By Josh Beavers
It was a throwback to a simpler time.
Lakeside and D’Arbonne Woods combined for just 10 pass attempts in a run-heavy and stoutly defensive contest. The inside handoff ruled the night for both teams, but it was the Timberwolves from Farmerville that put more points on the board as they came to Sibley and went home with a 15-12 win.
Lakeside fell to 3-5 while D’Arbonne Woods improved to 6-2.
Low scoring, run heavy, smash mouth, and big hits. That’s the story of Friday night down in South Webster.
Lakeside started with the ball to open the contest, but both teams would trade possessions in a first quarter that was highlighted by several big defensive plays from Warrior junior defensive lineman CJ Watts.
Watts led a Lakeside defense that was solid all night before wearing down at the end. Turnovers plagued both teams, and the first of the turnover bugs bit Lakeside right at the end of quarter number one.
A Warrior fumble was recovered by the Timberwolves, and a few plays later Reagan Walker connected with Cole Carter for a 25-yard touchdown. It would be the second longest play of the game and good for a 7-0 lead following the point after.
Ashton Stewart quickly registered the longest play of the game less than two minutes later. He took an inside handoff and cruised through a hole large enough to drive a Chevy through on his way to a 62-yard touchdown.
Stewart immediately recovered an onside kick on the next play, and the Warrior crowd was excited. Unfortunately, the offense stalled, and the only highlights of the remaining half were solid tackles from Koby Mangrum, Ross Weaver and Cade Boley as well as a fumble recovery by Jaden Miller.
It would be Kris Redden on fumble recovery duty when the second half began. The turnover set up a long drive by Lakeside that culminated in a one-yard touchdown by Watts from the quarterback position.
The try for two was no good, but Lakeside took its first lead at 12-7 with 5:31 to go in the third.
Redden made another big play on defense, and Jake Wilkins recovered a fumble, but the biggest play of the night was likely D’Arbonne blocking a Warriors punt on the Lakeside side of the field.
That came just under the 10-minute mark of the last quarter and was immediately followed by a Gavin Rawls 21-yard touchdown that would prove to be the final points of the evening.
Lakeside didn’t give up and had plenty of time to respond. Stewart returned the kickoff to midfield and Koby Mangrum picked up 25 yards on a beautiful misdirection play.
But after a Warrior fourth down pass was broken up in the endzone, all the Timberwolves had to do was pick up a few first downs to seal the victory.
And that’s what they did.
Big Gavin Rawls ran straight up the middle against an exhausted Warrior defense. A couple of speedy backs went outside, and the game was over when the quarterback went for 20 yards on a draw.
D’Arbonne took the ball all the way inside the Warrior five and kneeled the ball on the final play.
For D’Arbonne: Gavin Rawls carried the ball 19 times for 118 yards and a score.
As for the Warriors, Ashton Stewart ran 15 times for 114 yards and a touchdown.
Kris Redden had 16 yards. CJ Watts had 24 and a touchdown. Rokedrick Smith had 28 yards. Koby Mangrum had 32. Cade Boley had 12.
Lakeside ends the season next Friday on the road against Jonesboro.
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