Akeem Judd ran for 157 yards and two touchdowns, and Dorian Belcher threw for 203 yards and a score as the Spartans – No. 8 in the N&O rankings – held off a furious rally from No. 5 Middle Creek to hold on for a thrilling 35-32 victory Friday night.

“It’s always important to get a win against a good team,” Southern coach Adrian Jones said. “Any victory you can get against a team of that caliber is important.”

Judd started the Southern Durham (2-0) off in the right direction in the first quarter. The senior running back took a pitch, spun to elude a defender at the sideline, and then outdistanced the Mustang defensive backs for an electrifying 47-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead

After Jeremy Thompson picked off a David Salmon pass, the Spartans drove the ball to the Mustang 1-yard line, only to be turned away on downs. But on the ensuing play, Salmon dropped the ball in the end zone and had to fall on it, resulting in a safety for the Spartans.

Southern Durham got a 50-yard return from Reggie Prince on the ensuing kickoff, and punched it in on a Dorian Belcher 2-yard run for a 15-0 halftime advantage. But Belcher hurt his ankle on the play and didn’t play much in the second half.

But the Mustangs (1-1) quickly seized the momentum in the second half.

After a 50-yard return by Daquan Stuart set Middle Creek up at the Spartans 8-yard line, running back Naylaan Lopez, who sat out the first half, punched it in to cut the lead to 15-6. The Mustangs then got the ball back and drove 57 yards on eight plays, culminating in a 1-yard plunge from Corey Wright to slice the lead to 15-12.

“We got complacent,” Jones said. “The same way we start the game is the same way we’ve got to come out and play in the second half.”

In need of something positive, the Spartans turned back to Belcher, who had sat out the first two series of the second half. It paid immediate dividends as the senior quarterback found a streaking Darien Bullock for a 69-yard strike to extend the lead to 22-12.

“I’m sure they saw the film and seen that we ran for almost 400 yards last week,” Jones said. “It was important that Dorian made some plays and loosen them up. He did a great job.”

Bullock finished with 135 yards receiving on seven catches.

That was it for Belcher. Backup Jovante Partridge came in and finally got some rhythm, engineering a 75-yard drive as Judd scored on a 1-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 29-12.

“You never want an injury,” Jones said. “But maybe it was good to get Javonte in there to get some snaps and execute in a big game.” The game, however, was far from over.

Mustangs quarterback David Salmon started to find some holes in the Spartans secondary. He hit Kevin Jones on a 12-yard touchdown reception to start the fourth quarter, then got the ball to Lopez on two passes to set up a 9-yard Devon Johnson score to slice the lead to 35-26. Middle Creek then drove the ball down the field in 35 seconds to cut it to 35-32 on a pass from Salmon to Curtis Burston with 6.5 seconds left.

The Mustangs couldn’t corral the onsides kick and the Spartans took a knee to end the game.

Johnson finished with 113 yards rushing, while Lopez added 101 yards on 11 carries – all in the second half.