LaSalle overcomes Lakeside & predictions
Week 2 of the high school football season featured a matchup between the LaSalle Tigers and the Lakeside Warriors in Olla, and expectations for the Tigers to win were not favorable to say the least.
Last year, the Tigers lost to the Warriors 4622 and a northeast Louisiana sports media page had predicted the final score to be “43-12” for a resounding Warrior win this year. Pair that with a tough blowout loss from a week ago and having most of the team be underclassmen and it is easy to see why folks would bet against them this week.
The Tigers, however, did not care about the odds against them and looked to establish a tone-setting win that could help shape the culture they are trying to build. That determination resulted in a thrilling 32-29 victory and provided the confidence boost the team had been needing.
On the opening drive the Tigers found success early on the ground with senior quarterback Tuff Street. Street ran for a couple of chunk plays for 15-yard runs and then the Tigers hit paydirt with running back Wyatt King punching it in from the 6-yard line to go up 6-0.
On the ensuing kickoff, Lakeside misread the short kick, and it turned into an impromptu onside kick in which the Tigers recovered. After that, it only took three plays, and Street ran the QB power to perfection with a 25-yard TD run making the score 12-0.
At this point in the game, you could feel the buzz in Tiger Stadium and crowd really began to come alive behind the young men, providing support they would need throughout the entire game!
After Lakeside had gotten their turn with the ball it took four plays to respond, with the lion share of the work falling on their star running back #14’s shoulders who would march them down to the redzone before the Warriors would run in a 15-yard TD and make the game 12-7. After this both teams settled in and made a couple stops on defense.
In the second quarter, the momentum went Lakeside’s way with #14 running in a 30-yard TD to make it 14-12 and then an untimely pick 6 made the score 21-12. With things seeming to slip away, the Tigers drove it down the field and got it down to the redzone with ten seconds on the clock and then got a pass interference call to get it in range for a last second jump ball. On the last play of the first half, freshman quarterback Luke Lasiter threw a pass to where only senior wide receiver Caiden Finley could get it, and with a spectacular one-handed grab, he got it out of the air and secured the 20-yard touchdown pass! With a successful two-point conversion the score at the half was a one-point lead by Lakeside, 21-20. Although down, LaSalle went into the fieldhouse feeling they had secured all the momentum with that electric play to cap off the half.
To begin the second half the Warriors begin marching down the field and moving the ball on the ground as they wished but during a 30 yard run a costly fumble was caused by none other than Caiden Finley and he recovered the ball as well. From this point, the two teams traded touchdown for touchdown, with the offense being spearheaded by Street and some very hard running by Jessey Stowe.
The Tigers started their drive from inside their own redzone would cap the drive off with a short 4-yard TD run by Street making it 2621. Then Lakeside responded with a long drive and QB sneak to make the score 29-26. After a failed surprise onside kick that was recovered by Braeden Cummings, the Tigers took over in their own territory and it took no time for Jessey Stowe to rattle one of his two 30-plus yard runs of the night to get it first and goal for the Tigers. It took them four tries, but on 4th and goal, Street ran it in from the 2 and stretched the ball out just enough for the Tigers to make it 32-29.
Lakeside had a tough time responding and ended up throwing an interception to (you guessed it) Caiden Finley while trying to make something happen on 4th and 12. From this point on the Tigers did a masterful job draining the clock and the game’s excitement concluded in a push the pile run on 4th down that got them well over the first down marker and let them get into victory formation to end the game.
This week, the Tigers will take on another opponent in Merryville whom they look to avenge the loss from last year and get on the better side of .500. Tiger fans be sure and show up at Tiger Stadium Friday night and bring that same energy that was had last Friday. If the community does what it did last week, Olla will be host to one of the better home field advantages in all of Cenla!
