By DWAIN SPILLMAN JR., Natchitoches Parish Journal
A Storm blew through Campti last night. A Storm in the form of Delta Charter’s high school football team.
With a mere nine seconds left in regulation, Delta Charter senior quarterback Juvari Singleton bolted over left tackle to hit paydirt and steal a 44-38 victory away from the host Lakeview Gators at the Swamp.
“This was a tough one,” a dejected Lakeview head coach Andy Boone said as he reflected on the final outcome on the turf in Campti. “We got down early because of some miscues and mistakes and our players fought back. We had multiple chances on offense to score and just made mistakes.”
Fumbles and untimely penalty yards contributed heavily as opportunities to gain the advantage on the scoreboard eroded just as fast as they seemingly presented themselves.
With just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and tied at 38-all, Lakeview had driven deep inside Storm territory. On fourth down from the Delta Charter 13, a Gator pass from quarterback Lamarian Rushing sailed just over the outstretched hands of his teammate in the end zone.
The Storm took over on offense and within two plays had advanced all the way to the Lakeview 44-yard line with 2:36 remaining. A few plays later, the Storm had moved to the Gator nine-yard line with just 44 seconds remaining in regulation and time elapsing quickly on the scoreboard.
But not quick enough. Two plays later, Singleton followed his blocker and hit paydirt. The two-point attempt failed but gave Lakeview one last glimmer of hope with the DC kickoff remaining.
The Storm lined up for the kick and then booted the ball deep for the first time in the game. With a valiant effort, Lakeview returner Amarion Pierre gallantly and bravely followed blockers across the field but came up short in his attempt to find the end zone.
“We have been working very hard on holding onto the ball since the beginning of the season,” Boone continued. “We had steadily made improvements in that area but it came back to bite us tonight. We moved the ball on offense like we planned to do and our defense came up with some big stops tonight.
“We have to return to the basics and work on fundamentals. It’s just that simple. We have to work on the fundamentals and we have to hold onto the ball. We just were not able to take advantage of opportunities when we created them.”
Prior to the game-winning drive, Lakeview scored a takeaway via a recovered fumble at the eight-minute mark of the fourth quarter deep inside Storm territory. But as with other opportunities throughout the game and long drives ending in turnovers by the Gators, that chance to almost put the game away evaporated without posting points on the board.
Delta Charter, moving to 3-1 on the season, jumped out early in the first quarter and grabbed a 16-0 lead by way of two Gator fumbles midway through the first quarter. Lakeview fought back hard and the effort never died.
Pierre raced 37 yards on the second play after halftime as the Gators clawed back to tie the matchup at 24 apiece. The Storm immediately answered and grabbed the lead again at 30-24 as the try after failed.
On the very next play from scrimmage, Pierre bolted to the end zone from midfield to tie the game again, this time at 30-all. After recovering the onside kick, the first recovery of a kick for the Gators on the night, Caleb Collins found the endzone just a few plays later from three yards out as Lakeview grabbed the lead for the first time at 38-30.
Added miscues, fumbles and costly penalties swung the momentum gate back in favor of the visiting Storm.
Lakeview, now 3-2 on the season, opens play in District 3-2A on the road at Winnfield next Friday night.
