B-E runs Lakewood out of playoffs
Published 11:46 pm Friday, November 5, 2010
MARYSVILLE — Burlington-Edison kept the football out of strong-armed Lakewood quarterback Justin Lane’s hands and closed the book on the Cougars season with a decisive win on Friday night.
The Tigers snapped a three-game losing streak and earned a berth to the class 2A state playoffs with a 43-12 2A district playoff win over Lakewood at Lakewood High School.
Burlington-Edison chewed up loads of time with a grinding ground attack that accumulated an impressive 326 rushing yards on 54 carries and accounted for four touchdowns.
“We saw Cedarcrest run the ball well on them and South Whidbey did a good job on them too (running the ball),” Burlington-Edison head coach Bruce Shearer said. “I was really pleased with how our kids maintained their composure and took advantage of some miscues of theirs.”
The Tigers (7-3 overall), who started the season on a six-game winning streak only to drop their last three straight before Friday night’s win, controlled possession for a whopping 31 minutes, 3 seconds and capitalized on several Lakewood (7-3) snapping issues.
A high snap ended Lakewood’s opening drive as the Cougars were positioned to score on 4th and goal from the 2-yard line, but a snap over Lane’s head forced an 18-yard loss and a turnover on downs.
After that, Burlington-Edison sucked the air out of Dick Cardinal Stadium with 26 unanswered points, including a safety on a high snap that Lakewood punter Donovan Evans had to shovel out of the end zone and a 53-yard touchdown run from Tigers senior running back Cody Larson.
“It hurt not to get points right there (on that first drive) and with the lead they just kept things going,” Lakewood head coach Dan Teeter said.
Larson, Burlington-Edison’s 5-foot-11, 190-pound team-leading rusher finished with 22 carries for 167 yards and a touchdown.
“I think after we went 6-0 (to start the year), I saw a big sigh of relief because that’s always been the goal to make the playoffs and try to win state and I think (the team) just put it in cruise control at that point,” Shearer said. “We did make a lot of mistakes in the three losses and you learn so much more when you lose. I thought we did a great job making adjustments and not brow-beating the kids. We just settled them down.”
Lakewood’s Lane, an Illinois State University commit, finished 21-of-32 passing for 256 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in his final game with the Cougars.
Several of Lane’s catchable medium-yardage passes were dropped by Lakewood receivers.
“Usually, we catch the ball really well,” Teeter said. “Credit the Tigers, too. They’re a physical team and they were putting hits on us.”
“He’s a college quarterback and a lot of kids can’t catch that ball he throws,” Shearer said. “I thought that he was a little too strong for his receivers.”
The Cougars, ranked No. 9 in 2A by the Associated Press, struggled to maintain possession, converting just one fourth down all night, while surrendering a safety, throwing an interception and losing a fumble.
Lakewood held the ball for just more than 7 minutes, 30 seconds of the second half, including just one 59-yard drive in the third quarter that burned only 1:49 off the clock.
“You just can’t afford to do that in the playoffs,” Teeter said. “When you’re playing teams that are equally as good and physical, it’s the team that makes the most mistakes that’s going to come out on the bottom every time.”
At Lakewood H.S.
Burlington-Ed.719017—43
Lakewood0606—12
B-E—Tarabochia 2 run (Torset kick)
B-E—Safety
B-E—Larson 53 run (Torset kick)
B-E—FG Torset 35
B-E—Nelson 35 pass from Boe (Torset kick)
Lakewood—Wheeler 3 pass from Lane (pass failed)
B-E—FG Torset 38
B-E—Boe 4 run (Torset kick)
B-E—Morrison 2 run (Torset kick)
Lakewood—Peterson 2 pass from Lane (pass failed)
Records—Burlington-Edison 7-3 overall. Lakewood 7-3.
