IRONDALE, Alabama -- When Florence scored on a Roland Adams 24-yard touchdown run with 3:54 left in the game, the Falcons were flying high and were about to get their first win of the 2014 season, but four plays later on a fourth-and-13 play Rashad Louie found his favorite target Keith Mixon behind the Falcons defense for a 68-yard touchdown pass that put Shades Valley up 37-35 for good and the win.

Both quarterbacks made exceptional plays in this game to give their teams chances to win. For the Mounties (1-0), Louie completed 11-of-24 passing for 250 yards and with two TD's passes and a 74-yard touchdown run on the second play of the game. For the Falcons (0-1), first-year starter Blake Hawkins completed 20-of-35 passing for 246 yards and a touchdown.

The scoring started early while on the second play of the game, Louie kept the ball around right end for and dashed for a 74-yard touchdown. With 1:16 left in the first quarter, Mounties kicker Andrew Van Winkle hit a 20-yard field goal and Shades Valley went up 10-0. "We have to have more mental toughness," said Mounties Head coach Bill Smith. "We made some big plays but there is a lot of things we need to work on. We played a very good football team tonight."

Early in the second quarter, Mixon, the Mounties punter, faked a punt and ran 15-yards to keep a Shades Valley drive alive. Another key play on this drive was a pass from Louie to Raydarius Ballard for 38-yards. A few plays later, Mixon scores from two yards out and the Mounties go up 17-0. "I know one thing for sure," Smith added. "We have to get Keith the ball more. I know defenses are going to look to stop him, but we just have to do a better job of getting him the football."

Florence needed a spark and they received one from William Barnett on a 18-yard return that setup the Mounties in good field position before the half. With 3:29 to go in the second quarter, Hawkins found Adams open in the endzone for a 12-yard touchdown pass.

The Mounties answered though with :55 seconds left in the half on a Louis to Mixon 9-yard touchdown pass. On that play, Louis ran to his right and was cut off by the defense cut back to the middle of the field and side armed the ball across is body for an unbelievable play. "I've never seen a quarterback throw a ball like that in a game," added Smith. "What a fantastic play it was." Florence grabbed the momentum back right before the half on a Hawkins to Dee Smith 40-yard touchdown pass and to close the Mounties lead to 24-14 at the half. "We had a great game plan, but we had to many mental lapses," said Falcons Head coach Jason Wallace. "We played a great team, but we made to many missed assignments on defense."

The Falcons came out like a determined football team to start the second half. Florence cut the lead again when defensive lineman Jordan Dollarson tackled the Mounties quarterback and then fumbled the ball back into the endzone and Edwin Johnson fell on it for a touchdown. Dollarson had three sacks on the night and played a great game. With that touchdown, Florence took the lead at 28-24 for the fist time in the game. Shades Valley offense turned the tide again when Louis scored on a 1-yard run and again take a 31-28 lead midway through the fourth quarter.

I really wanted to make something good happen for my football team," said Mounties RB Mixon. "I really didn't want to lose this football game. Mixon had seven catches for 159 yards with with two touchdowns, but he only had 20 yards on 11 carries in the run game.

Shades Valley travels to Bessemer City for a non-region 6A game against the Purple Tigers, who lost to Hueytown 20-7. Florence has a bye next week before opening Region 8 action by playing host to Muscle Shoals.