The Lake Hornets gave a large homecoming crowd a thrill victory on Friday night but might have given head coach Tate Hanna a stomach ulcer.
The Hornets trailed 21-20 at the half but scored 27 second-half points to beat Richland 47-21 on Friday night.
Lake is now 5-1 on the season and has won five straight games since losing the season-opener to Pelahatchie.
It wasn’t an easy win for the Hornets who trailed 21-20 at the half and had four turnovers in the game.
“We came out and played well offensively and then turned the ball over,” Hanna said. “We would have liked to have take care of a lot earlier. But the good thing is our kids had to play for four full quarters and we needed that. We have to get off the field on third down and clean up the penalties.”
It appeared as if the Hornets were going to make it an easy win early. A 46-yard pass by Mickey Parker set up Ethan Gray’s 9-yard scoring run. Will Burns’ PAT failed and Lake led 6-0.
Richland answered with a nine-play, 65-yard drive as they scored on an 18-yard touchdown pass to go up 7-6.
After fumbling on their next possession, Gray found the end zone for the Hornets again as he capped off a seven-play, 77-yard drive with an 8-yard run, and Lake led 12-7.
An interception by Danarrious Hughes allowed Parker to hit Zywon Ledbetter on a 52-yard touchdown pass. Gray ran in the two-point try and Lake led 20-7.
Richland then scored the next two touchdowns, as they went 64 yards in nine plays to make it 20-14. After Lake lost a fumble, the Rangers went 74 yards in seven plays, scoring on a 20-yard reverse to take a 21-20 lead at the half.
“We have not had a game that we had to get on them at halftime since the first week,” Hanna said. “We challenged them at the half and told them it was time for the coaches to step aside and for them to make plays. We let them hang around a little too long. But we ran the ball well and threw the ball well.”
The Hornets got the ball to start the second half and went 51 yards in six plays as Gray scored on a 6-yard run. Lake led 26-21.
After a Richland punt, Gray ripped off a big 30-yard run and then scored on a 2-yard run. He also ran in the two-point conversion and Lake led 34-21.
Lake’s next score was set up by a D’Alex Jennings interception. Gray then went 70 yards for a touchdown and Burns’ PAT was good as Lake led 41-21.
The Hornets added one last score as Parker hit Ledbetter on a 20-yard touchdown pass.
“They had like 150 yards of offense in the first half and like negative 50 in the second half,” Hanna said. “We expect a lot out of our defensive front. We aren’t playing good three-man fronts right now. We aren’t slanting hard enough. If we are going to make a run at district, we have get better up front.”
