Devils finish at 11-2; it was a very good year
By T.J. CARANI

A.G. MIDDLEBROOKS SET UP THE FIRST DEVIL TD The Red Devils ended the 2007 season with a record of 11-2.

"Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to do something in life, the secret is learning how to lose. Nobody goes undefeated all the time. If you can pick up after a crushing defeat, and go on to win again, you are going to be a champion someday."

Wilma Rudolph, the first woman runner to win three Olympic gold medals, said these words in a speech following the games. These words also finda home in Lincoln County this week, following last week's 34-24 season-ending defeat by the Wilcox County Patriots in Rochelle.

The beginning of the game went like so many others this season. The Red Devils jumped ahead to an early lead. It started with the Patriots' first drive being shut down, leading to a punt attempt. The punt was blocked, and the Red Devils had the football deep in Patriot territory. A run by A.G. Middlebrooks put the ball on the 4-yard line. Jafabian Green put the ball within the 1-yard line. Austin Goldman made a run for the line and scored the touchdown. A PAT kick by Vance Tarver put the Red Devils in the lead 7-0. The Patriots' next drive was stopped just as easily. Dechane Willis got an interception and carried it to the 6 yard line. Jamareon Green carried the ball in for the second touchdown. Another kick put the score at 14-0. This wasn't enough, however, and the Red Devils stopped a third Patriot drive. This led to a punt that Alex Ellis returned for the third touchdown in the first quarter.

AUSTIN GOLDMAN ROLLS OUT TO PASS FOR THE RED DEVILS But it was the passing game of Wilcox County that spelled doom for Lincoln County in 2007.

All good things must come to an end, however. The Patriots came out of another nose dive of a drive to begin the arduous job of coming back to defeat the Red Devils. They were able to score a touchdown before the first quarter ended. Their extra point was blocked, but that seemed to be the least of the Red Devils' problems.

Twiggs County had a strong passing game earlier this year when they defeated the Red Devils, and the same problems came back to haunt the Red Devils again. The Patriots made what should have been a game-losing mistake in their next drive when the Devils got the ball on the Patriots' 9-yard line following three botched passes and a failed punt.

The devils managed to get only a three point field goal kick, and it was the last time they scored for the season. Two huge touchdown passes and a few strong running plays nailed the Devils' coffin shut and ended the game with a score of 34-24.

British Bishop Robert South said, in 1692, that "Defeat should never be a source of courage, but rather a fresh stimulant." Though this season is over, there will be many strong memories, such as defeating Washington-Wilkes, Aquinas, Hancock Central, and Harlem, among others, to keep the players and fans spirited for next year.

Football season may be over, but there are still basketball, golf, soccer, and tennis competitions to satiate Lincoln County sports fans' appetites until next fall.

Devils vs. Wilcox Co.

(statistics compiled by Johnny Walton)

	LC	WC
First Downs	6	17
Yards Rushing	113	114
Yards Passing	28	288
Passes	6-11-0	15-31-2
Total Yards	141	402
Yards penalized	55	50
Fumbles/lost	0/0	2/0
Punts/avg.	4/35.0	1/30.0
Return yards	170	44

Score by quarters
Red Devils 21 3 0 0 - 24
Wilcox Co. 6 16 6 6 - 34