The Lake Hornets hosted the Richland Rangers for homecoming last Friday night and fans got a good ball game for at least the first half. The back-and-forth first half saw the teams head to the half time break with the visiting Rangers holding a slim 21-20 lead. However, when the teams took the field for the second half it was all Hornets as their defense got tough and shut out the visiting Rangers in the second half for a 47-21 victory.
The win moves Lake to 5-1 on the year and has them on a crash course with their cross county rival Scott Central Rebels who are 6-0. The teams cannot look forward to that showdown just yet as both still have work to do before they square off on October 11.
The homestanding Hornets got the scoring underway four minutes into the first quarter when FB Ethan Gray carried the ball in for the score from 10-yards out to give lake a 6-0 lead after a missed PAT. Five minutes later the Rangers fond paydirt and they were successful on their PAT and took a 7-6 lead as the first quarter ticked down to the end.
Just as in the first quarter Ethan Gray got the scoring going in the second quarter when he ran the ball in for the score just over a minute in to the quarter. Again, Lake was unable to convert the PAT and took the lead 12-7. After a Richland turnover the Lake offense was right back at it and moved the ball down the field on a 50-yard pass from Mickey Parker to Zywon Ledbetter. The Hornets would cap the drive off with Ethan Gray again finding the endzone which would be repeated all night long as Gray scored five touchdowns. The Hornets finally converted a two-point attempt and took the lead 20-7 with 10 minutes left in the second quarter.
Richland would complete a 14-point comeback with very little time remaining in the first half and go into the locker room with a 21-20 lead. Both teams knew that they would have to come out hitting in the second half because through that point in the game the teams had matched one another point for point.
As the second half got underway the Lake defense seemed to play possessed and refused to give an inch to the visiting Rangers’ offense. While the defense was holding the visitors in check the Hornet offense was off and flying and it seemed like a brokwn record for the homestanding offense. The Hornets would work the ball down field and Gray would cap off the drive with a scoring run. This is how the third and fourth quarters would play out as the Hornets would score 27 unanswered point to take the win 47-21.
Junior FB Gray had a wale of a game and most likely had tired legs on Saturday morning. He would finish the night with 249 yards in 22 carries with one carry going for 70 yards. He also was able to find paydirt five times and help lead his team to the homecoming victory and a 5-1 record on the year.
Lake will look to move to 6-1 on the year this Friday night when they host Union in Death Valley. If the Hornets come away with a victory over the Yellow Jackets they will have a week off to prepare for the showdown with Scott Central. The kickoff this Friday night is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Death Valley.
