The game was anything but defense at the start. If you like scoring there was plenty of it.

Decatur’s Alex Bykovskiy received the kickoff and returned it for 55 yards, and then two plays later found Cary Carver in the end zone on a play that took only 1:39 off the clock. The lead was short lived.

During the ensuing kickoff Rahmel Dockery returned it 92 yards for an answer and brought the game even at 7-7, and not even two minutes off the clock.

After three downs, the Gators of Decatur punted and two plays later C.J. Langlow, a senior wide receiver, beat the corner and raced 56 yards off the arm of quarterback Tyler Jamison. Now the score was 21-7 with 6:41 remaining in the first quarter.

The game of inches became a game of big plays. Dropped passes and tips that led to interceptions became a norm for the Gators, while the strength and speed of the Curtis Vikings took advantage of the miscues.

At the end of the 1st quarter the Gators found themselves down by another score, upping the total 28-7. Decatur refused to roll over and play dead.

The 2nd quarter began with turnovers by both teams. Bykovskiy was intercepted on the Curtis 6, and Curtis returned the favor with a fumble on the next play. Bykovskiy found Tyrone Faulkner on a 6-yard rout for a touchdown and now the score was 28-13 after the extra point failed.

Decatur was still in the game despite the miscues.

More deflected passes for interceptions brought the halftime score to 41-13.

It took almost two hours to play that half with all of the penalties. The game still had a half to play.

The big plays continued the second half. A 78-yard TD pass to Dockery (C), a kickoff return of 70 yards for Faulkner (D), and Dockery again 73-yard TD pass were among those big plays.

Bykovskiy, the Gator quarterback, was 11-29 passing for 65 yards. There were 11 additional passes that found the receivers’ hands, but failed to become secure and fell incomplete. Alex also had 17 carries for 107 yds and 2 TDs.

“He is definitely a leader,” Decatur coach Leon Hatch said.

And if you were at the game you found him everywhere. He played linebacker and defensive line, quarterback and punter, kickoff returner and was a heavy hitter on tackles.

The final score was 68-28.

“The No. 10-ranked Vikings are the better team,” coach Hatch, in his third year at Decatur, responded after the game.

“This is a minor set-back to building a program. We cannot focus on the loss but use it to accomplish our goal. We are concerned about teammates that were injured.”

Decatur’s goal is to make the playoffs by finishing at least 4th in their league. That is doable for the 2-2 Gators who face Bethel next week. Kendric Brown, a freshman stand-out, went to the hospital, along with two other players, all due to concussions.

The Decatur squad has a solid core of sophomores who played as freshmen, and have a coach who keeps them focused on the big picture.

He wants his players to know that he will use this loss as motivation to get better.

“We go into every game wanting to win. There are too many positives from last night.” he said.

Coach Hatch now prepares his team, who a year ago finished 2-8, to tackle a tough, Bethel squad, currently second in SPSL South Division.

Decatur lacked on the score board, but lacked nothing in heart, playing hard for 48 minutes.