LaKELAND
DREADNAUGHTS
Haines City
Hornets
W: 39-18: 2800 Hornet Drive Haines City, FL 33844
Lakeland Runs Past Haines City: 39-18
by Jordan Thurn
Despite key players being off the field due to injury, the Naughts still pulled a win in their first district game of the season, beating the Haines City Hornets, 39-18 on their home field. “We’re doing great [coping with the injuries], all we can do it just move on,” running back, Ra’Don Dwight said.
The Naughts scored on their first possession after Aaron Johnson ran the ball 52 yards on a quarterback keeper down to the Haines City one-yard line. Two plays later, Dwight would carry the ball the needed ½ yard to score his first touchdown of the night with 7:01 left in the first quarter. The ensuing extra point kick by Zack Feddeler was good, and the Naughts took the lead, 7-0. Haines City would rally on their next possession, scoring on a third and 14 attempt from Lakeland’s 39-yard line when their Derwin James made a diving touchdown with 3:45 left in the first quarter. The Hornet’s following two-point conversion fake was no good, and the Naughts held their lead at 7-6.
Lakeland would score again on their second possession of the game when Johnson ran the final six yards to score with 6:15 left in the first half; the Naughts furthered their lead, 14-6. Later in the half, Haines City would drive down to the red zone, but Trey Threatt would thwart their scoring attempts when he intercepted the ball down on the Naughts one-yard line. The Naughts would take a knee with seconds left on the clock, and go into halftime maintaining their lead at 14-6.
To start the second half, Kim Ornis would sack the Hornets quarterback on a third and three attempt, forcing them to punt. The Naughts would later score on this turnover when Dwight scored on a first and goal attempt from their four-yard line with 6:15 left in the third quarter, bringing the Naughts score to 20-6 after a failed fake for a two point conversion. Haines City would come back the next play when their Dacorius Law ran the ball 92-yards on the following kick off with 5:57 left in the third. The Hornets two-point conversion fake failed, and the score moved to 20-12.
Dwight would help the Naughts score first in the fourth, on a 1-yard drive with 8:40 left in the first, the Naughts extra point was blocked, and they moved their lead forward to 26-12. Haines City would score their following possession when James would receive a 65-yard pass to score the Hornet’s last touchdown, moving the score to 26-18 with 8:19 left in the half. The Naughts would come back when Dwight ran the ball 20 yards into the endzone with 6:32 left in the half. Feddelers following kick was good, and the Naughts advanced their lead to 33-18. DC Campbell would help stop the Hornet’s following drive when he intercepted the and ran it back to the LHS 43-yard line. “Last time I fell out of bounds and coach just told me to go up high with the ball that time and keep my feet, and I just kept running,” Campbell said after his interception.
As a result of Campbell’s interception, the Naughts would score one final time on a second and goal attempt from the one. Dwight scored with 1:24 left in the game to tally the score at 39-18.
`“Defense, I’m proud of you. [Dereck] Boles—you were a big playmaker tonight…that’s what you can do when you play together as a team, you didn’t get frustrated when they made big plays and when you heard their crowd cheering. Good job, guys,” Bill Castle said after the game in the huddle.
The Naughts tallied 335 yards as compared to Haines City’s negative 4 yards. Dwight led rushing with a total of 130 yards for the night. A member of special teams, Matthew Kramer was taken off the field in the third quarter after suffering a concussion, adding to the Naughts list of injuries, which includes starters Buzz Williams and Chase Madden with their respective knee injuries.
The Naughts go on to face the North Miami Beach Chargers at home next week. “We need to let people know the three games we lost, we’re coming back, we aren’t the same Dreadnaughts we were. We’re going to get it right,” Campbell said referring to the Naughts 3 consecutive losses before the regular season started this year. The Naughts improve their record to 4-0.
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