By Craig Brown
Nothing could be sweeter than getting a 68-22 win on homecoming night. And that was just what the Wild Gators of Lake View High School got as they over-powered the Rams of Chesterfield High School Friday night in Lake View.
The Rams had two good athletes on their team but overall they were no match for the Gator reserves, and Head Coach Daryl King made sure he played every player on the roster in this game and many were in from the early start.
Lake View is supposed to be in a rebuilding stage but with possibly the best coaching staff in 1A football you would never know it as only powerhouse Marion has given them a game this season.
The Wild Gators forced the Rams to three downs and punt on the Rams opening drive. Courtland Hardee fielded the kick and returned it 62 yards for the touchdown. The point after kick was off holding Lake View to a 6-0 lead with 9:59 left in the first quarter.
On the Gators first offensive possession, Jayden Ford finished the drive on a nine-yard TD run with Kason Herlong running in the two-point conversion to put the Wild Gators up 14-0 with 6:46 left in the first quarter.
With 4:08 left in the first quarter, Herlong hit Ford with a 27-yard touchdown pass. Lucas Schamp added the point after kick to increase the Wild Gator lead to 21-0.
The Rams caught the Wild Gators out of position and connected on a 68-yard touchdown pass and then added the two-point conversion to close the Wild Gator lead to 21-8 with two minutes left in the first quarter.
The Rams tried an onside kick but the Gators recovered on the 50-yard line. On first down, Ford broke through the Rams defense and raced the 50 yards for the touchdown. Schamp’s point after kick put the Wild Gators up 28-8 as the first quarter would end with this score.
Tyrell Foxworth finished the second quarter’s first drive on a one-yard touchdown run. Schamp added the point after to increase the Wild Gator lead to 35-8 with 7:03 left in the second quarter.
The Rams would get away with another breakaway pass this one a 58-yarder. The conversion failed but the Wild Gator lead was cut to 35-14 with 6:05 left in the second quarter.
On the Gators next possession, Ford finished the drive with a 16-yard touchdown run. The point after kick was off holding the Gators to a 41-14 lead with 4:26 left in the second quarter.
With 3:28 left in the second quarter, Ford would outrun the Ram’s defenders on his way to a 58-yard TD. The conversion failed, and Lake View would go into the halftime break up 47-14.
Ford picked up his sixth touchdown on a 37-yard run this tying a previous Lake View record. Schamp added the point after kick to up the Gator lead to 54-14 with 7:30 left in the third quarter.
Foxworth got his second TD of the game on a 37-yard run as Schamp added the point after kick to give the Wild Gators a 61-14 lead with 5:59 left in the third quarter with the quarter ending with this score. Chase Price in relief of Herlong picked up a TD on a five-yard run. Schamp added the point after to increase the Wild Gator lead to 68-14 with 1:35 left in the fourth quarter.
Teams are never supposed to quit playing and with 55 seconds left in the game, the Rams connected on a 68-yard touchdown pass and then added the two-point conversion ending the game with a Lake View 68-22 win.
In a high-scoring game like this, one needs all the help one can get to get things correct, and a special thanks goes to Wild Gator statistician Jimmy Sweat for all of his help in the following stats. On offense, Jayden Ford had 211 yards on 10 carries with four touchdowns and caught a 27-yard touchdown pass and returned a punt for a 62-yard touchdown; Tyrell Foxworth had 96 yards on 14 carries with two touchdowns; Lance Jackson had 53 yards on four carries; Kayson Herlong had nine yards on three carries and completed a touchdown pass for 27 yards and ran in a two-point conversion; Chase Price had a five-yard touchdown run; Lucas Schamp added six extra points; Jamere Atkinson, Demarius McArthur, Landon King, Asher Lee, and Seth Deese all had plus yardage. On defense, ZyDrrious Inman had eight tackles; Seth Deese had six tackles; Camden Umphries, Dawson Hunt, Luke Price, Asher Lee, and Landon King had four tackles each with Umphries and Hunt adding interceptions; Daniel Ray, Lance Jackson, Tamir Bellmon, and Chase Price had three tackles each; Connor Abraham and Ashton Locklear had two tackles each; Courtland Hardee, Jayden Ford, Jonathon Carter, and Mason Floyd added a tackle each. Hardee, Ford, Abraham, Ray, Price, Inman, Deese, and Floyd added quarterback sacks.

PHOTO GALLERY
Photos by Craig Brown