By Craig Brown
The Islanders of Johns Island High School and the Wild Gators of Lake View High met Friday night in Lake View for round two of the Class A playoffs.
The Islanders played hard but they were no match for the Wild Gators. The Wild Gators coming off a bye week rolled over the Islanders 46-15.
The win allows Lake View to host this week’s game with Hemmingway. The Islanders had several good players but their quarterback seemed confused at times. The Islanders colors were similar to the Gators.
The Gators as the host team wore their blue jerseys while the Islanders wore white Jerseys with blue pants as the travel team. Their home colors would have been blue jerseys and this may have added confusion to the Islander quarterback as he completed as many passes to the Wild Gator defenders as he did to his receivers. A steady assault from Wild Gator defenders added to his frustrations.
Jordan King intercepted an Islander pass and returned it to the Islanders 16 yard line. Two plays later Benji Kelly crossed the goal line on an 11 yard touchdown run. Santioga Padon added the point after kick to put the Gators up 7-0 with 5:29 left in the first quarter.
The cold wet field caused problems with the snap from center on both sides and with 2:49 left in the first quarter a snap to the Lake View punter went into the end zone. The Wild Gator punter fell on the ball but was tackled by the Islanders for a safety and two points for the Islanders.
The first quarter ended with the 7-2 Lake View lead. Islander quarterback Tyrone Hicks made an option pitch to his right but unfortunately his running back was going to his left. Gator defender Jalik Roberts scooped the ball up and raced 48 yards for the touchdown. Padon’s kick increased the Wild Gator lead to 14-2 with 8:53 left in the second quarter.
With 6:10 left in the first half of play Wild Gator quarterback Adarrian Dawkins dove across the goal line from three yards out for his first touchdown of the game. Padon’s kick upped the Gator lead to 21-2 with the first half ending with this score. The Islanders had a never quit attitude and on their second possession of the third quarter running back Davon Hamilton scored on a six yard run and then added the point after kick to close the Lake View lead to 21-9 with 6:21 left in the third quarter.
Dawkins wasted little time on the Gators next offensive possession as he raced 47 yards for a touchdown on a quarterback keeper. The extra point was blocked holding the Gator lead to 27-9 with 4:03 left in the third quarter.
The Islanders were making a good drive until Hicks made a perfect pass to Lake View defensive back Tahja Nesmith that returned the interception 67 yards for the touchdown. The extra point kick was blocked holding the Wild Gator lead to 33-9 with 1:07 left in the third quarter. The third quarter would end with this score.
With ten seconds off the clock in the fourth quarter Hicks found Hamilton open and hit him with a 33 yard touchdown pass. The extra point was off. The Gators lead was cut to 33-15 with 11:50 left in the fourth quarter. Kelly added his second touchdown with a 34 yard run breaking several tackles for the hard earned touchdown.
Padon’s kick was true and the Gators were up 40-15 with 6:28 left in the fourth quarter. With 2:43 left in the game Shemar Horne out ran the Islander defenders for a 34 yard touchdown run. The kick was off but Lake View was up 46-15. After the game the Lake View coaches commended the Islanders on a hard fought game.
The Islander quarterback made some mistakes and the Wild Gators are not a team to makes errors on. The Wild Gators played as well as any Gator team I have seen in past years and if they continue with this effort they will be back in Columbia for another title shot.
On offense for the Wild Gators, Benji Kelly had 121 yards on 17 carries with two touchdowns, Adarrian Dawkins had 105 yards on 12 carries with two touchdowns, Shiyon Gilchrist had a 34 yard touchdown run and Willie Wheeler had six yards on two carries.
On defense, Shiyon Gilchrist had seven tackles, two assists and a fumble recovery, Jordan King had five tackles, three assists and an interception, La’Zar Nichols and Elijah Flemming had five tackles, two assists each, Jalik Roberts, Willie Wheeler and Wanya Nesmith had four tackles each with Roberts adding a 48 yard touchdown run on a fumble recovery, Wheeler getting an interception and Nesmith getting a quarterback sack, Yaysher Grice, Tahja Nesmith, Bryson Grimsley, and Arkadius Benjamin had three tackles, two assists each with Nesmith returning an interception for a touchdown, Fred Reaves, Larry Inman and Marquise Johnson had two tackles with an assist each with Inman getting a quarterback sack, Keyshawn Hanford, Aikeen Rogers, Austin Herring Shemar Horne, Benji Kelly, Isaiah Flemming and Ja’Correus Ford added a tackle each with Hanford getting an interception.
The Lake View coaching staff is a very humble group. They are great at what they do and very hard to get them to brag.
They love their players and work hard to develop them. The Wild Gators are as respectful and a well-mannered group of young men as you will find anywhere in high school sports.
Head Coach Daryl King stated that he was extremely proud of his team and coaching staff in getting ready for this game with almost three weeks without play.
He was worried that the lack of game time might hurt.
Our team came through with flying colors added Coach King. Assistant Coach Johnny Dew gave high praise to Coach King in getting both players and coaches ready for this game. Friday nights game with Hemingway is set for 7:30.

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