Everything that couldn’t happen…happened. Gaither entered this round 3 matchup, having overcome several obstacles, playing opportunistic football and believing. But, they ran into a Lakeland Dreadnaught wall that couldn’t be penetrated.

The Ugly
Gaither started early with the turnovers and finished the same way. In the 1st quarter alone, the Cowboys mishandled to center to quarterback exchanges and could only muster 27 yards of total offense vs. a Lakeland defense that seemed to know each and every play that was coming. By half time, Gaither put the ball on the ground 4 times and QB Alex McGough was sacked 3 times. The Cowboys had no answer for Dreadnaughts pass rush. Alex McGough was running for his life the entire game until he was knocked out of the contest with 4:18 remaining in the 3rd quarter. McGough took the snap from the shotgun, followed his lead blocker into the 4 hole, two dreadnaughts defenders hit him form each side and the 3rd kissed McGough right in the facemask. A clean, but vicious hit, put McGough out for the remainder of the game. Gaither ended the night with under 100 yards of total offense, -20 rushing yards, and 12 negative yardage plays. They converted on just 1 of 8 3rd down attempts and allowed 6 QB sacks.

The Pretty
Lakeland QB, Raheeme Dumas played lights out. Not a QB, but an athlete behind center who made great decisions with the football and was very efficient. Lakeland scored on 5 of their 9 offensive processions, while Dumas led the way with 156 yards passing, 18 yards rushing and 2 total TDs. Ohio State commit,WR Ricquan Southward was quite the 1st half, while Lakeland racked up 135 yards of offense on the ground. But, the second half told a different story for Southward. After only touching the ball 4 times for 34 yards in the 1st half, the beast was let out the cage in the 2nd half; 6 touches for 132 total yards. Taylor Placides led all rushers with 112 yards and 1 TD.

Gaither scrapped early, scoring 4 minutes into the 2 quarter when the Cowboy defense forced a fumble on the Lakeland 4 yards line and chased down the ball into the end zone when Logan Marshall eventually came up with the pigskin for a Cowboy TD. McGough’s numbers will not look good, but what the numbers will not show are the 4 dropped passes by his receivers.

Stat Leaders
Passing
McGough, GHS – 5/10 46 yards
Dumas, LHS – 7/9 156 yards, TD, 1INT

Rushing
Oyengunle, GHS – 8 rusher, 19 yards, 1 TD
Placides, LHS – 12 rushes, 112 yards, 1 TD

Receiving
Perello, GHS – 4 rec, 43 yards
Southward, LHS – 6 rec, 95 yards,

Total yards
Gaither – 96
Lakeland – 420