By Josh Beavers
Lakeside begins its 2021 football season at home Friday night against Magnolia School of Excellence out of Shreveport.
Coach Mike Santelices said the Mariners are large and bruising on both lines. “They’ve got a lot of big kids,” the Warriors’ top man said in an interview Wednesday with The Journal. “They have a running back who is probably 6-foot-1 and weighs 220, (and) a very fast, very athletic quarterback, as well.”
This is the third season for Magnolia School. One month ago they hired Toriano Williams, former Southwood High offensive coordinator, as the program’s head coach.
They earned their first victory as a program last year when they defeated Ringgold, 12-8. The Mariners are 1-16 all time. They compete in District 1-1A with Calvary, Plain Dealing, Haynesville, Homer, Ringgold, Arcadia, Lincoln Prep and Glenbrook.
The Warriors are coming off an up and down performance in Friday’s annual Pineland Jamboree where they lost a contest to North Webster but posted a tie against Haynesville.
After watching the film, Santelices said the story of the night centered on turnovers. Namely, in game one, Lakeside had three turnovers which turned into three North Webster touchdowns, while in the second game the Warrior had zero giveaways. And if not for a questionable call that negated an Ashton Stewart touchdown, Lakeside would have come away with a win against perennial power Haynesville.
“That’s what we have been talking about during practice and meetings this week,” the coach said. “We physically dominated against Haynesville, but those turnovers kept us from winning. They were the difference between the tie and the win.”
Game time is 7 p.m. at Lakeside.
PHOTO: Seniors Jaden Miller and Koby Mangrum are two key players on a tough Lakeside defense.
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