Story courtesy of LMPS (Lakeland Middle Preparatory School)
Photos by Cathy Roberts, LMPS special education clerical
The Lakeland Middle Prep Lions took the field for the last time in the regular season on Thursday night (10.4.18) and both the varsity and junior varsity teams put up big numbers en route to a sweep of the Elmore Park Eagles. After dropping two heart-breakers Tuesday night, the Lions finished the regular season strong with two dominating victories.
In JV action, the scoring got started very early when running back Jack Pitts took a hand-off and threw a pass to receiver Leo Red for a long touchdown pass, and Ethan Ford added the extra point to make the score 7-0. Later in the half quarterback Tucker Bearden found Ronnie “RIP” Pittman for 65 yard touchdown strike and the Lions went into the half up 14-0.
The second half saw several series of stingy defense for the Lions. Led by linebackers Grant Roberson, David Hartz, Patrick Beckham and Brodie Brannon, the Lion defense suffocated the Eagles pitching their first shut out of the year. The game ended with a bang as alternating carries from Pitts and Ford ended with a long touchdown scamper from Ethan Ford as time expired. The LMPS JV team ended the season with a 4-3 record improved each and every game.
On 8th grade night for the varsity, the Lion offense roared early and often. Jackson Hair took a handoff on the second offensive snap and weaved in and out of Elmore Park defenders for a 55-yard touchdown run. Quarterback Hayden Kee added the two-point conversion to make the score 8-0 in the first quarter. Early in the second quarter, Kee rolled out and found a wide open Jackson Hair for a 43 yard catch in run. Two more runs set up a Hayden Kee 3 yard touchdown run on a quarterback keeper to extend the Lion lead to 16-0 at the half.
On the first drive of he second half Jackson Hair continued to pound away on the Elmore Park defense with two runs of more than twenty yards before Kee found Carter Hein for a 7- yard touchdown pass to take the lead to 24-0. On the next drive, QB Hayden Kee escaped pressure and broke off another touchdown run, this time from 52 yards out. The Lion defense managed to give up just six points in the game forcing several punts, one of which was blocked by linebacker Harrison Jones.
The final score from the night came early in the fourth quarter when Kee rolled out, got a bone crushing block from receiver Harrison Jones and then spun out of another tackle sprinting down the Lion sideline for 71-yard touchdown run. That ended the scoring for the night and the Lions cruised to a 36-6 victory marking the highest point total scored in the two-year history of the LMPS football program.
“I was a little worried about our mindset coming into the game after losing a tough one the other night,” said Coach Tyler White after the game. “It’s really difficult to turn around and play another game two days later like that, but they really came to life in the second half. They didn’t take anything for granted, and we really gelled in the second half. It’s good to get a big win like this going into the bowl game.”
The Lakeland Lions will return to the field for a bowl game at home against Fayette Academy Oct. 18th.
Link to Google album by Cathy Roberts, special education clerical at LMPS:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZMdjZASzDSqQdaeA7
The album includes photos of eighth graders recognized during the evening.
