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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

After Verbena High School took a 12-7 lead over Loachapoka High School in their game on Sept. 8, it was all Indians from there outscoring the Red Devils 47-6 to win 54-18.

Verbena got on the board first with a 51-yard interception return for a touchdown from Caleb Short to go up 6-0. Loachapoka returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown to go up 7-6, but the lead was short lived. Running back Jacob Morris scampered for a 79-yard touchdown run to take the lead back for Verbena at 12-7. Morris ran for 123 yards and made 11 tackles on defense.

The rest of the first half was all Indians, scoring all 54 of their points in the first 24 minutes of play to spoil Verbena’s AHSAA Class 1A Region 4 opener. The Red Devils did get a score late in the third quarter as Short got into the end zone for the second time in the game, this time by way of the ground from 61 yards out.

Lance Edwards rushed for 83 yards for Verbena in the game.

“Overall, we played with a lot of energy. (We are) just young and struggled to tackle a more experienced team,” Verbena head coach Allen Brothers said. “We are getting better in all the small aspects of the game, just have to play more consistent on defense.”

Verbena (0-3) hosts nearby rival Billingsley High School on Sept. 15 in the Red Devils next game with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.