In Friday night’s Nissan of Clinton Game of the Week, the Lakewood Leopards welcomed James Kenan to James E. Lewis Field for a showdown of the feline variety: the Leopards versus the Tigers. Somehow avoiding weather delays that plagued other area games, James Kenan found themselves thunderstruck as their offense ignited and sprinted away for an impressive win, 32-13.
The Tigers got things started right from the opening possession. After setting up around midfield, James Kenan quickly drove the ball into Leopards territory. With just under four minutes removed from the clock, Carlton Peterson broke free on a 45-yard touchdown scamper to give James Kenan the lead with some authority. The Tigers converted the PAT and with 8:04 left in the first, they lead 7-0.
For the most part, the Leopards moved the ball modestly, but struggled in finding that one big play to turn the tide.
After starting the ensuing drive around the Tigers 40-yard line, Lakewood was able to gain entry to the James Kenan side of the field. There, though, the Tigers delivered a big hit on third down to shut down the drive. Lakewood fumbled the fourth down play and James Kenan took over on there on their own 48-yard line.
With the game quickly moving along, the action resumed in the second quarter where Peterson – a name that was called frequently – struck for his second score. This time, the running back burst free for 47 yards as he hurled down the far sideline for the score. Another good PAT drove the lead to 14-0 with 9:23 showing on the clock in the second quarter.
The Tigers kick off sailed through the end zone for a touchback and the Leopards started on their own 20-yard line. In four plays, Tillyon Williams had led his Leopards 75 yards down the 5-yard line, but the shifty running back was shaken up there. After coming off the field on his own will, it took two plays for Lakewood to penetrate the goal line on a Hayden Carter QB keeper up the middle. Carter’s 2-yard run put the Leopards on the board and the PAT had cut the deficit to 14-7 with 7:13 left in the half.
James Kenan, though, had one more score left in them. After exchanging fruitless possessions, the Tigers found themselves poised with a short field near midfield. Once again, Peterson’s number was called and he found paydirt to re-extend the lead. With 2:09 left, the Tigers converted the PAT and led 21-7.
That score would hold serve and carried over to the second half where Lakewood was set to receive the opening kick.
That drive was unsuccessful. Marred by a holding penalty and a tackle for a big loss, Lakewood found themselves driven back deep within their own territory. Forced to punt, the Leopards kicked the ball away to a Tigers team hungry for more.
More they got as James Kenan continued to pound the ball on the ground down to the Leopards goal line. There, Daijon Morrisey took a handoff around the right side for another score. James Kenan lined up for the PAT by way of kick but some bloopery on the play actually led to the completion of a 2-point conversion. With that, the Tigers took a 29-7 lead with 6:42 left in the third quarter.
Lakewood’s ensuing drive proved to be a long one that spanned the remainder of the third quarter and spilled into the fourth. The Leopards converted two fourth down conversions and received some aid from the Tigers defense on a personal foul penalty as they slowly worked their way down to the Tigers 10-yard line. Just inside the 5-yard line, another fourth and short greeted the Leopards where once again they converted to set up fourth and goal at the 2-yard line. There, Williams cracked the end zone for Lakewood’s second touchdown of the game. The PAT was ride right, though, and the score rested at 29-13 with 8:12 left in the game.
The Leopards attempted an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff but the Tigers recovered and set up shop at midfield. James Kenan wasn’t interested in simply melting some clock, instead, the Tigers settled into a routine of passing the ball. It worked pretty efficiently as James Kenan worked themselves down to around the Leopards 11-yard line. The drive stalled there, though, after Lakewood picked up a sack that pushed the drive back to the 18-yard line. Facing fourth and sixteen to go, the Tigers kicked a long field goal and picked up three more points to make it 32-13 with 4:04 left.
After one more drive that ended in a punt for Lakewood, James Kenan lined up in victory formation to run out the clock where the score went final at 32-13.
After the game, Lakewood head coach Barrett Sloan reflected on the game and looked ahead to the Leopards’ bye week.
“We’ve got to take this off week next week and get better,” Sloan said. “We’re 2-4. We’ve lost some games we were in, we’ve lost some we weren’t in. We’re getting better, but we’re young and banged up and its football. Not everything is going to go 100% your way. We just have to keep grinding.”
“I told the boys in the huddle that I didn’t feel like we gave up. We fought to the end and at the end of the day it’s not about being a champion on the football field, it’s about being a champion in life and that’s what we’re trying to preach to these kids.”
With the loss, the Leopards are 2-4 as Sloan eluded. Lakewood will have next Friday off before hitting the road to North Duplin on Oct. 11 against North Duplin.
“We’re going to take it one game at a time. For now, we’ll focus on preparing for North Duplin and Coach Martin with that triple option and worry about trying to stop that,” Sloan concluded.
