Marc Qualls runs through the Newton defense on the opening drive of the game. (Brent Maze/The Appeal)
Fumble in OT proves to be difference
When Lake lost to Scott Central 26-0, Hornet coach Tate Hanna knew his team had went toe-to-toe with a top-notch team and played evenly for most of the game.
After that loss, Lake rallied to beat Philadelphia last week and then held on to beat Newton in double overtime 42-36, thanks to gutty play during a cold, windy, rainy game.
“We basically played them to a 13-0 game if a couple of things go our way, but we knew that we could play with anyone,” Hanna said. “I’m proud of our guys finding a way to win tonight. We beat a very good football team tonight.”
The game was marred by close and somewhat controversial calls throughout. One was in the first overtime after Marc Qualls scored a touchdown to pull Lake with 36-34. On the conversion play, Qualls dove for the end zone and barely broke the plane of the end zone to tie the game and send it to overtime.
In the second overtime, Mickey Parker threw to fullback Ethan Gray for a touchdown. On Newton’s first play, Aaron Campbell of the Hornets recovered a fumble to end the game.
Newton coach Ryan Smith wasn’t happy about the two-point conversion call, but he said they should have never been in that position.
“If we made couple of the two-point conversions early on in the game, we wouldn’t have even been here in this position,” Smith said. “We had a big play in special teams that really hurt us, but we just have to rally and get better from this.”
Newton's Javarious Moore wins a jump ball with Lake's Dannarrious Hughes to score the first touchdown of the game. (Brent Maze/The Appeal)
Newton opened the game on Javarious Moore’s 44-yard touchdown pass. Then, Tre Hillie threw another touchdown to Moore on a 10-yard pass.
Lake then took advantage of short fields as the rain intensified. They scored on drives of 51, 22 and 29 in the second quarter to take a 20-12 halftime lead.
Mickey Parker threw to Zywon Ledbetter for a 29-yard score on the first score.
Qualls then scored on runs of 10 and 2 yards along with a two-point conversion to cap the half scoring.
Newton responded with a Sirvares Snow 51-yard touchdown run and Alex Hamilton 2-points.
Desmond Harris recovered a poor punt snap to give Lake a 28-20 lead after Qualls 2-point attempt.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Newton tied it on Zackeriah Johnson’s 44-yard pass from Hillie. Hamilton tied the score at 28-28.
In overtime, Hillie threw Zachary Johnson for the touchdown and Zackeriah for the conversion.
However, Qualls somehow got in to score the game-tying touchdown and conversion, as Lake ended it a few plays later.
