Lakeside’s Jayson Michel broke up a desperation fourth-down pass by Arabia Mountain’s Julian Shanks after time ran out to seal a thrilling 51-50 Region 4-5A win over the Vikings over the Rams on a rainy Thursday night at Godfrey Stadium.

The Rams were put into desperation mode with 23.3 seconds to play and no timeouts as Viking quarterback Kyle Davis led his team to their third touchdown of fourth quarter. Davis connected with a wide-open Daniel Arzabe in the end zone after a fake toss for the 16-yard touchdown pass to knot the game at 50-50 with 32 seconds remaining on the game clock. The score was set up by a 51-yard kickoff return by Jayson Michel

Wesley Cowden gave the Vikings the lead as he kicked the extra point through the uprights out of the hold of Noah Lanford for the 51-50 advantage. It was just the second lead (both in the final quarter) of the game for the Vikings who fell behind 14-0 less than three minutes into the game.

Trailing 42-31 going into the fourth period, the Vikings began their run by blocking a punt out of bounds at the Rams’ seven-yard line. Three plays later Davis went into the pile and got into the end zone on a one-yard sneak to close the gap to 38-42with 10:25 to play as Cowen hit the PAT.

Lakeside’s defense forced the Rams to punt on the next possession and took over on their own 26 with 9:26 to play in the game. Davis dropped back, rolled right away from pressure by the Ram’s defensive front and heaved a pass down the middle of the field to a waiting Arzabe for a 49-yard gain to the Rams’ 13.

Davis then found his freshman brother, Canon, coming across to the left and he hauled in the pass and pushed his way into the end zone for nine-yard touchdown play on fourth and six at the Rams nine-yard line. The point after failed but the Vikings had their first lead of the game at 44-42 with 3:59 to play.

Arabia Mountain answered right back to retake the lead with 1:20 to play as Shanks hit Xavien Brinson over the middle on a 14-yard scoring toss. He then hit Brinson for the two-point conversion for the 50-44 lead.

The Rams had jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first three minutes of the game on a 60-yard pass play from Shanks Colin Mason and a 32-yard pick-six of a tipped pass by Alex Chambliss. Masan Masih hit both extra points.

Lakeside pulled within 14-8 with 1:30 left in the first quarter on the first of two touchdown connections between the Davis brothers as Kyle found Canon for an 11-yard scoring play. Lanford got into the end zone for the two-point conversion.

Arabia Mountain answered on the ensuing kickoff as Jordan Walker caught the football at his own eight-yard, broke through the first wave of Viking defenders and raced 92 yards for the touchdown. The extra point was no good with 1:08 to play in the opening period.

Lakeside came back again driving 73 yards in seven plays with Kyle Davis taking the ball in on a 23-yard touchdown run. Cowden’s PAT pulled the Vikings within 20-15.

The Rams got their second touchdown on kickoff return following Lakeside’s score as Jonathan Odeh-Adimah raced 84 yards into the end zone with 10:42 left in the first half. The two-point conversion was good for a 28-15 lead.

Davis found Michel over the middle and he weaved his way through defenders for 23 yards and the touchdown. Cowden’s PAT closed the gap to 28-22 with 6:46 left in the half.

Shanks hit Zavion McCoggle for a 19-yard touchdown pass play at the 2:57 mark of the second quarter to make it 34-22 game.

The Vikings drove to the one-yard line and fumbled with 49 seconds remaining in the half but ended up with two points as Tristen Lewis caught Shanks in the end zone for the safety for a 34-24 deficit at the half.

Punts were traded to start the second half, and the Vikings made good on their second chance as Davis scored on a one-yard sneak into the end zone with 6:16 to play in the third period. Cowden pulled Lakeside to within 31-34.

Shanks stretched the lead back out to 42-40 with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Walker and a two-point conversion to Brinson.

Lakeside quarterback Kyle Davis put on the quite the performance for the Vikings as he rushed 22 times for 144 yards and three touchdowns and hit on 20 of 27 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns. Canon Davis had 10 catches for 107 yards and two touchdowns. The win by Lakeside was the squad’s first in three tries against the Rams.

Julian Shanks threw for 183 yards and four touchdowns and added 75 yards rushing on six carries. He had a big 68-yard touchdown called back in the third quarter just before the Vikings blocked the punt. Xavion Brinson had three receptions for 40 yards and a touchdown to go with two two-point conversion catches.

Miller Grove 50, Stone Mountain 14
The Miller Grove Wolverines cruised to a 50-14 non-region victory over the Stone Mountain Pirates at Hallford Stadium on Thursday night.

Quarterback Thomas Winston threw three touchdowns and Na’Shaun Porter ran for over 100 yards and a pair scores. Amed Jatta added a 42-yard field goal for the Wolverines (3-2). Stone Mountain fell to 0-5 on the season.

In other games in DeKalb on Thursday, the Tucker Tigers (3-1, 2-0) shutout the Clarkston Angoras (0-4, 0-2) 49-0 at Adams Stadium and Callaway got a late touchdown to upend the Columbia Eagles (0-4) 22-16 at Cobb Stadium.

DCSD FOOTBALL SCHEDULE – WEEK 5
Thursday, Sept. 12
ADAMS STADIUM
Tucker (3-1, 2-0)* 49, Clarkston (0-4, 0-2) 0
COBB (AVONDALE) STADIUM
Callaway (2-2) 22, Columbia (0-4) 16
GODFREY STADIUM
Lakeside (2-2, 1-0) 51, Arabia Mountain (1-3, 0-1)* 50
HALLFORD STADIUM
Miller Grove (3-2) 50, Stone Mountain (0-5) 14

Friday, Sept. 13
ADAMS STADIUM
MT. Bethel (2-0) vs. Cross Keys (0-3), 7:30 pm
COBB (AVONDALE) STADIUM
Riverdale (0-4) vs. Redan (1-3), 7:30 pm
GODFREY STADIUM
Maynard Jackson (3-0) vs. M.L. King (1-2)*, 7:30 pm
HALLFORD STADIUM
Mt. Zion-Jonesboro (1-2, 1-0) vs. Stephenson (2-2, 0-0)*, 7:30 pm
NORTH DEKALB STADIUM
Tri-Cities (2-0, 0-0) vs. Dunwoody (1-2, 0-0)*, 7:30 pm

AWAY GAMES
Chamblee (0-3) at Decatur (3-0)*, 7:30 pm
Cedar Grove (0-2) at Heath, TX (0-2), 7:30 pm
Druid Hills (2-1, 1-0) at St. Pius (2-1, 1-0)*, 7:30 pm
SW DeKalb (2-1, 1-0) at North Springs (0-3, 0-1)*, 7:30 pm

OPEN DATE: Lithonia (2-1), McNair (2-2), Towers (2-1)
*–Region Game