Story courtesy of LMPS
Photos by Bob Fencl
The excitement at the new Lakeland Middle Prep (LMPS) football field was palpable Thursday night (9.13.18) as both the varsity and junior varsity teams scored game-clinching touchdowns with less than a minute to play. Fans were on the edge of their seats for much of both games as the Lions scratched and clawed their way to two victories.
Link to Varsity Google album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/4oyszWACF8oh1N4i6
Link to JV Google album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/vLjDaK4Vmo9rwvqi6
The LMPS varsity team knocked off the Millington Trojans 20-14 in a pivotal district game. The game started with a bang as quarterback Hayden Kee raced 70 yards down the Lion sideline for a touchdown on the third play from scrimmage. Safeties MaKale McNeil and Hayden Kee picked off two Trojan passes in the second quarter, but the Lions could not capitalize. Late in the second quarter, big runs from Jackson Hair and Carter Hein set up another Hayden Kee touchdown run to give the Lions a 14-8 halftime lead.
Walker Funk got the second half going the right way with back to back tackles for loss which set up a team sack led by Mason Ladd on a third and long. A miscue on the punt return gave the ball back to the Trojans, but the Lion defense, as it did all night, stood strong. “I feel like our front seven on defense really controlled the game,” stated Lakeland Coach Tyler White. “They battled hard all night and came up with big stops when we needed them.”
The biggest stop of the night came on a two-point conversion, when middle linebacker Harrison Jones made a huge hit on the Millington running back to keep the score knotted at 14 with just over four minutes to go in the game. On the ensuing possession, the Lakeland offense behind a steady dose of runs by Jackson Hair and Hayden Kee, marched the ball down the field eating up all but 46 seconds of the clock. On a second down, quarterback Hayden Kee eluded a tackle, reversed field, and found a way to get in the end zone for the third time. The Lions took the lead 20-14, and an interception by corner Ron Wilson sealed the victory.
In junior varsity action, the Lion offense was clicking on all cylinders. Quarterback Tucker Bearden hooked up with receivers Leo Red and Ethan Ford for touchdown passes in the second quarter. Bearden also found running back Jonah Atkinson a few times to set up both touchdown drives.
The drive of the game came late in the fourth quarter when the Lions methodically pounded the ball down the field with runs from Ethan Ford and Jack Pitts. Pitts found pay dirt on a hard run with just over ten seconds remaining in the game to give the Lions the lead for good. Ford added the two-point conversion and the celebration was on.
The Lions were led on defense by a strong performance by linebackers Grant Roberson, David Hartz, Hudson Drew, Patrick Beckham, and Rip Pittman. The win marked the first for the Lakeland junior varsity team and the first on the new field.
“It was a great night to be a Lion,” stated Coach White. “We’ve been so close twice now, it’s just good for these kids to get a win under their belt.” The Lakeland football teams will be back in action next week (9.20.18) for their homecoming games against Houston and Riverdale. Go Lions!
… Photos by Bob Fencl.
