Derrick Roberts

In a pivotal District 8-5A game, the Lakewood Spartans remained undefeated with a 15-12 victory over the Middleton Tigers ,but it didn’t come as easy. The Spartans had to battle against a Middleton Squad tonight who didn’t play like their winless record and were battling to literally the very last snap of the game. There were plenty of emotions, even some contentiousness due to the physical approach taken by both teams. Tempers even flared to the point where the referee had to talk to both captains in attempt to keep the game from getting out of hand emotionally.

In the 1st Quarter, both defensive units played at an high intensity limiting each other’s threats at the skills positions.

Middleton’s Richard Benjamin intercepted Tracy Johnson’s pass with 2:35 left in the 1st to kill the first established drive of the game for the Spartans. The two teams ended scoreless through the first 12 minutes of play. Lakewood finally got a spark with 6:28 left in the QB Tracy Johnson dropped back an threw a pass that was tipped, but fell into the hands of his receiver Tahrell Jones and Jones did the rest by making the house call for 52 yards. Johnson then converted on the the 2pt conversion giving the Spartans an 8-0 lead.

The Tigers found a spark of their own as on the next offensive play Antonio Brown handed the ball off to speedster Amp Carswell and he did the rest running by the Spartan defenders for an 80-yard TD run. The Tigers went for a 2pt conversion after their first touchdown as well, but couldn’t convert making the score 8-6. Lakewood had a couple more opportunities in the quarter, but a punt return for a touchdown and another nice return from Rodney Adams was called back. The teams entered halftime with Lakewood maintaining its 8-6 lead.

In the 3rd quarter Middleton were forced to punt on their opening drive. Lakewood’s first offensive series of the half looked very efficient with Tracy Johnson connecting with Rodney Adams on some key passes, and following two encroachment penalties on Middleton, Johnson found Adams over the middle for a 14-yard TD pass with 7:55 remaining in the 3rd giving Lakewood the lead 15-6. The Spartans had the chance to put the game on ice with 1:09 left, when they blocked a Middleton punt and recovered in the endzone, but a defensive holding penalty by Lakewood gave Middleton a 1st down instead. On the next play, with :50 left QB Antonio Brown connected with WR Richard Benjamin who broke three tackles and took it in for an 80-yard TD pass. Middleton failed to convert on the 2pt conversion however and the score at the end of the 3rd was 15-12.

In one of the crazier sequences of the night with 11:05 left in the game, Lakewood was in their own territory in a punting situation and this time it was Middleton’s turn to block a punt. The Lakewood player picked the ball up and then ran for a 1st down but fumbled giving the Tigers the ball back on Lakewood’s 35-yard line looking to take the lead.  On the ensuing play Middleton’s Darius Small fumbled the ball giving it back to the Spartans. Middleton’s defense stepped up and stopped the Spartans to give their offense another opportunity, but Lakewood’s defense rose to the challenge. With 6:00 left in the game Lakewood was controlling the clock by some tough running by the RB Lattimer, but with 3:06 left Middleton had Lakewood in an 4th&3 situation. The Spartans forced the Tigers to jump offsides giving them a fresh set of downs and the ability to run the clock down to :09.  Middleton had one more play, but a Brown screen pass to Benjamin nearly outran the entire Lakewood Defense.

Not a pretty win, but the Spartans will take it and remained atop of the district. Lakewood’s QB Tracy Johnson was 12/28 for 208 yards,2TDs and 1INT. Lakewood WR Rodney Adams had 5 catches for 102 yards and 1TD. Middleton’s Richard Benjamin had 2 cathches for 111 yards 1TD & 1INT.