By Jim Majors

Luverne came back late in the fourth quarter to defeat Pike County in a close contest, 21-20 Friday night.

Luverne quarterback Kenterius Womack hit Quez Watkins for a touchdown to tie up with ballgame, and the Tigers put the ball through the uprights for the game-winning PAT.

Neither team could get anything going at the beginning of the game until the Womack brothers teamed up when Kenterius Womack hit Kevin Womack for a TD, with 8:32 left in the first quarter.

The Tigers struck again when defensive end Quindarius Thaggard recovers a Bulldogs’ fumble, and Jonathan Chambers ran in the two-point conversion, with 6:56 left in the first quarter.

Pike County quarterback Jerrell Lawson hit running back Ryshaun Hall with 4:50 left in the second quarter for the Bulldogs’ first TD of the night. Antonio Vaznaian’s PAT was good, putting Pike County on the board, putting Luverne up 14-7 at the break.

Pike County struck first in the second half, when Lawson hit Stevie Smiley Jr., for a TD and Vaznaian’s PAT was good, making it 14-al with 9:53 left in the third.

Pike County scored one more TD, with 6:22 left in the third quarter.

Luverne head coach Mike Dubose said called the game a good win.

“I’m proud of the players,” he said. “They fought back from a real hard-playing Pike County team.”

Pike County coach Fred Holland said, “(it was a) tough game. Both teams played hard. Their team played well. We just came up short.”