ATLANTA — The clock finally struck midnight on the Cook Hornets Saturday, as their improbable postseason came to an end in the Georgia Dome.

Lovett handed Cook (9-4) its fourth and final loss of the season, 29-16.

The Hornets struggled through three quarters, and when the tides began to turn in the Hornets’ favor, it was too late. Cook put together great plays to score 16 points in the fourth, but it was only after the Lions had put 29 unanswered points on the board.

The Lions came out firing on all cylinders after beating the Region 1-A champion Thomasville Bulldogs last week. The fourth seed from 1-A, Cook, had won three straight games as the underdogs, but the Lions proved to be too much for the young Hornet squad.

Lovett was able to score on their first three drives of the game, and one of Cook’s drives, to open up a big early lead. The Lions’ first score came on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Jonathon Carkhuff to Drew Stockton.

On their next drive, they scored again after forcing a second-straight Hornet punt. This time Carkhuff dove into the end zone from one yard out. With the extra point by Josh Miles, Lovett held a 14-0 lead with just over five minutes left before halftime.

On the Hornets’ ensuing drive, the Lions were able to score again, this time on a 67-yard interception return by Campbell Wilson. Lovett took the final drive of the half down the field for points as well.

With five seconds remaining, Wilson kicked a 34-yard field goal to give the Lions a 24-0 halftime lead. Cook tried to get some points on the board, but it would be the Lions that continued to score. Lovett scored two more points with 2:17 left in the third quarter when the Hornets lost a high snap on a punt try into their own end zone for a safety.

On Lovett’s following drive, Miles kicked another 34-yard field goal, giving the Lions a big 29-0 lead.

Once the fourth quarter started, the Hornets’ offense finally got going, and was able to put two scores together in under five minutes.

The first touchdown was a 1-yard dive by quarterback Trenton Payne. Tevin Sims ran in the two-point conversion and Cook was looking at a large deficit, 29-8.

On their next drive the Hornets scored again, this time on a 3-yard run into the endzone by Payne. The two-point conversion was successful and Cook was looking to be back in the game, 29-16.

But then the Lions’ offense ran out the clock.

Andre Hicks ran for 112 yards on 18 carries for Lovett. Shannon Brown led Cook with 125 yards rushing on 12 carries. Payne added 70 yards on nine carries.