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Ider's historic run comes to end

By Lew Gilliland
The Times-Journal

Published November 20, 2009

VERNON — Ider’s dream of a run to the Class 2A championship game ended with a disastrous fourth quarter Friday night.

No. 5 Lamar County turned three Ider interceptions into touchdowns and handed the Hornets a 35-13 setback in a state high school football quarterfinal.

The Bulldogs (13-0) advanced to face No. 6 Clay County in a semifinal next week. Clay County defeated Winston County 20-0.

The setback ended the most successful season in Hornet history. Ider (11-2) shared the Region 7 championship, advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time and set a school record for single-season wins.

“I’d like to give credit to our coaches and our players. Their effort and attitude helped us get this far,” said Hornets coach Brent Tinker, whose program enjoyed a resurgence after finishing 3-7 each of the past three years.

Ider hadn’t been to the playoffs since 1998 before making it this season. The Hornets advanced to face Lamar County by picking up first- and second-round wins over Lanett and Lineville, respectively.

Ider was in position to go even farther after taking a 7-6 lead into the final quarter, but little went right for the Hornets over the final 12 minutes.

“We’d been in that same position … all year,” Tinker said. “In the fourth quarter, we were able to take over. Tonight, it didn’t happen.”

Lamar County used a five-play, 38-yard drive to take a 12-7 lead with 10:59 left. Fullback Lance Bobbitt got the touchdown on a 12-yard run, but the try for two points failed.

Bobbitt led the Bulldogs, rushing 13 times for 96 yards. Quarterback Michael Bradford was also solid for Lamar County, completing 6 of 7 passes for 71 yards and a touchdown.

Ider took the ensuing kickoff and drove to the Lamar County 38-yard line, but Eric Hudson picked off a Hornet pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown. Bradford passed to Marquis Plant for two points.

Lamar County’s Cole Bradford came up with another pick on the first play of the next possession and returned it to the Ider 4. The Bulldogs fumbled on the next snap, but Plant fell on the ball in the end zone for a Lamar County touchdown. Bradford passed to Hudson for two points and a 28-7 lead with 6:49 left.

Hudson came up with his team’s third interception of the quarter on Ider’s next possession, and teammate Kenneth Hill reached the end zone from 4 yards out with 4:31 remaining for a 35-7 advantage.

Ider’s Beau Dobbins closed the scoring on a 3-yard run as time expired. Dobbins led the Hornets with 67 yards on 14 carries.

“We played a great team that out-executed us,” Tinker said. “Our kids played hard. We made too many mistakes.”

Lamar County ran 34 plays to Ider’s 15 in the first half but only led 6-0 at halftime. Bradford connected with William Franks for the touchdown with 4:34 left in the second quarter. The extra point failed.

Ider took a 7-6 lead on a 6-yard Dobbins run that capped a five-play, 53 yard drive with 9:40 left in the third period. The play big on the march was a 38-yard pass from Derrick Blevins to a leaping Cole Spurgeon.

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