Lake Highlands football got back in the winning column with a 49-0 victory over Irving at Wildcat-Ram Stadium on Thursday.
Chuck Smith launches a throw at home against Forney. Photography by Mike Duhon.
Once the Wildcats (8-2, 6-1 District 7-6A) got the ball, the result was never in question.
Lake Highlands’ first play was a rush for star running back Christian Rhodes. He proceeded to take advantage of a massive hole in the defense en route to a 66-yard touchdown to make the score 7-0 with 10:16 left in the opening quarter. Rhodes finished the evening with 151 yards on just 10 carries.
By halftime, the Wildcats led 35-0. As well as the offense played, Lake Highlands coach Cory Campbell was proud of his team’s defensive execution.
“What they say in a lot of other sports is that defense travels,” Campbell said. “We’re super excited with that group and we’re gonna need them going forward in the playoffs.”
The Wildcats’ defense was swarming all game, shutting out the Tigers (2-8, 1-6). Defensive back Lloyd Wyatt recorded an interception and linebacker Aaden Little recorded two sacks in the first half alone, leading the way.
“(Little is) just super athletic,” Campbell said. “He’s a freak out there and it showed tonight.”
Receiver Mason Spangler was at the heart of the first-half offense, recording two touchdowns.
The first came on a 29-yard deep shot from quarterback Chuck Smith to Spangler in the middle of the end zone to bring the score to 14-0 with 4:51 left in the first. Spangler scored again just before halftime when he caught a pass in the flat and followed his blockers for 10 yards and a touchdown with just 1:19 left in the second.
Conrad Ince and Franklon Evans got in on the action in the first half, too. The former scored from the 11-yard line when Smith delivered a pass over Ince’s shoulder and right into his hands in the back left corner of the end zone, making the score 21-0.
On Evans’ touchdown, Smith dropped back deep and unloaded a shot down the right sideline that was hauled in for a 14-yard score with 5:32 left in the second.
Quarters three and four were quieter, as Lake Highlands scored the final two touchdowns while aiming to burn the clock.
With 7:21 left in the third quarter, Kobie Moreland received a handoff from the Irving 12-yard line and cut up the field to make it 42-0. Backup quarterback John Cothern, who was elevated from junior varsity before the game, scored his first varsity touchdown on a 6-yard scramble to cap scoring with 2:44 left.
“Super proud of (Cothern). He’s put a lot of time in our under-levels in our program,” Campbell said. “It was fun to see him get in the end zone and operate a little bit from under center.”
The Tigers’ season ended with Thursday’s loss, but the Wildcats are set to return in the playoffs. Matchups are not officially set, but it is expected that the Wildcats will face South Grand Prairie (8-1) next week.
“We’re an 8-2 football team. We’ve got a good one,” Campbell said. “This is an exciting time of year – when you talk about postseason play and we’re excited for it to happen.”
