Loris comes up short against Mullins

The Lions simply ran out gas – and time.

Playing its second game this week, Loris saw a mere 10 yards or so come between it and a second win in four days in a 20-14 loss to Mullins on Friday.

Trailing by six with about a minute left, the Lions drove down to the Auctioneers’ 10-yard line but were unable to get into the end zone as they ran out of time.

“Our kids fought (until) the end,” Loris coach Jamie Snider said. “We just made too many mistakes to win and Mullins made more plays than we did and that’s why they won.”

Mullins’ first score came after the Lions turned the ball over on a fumble at their own 5-yard line. The Auctioneers added another score just before halftime to go into the break up 14-0.

Loris tied the game with about 2 minutes left, but Mullins score about a minute later, setting up the Lions’ final drive that came up just short.

“They had a good game plan and we had to make some adjustments,” Snider said. “I’m proud of how our kids fought in the second half (but) we came up a little bit short.”

Hakeem Jackson and Tevin Livingston provided the Lions’ scores, but it proved too little, too late.

“I’ve been real proud of our effort all season,” Snider said. “We’ve just got to find a way to make plays down the stretch and get off to a better start. When those happen, we do well.”

The loss dropped Loris to 1-1 in Region VIII-AA, where every team is still very much alive for the playoffs. Perennial power Dillon (3-0 region), the Lions’ next opponent, routed Marion 41-0 on Friday to remain in the driver’s seat.

The rest of the region appears wide open.

“I say this a lot: It’s Dillon and the rest of us,” Snider said. “That is showing to be very much the case as usual.”

With a road trip against the Wildcats on the horizon, Snider just wants his players to focus on what they can control.

“They’re unreal, that’s for sure,” Snider said of Dillon. “We’re going to work on (how to approach them). We’ll hopefully have a great week of practice. But one thing is that we haven’t quit in any game this year. I don’t expect anything different, but it will be a tall task.”

This story was originally published October 17, 2015 at 2:14 AM with the headline "Loris comes up short against Mullins."