Lakeland High School Football Dreadnaughts 5A State Champions

“Never give up”
By Jordan Thurn

​“I’m proud of you [all], you played with heart and you didn’t quit. You always find a way to pull [out the win],” Head Coach Bill Castle said in the huddle after Lakeland’s double overtime victory over George Jenkins, 30-27.

​Offense started the game strong. Quarterback, Isaiah Walker ran the ball 74 yards from Lakelands 21 yard line. His drive down the field was capped by Robert Smith’s touchdown run with 9:20 left in the first quarter. On GJ’s following possession, a pass on a second and eleven attempt was intercepted by DJ Alexander to turnover possession in the Dreadnaughts favor. Kicker Caleb Hough followed up with a field goal with 24 second remaining in the first quarter after a holding penalty recalled a touchdown, which would have been scored by Braxton Huggins. The Naughts held the lead at the end of the first quarter 10-0.

​GJ picked up momentum in the second quarter when a punt was ran back for a touchdown with 4:36 left in the half. GJ put more points of the board after they kicked a field goal to tie the game on a first and ten attempt with seconds left on the clock. At half the score tied at 10-10.

​In the third quarter, Jalen Stevenson picked up a fumble on GJ’s 18-yard line, which he ran into the end zone for a defensive touchdown with 9:56 left in the quarter. The score stayed at 17-10 until early in the fourth when GJ ran the ball on a second and goal attempt from the seven to score with 8:30 left in the game. The score stayed stationary at 17-17 for the rest of regulation play, though both teams moved up and down the field.

​“Do you want to win this,” sophomore Garret Conner yelled from the sidelines to encourage his teammates as Lakeland went into it’s second overtime competition of the season. In overtime, teams get one down or four plays to score either by touchdown or field goal. GJ won the toss and elected for Lakeland to take offense first, giving the Naughts’ the natural disadvantage.

​Walker connected with Jacquan Foster on a third and five attempt to keep the Naughts’ in the game, 24-17. GJ scored minutes later to tie the game 24-24 and take play into double overtime.

​As a trade off, GJ took offense first. Lakeland’s defense held the team to a field goal, putting GJ into their only lead of the night, 24-27. On the Naughts’ first play of their following possession, Walker ran a quarterback keeper ten yard for a touchdown to win the Senior Night match-up for the Naughts’, 30-27.

​“Never give up, never stop,” starting offensive lineman Devonte Mackey said after the tight game. Lakeland further advanced their winning streak to 9-0 and will go on to play Ridge Community in two weeks.