LAKEWOOD
After only the second play from scrimmage, it looked like the Meadowdale football team was in for a long evening at Harry Lang Stadium on Nov. 13.
A quick big-play touchdown foreshadowed the final outcome as No. 5 Lakes crushed the Mavericks 49-21 to eliminate the final Wesco 3A team from the state playoffs.
After Lakes ran a nondescript 3-yard run to open the game, quarterback Cedric Dozier tossed a rainbow over the Meadowdale defense, which missed an assignment, and into the arms of Ashten Agor for a 58-yard touchdown pass.
“We knew that we had to tackle and limit their big plays,” Meadowdale coach Mark Stewart said. “You can’t make mistakes against a good team like that.”
Big plays and a steady dose of Levonte Littlejohn proved to be too much for the Mavericks to handle. The first three Lancer scores all came from at least 43 yards out and Littlejohn carried the ball 17 times for 293 yards and three touchdowns.
“He’s a great back,” Lakes coach Dave Miller said with a smile, “The line gave him the creases.”
Heading into the game, the Mavs wanted to pack the line of scrimmage and stop the Lancer run, but Lakes threw just enough to keep the defense on its heels and open things up for Littlejohn.
“We showed we can beat people with the pass if they are going to cheat against the run,” Miller said.
Stewart was proud of his Mavs, though they did not make as deep a playoff run as some of his recent teams.
“We had a successful season on the field given all the things we had to deal with off the field,” Stewart said.
Meadowdale has battled through injuries an inexperience and the youth reared its ugly head a few times Friday night.
Meadowdale’s offense faltered early and Brian Marty missed a 25-yard field goal, which set up Littlejohn. The junior running back exploded untouched through the middle for a 43-yard scoring run to give Lakes a 14-0 advantage. Littlejohn finished the first half with 133 yards on 10 carries.
With five minutes left in the first half Meadowdale mounted its most impressive drive of the night. It took 10 plays and 62 yards, including a fourth down conversion, but the Mavs looked like they jumped back in the game when Nathan Ball hit Sam Thomas for a 3-yard touchdown pass.
The Meadowdale sideline’s celebration was short-lived, however. Lakes was not done for the half. Littlejohn broke an 18-yard run with 19.6 seconds left and Lakes called a timeout on first and 10 from the Mavs’ 46.
Meadowdale didn’t notice the Lancers’ third-string quarterback check in and line up at wide receiver. Cedric Turner made the defense pay, taking the end around handoff from Dozier and rearing back with a throw to hit Sammie Long. The 6-foot-3 receiver outjumped the defense on the underthrown ball and slipped out of a tackle at the 12-yard line, escaping for a score that gave Lakes a 21-7 edge at the break.
“That gave us a big momentum boost going into the lockerroom,” Miller said.
In his final game at quarterback Nathan Ball battled to keep Meadowdale competitive. Though mostly ineffective through the air, he scrambled and rushed 10 times for 144 yards including at 56-yard fourth-quarter touchdown. Giavani Shepard carried 18 times for 96 yards.
Despite two touchdowns, when the offense turned it over to the defense in the second half, there was no stopping the Lancers.
“I think we ran out of gas a little bit,” Stewart said.
Lakes advances to the state quarterfinals for the third-straight year where it faces Camas.
Jon Saperstein writes for the Herald in Everett.
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