win the game."
Contact Justin Dempsey at sports@timesfreepress.com.