SMITHVILLE — Antwune Freeman ran for two touchdowns, Datrune Freeman passed and ran for two more scores and Smithville beat Vardaman 28-19 to snap a three-game losing streak to the Rams this past Friday night.
Vardaman (3-2, 1-1 Region 1-1A) took a 13-8 lead off the night when Lavoris Hatchett picked off a pass from Antwune Freeman in the early stages of the second quarter and returned it 25 yards for the score.
Smithville (5-0, 2-0 Region 1-1A) answered after a Vardaman fumbled led to an Antwune Freeman 18-yard touchdown run in the final second of the first half to give the Seminoles a 14-13 edge at halftime.
The Seminoles quickly raced their way out to a 28-13 lead after a horse collar tackle led to an Antwune Freeman 21-yard scoring run and a blocked punt set up an 8-yard TD run from Datrune Freeman just before the close of the third quarter.
Freshman quarterback Cody Jenkins entered the contest in the fourth quarter and marched the Rams down the field 71-yards to make it a 28-19 game on a 3-yard TD run by Jenkins, but the two-point conversion failed allowing Smithville to hold on to a two-score lead.
Vardaman recovered a fumble on a bad snap late in the game to make things interesting, but the Smithville defense came up with a sack to thwart a fourth-down conversion attempt and celebrate the nine point region victory with the chants of “region champs” after the game despite still having five region games left on their schedule.
The games first score came on a 30-yard halfback pass from Datrune Freeman to Damantrio Freeman and Antwune added the two-point conversion to give Smithville an 8-0 lead before Austin Spann, former Smithville back-up quarterback, connected with Willie Lee on an 8-yard touchdown pass to make it an 8-7 game after Bobo Whaley added the extra point for Vardaman.
The two teams were flagged 23 times for a combined 228 penalty yards (Smithville 11-95, Vardaman 12-123) while committing a combined 11 turnovers (Smithville 5, Vardaman 6) on the night.
Lee rushed for 85 yards on 14 carries while hauling in one pass for eight yards and a touchdown. Spann completed 5-of-14 passing for 34 yards and a touchdown as Chris Armstrong was the leading receiver with 18 yards on one catch. Jenkins rushed for 39 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries while completing his one pass attempt for a seven yard completion.
Antwune Freeman led the Smithville offensive attack with 104 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries while completing 2-for-2 passing for 23 yards. Datrune Freeman added 77 yards and one touchdown on 18 carries and went 1-of-2 passing for 30 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.
Vardaman will host Falkner (1-4, 2-0 Region 1-1A) on Friday and will stay in the friendly confines of Carter Field next week as they play host to Okolona (4-2, 2-0 Region 1-1A), both games are region games for the Rams.
Smithville will travel to Thrasher (1-4, 0-2 Region 1-1A) on Friday and will hit the road next week to take on Coldwater (3-2, 1-1 Region 1-1A), both games are also region games for the Noles.
Region 1-1A Scores from Friday
Coldwater 22 Thrasher 7
Falkner 23 Biggersville 20
Okolona 45 Wheeler 12
Smithville 28 Vardaman 19
Region 1-1A Standings
Falkner 2-0
Okolona 2-0
Smithville 2-0
Biggersville 1-1
Vardaman 1-1
Coldwater 1-1
Thrasher 0-2
Wheeler 0-2
Region 1-1A games for this week.
Coldwater vs. Wheeler
Okolona vs. Biggersville
Thrasher vs. Smithville
Vardaman vs. Falkner
