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Lennard Escapes Lake Placid With Win

Brian Gjurgevich/Highlands Today

Lake Placid sophomore Avery Young scored on a 27-yard reverse on Friday night during Lennard's 20-17 victory over the Green Dragons at Roger Scarborough Memorial Field.

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Highlands Today Staff Report

Published: October 25, 2008

Updated:

LAKE PLACID - The Lake Placid football team put up a valiant comeback effort on Friday night, but gutsy play-calling down the stretch lifted Lennard to a 20-17 victory over the Green Dragons in Class 2A-District 5 action at Roger Scarborough Memorial Field.

"I think everyone is disappointed," said LP coach Jason Holden, whose team rallied from 13 points down to take a 17-13 lead in the fourth quarter. "They knew they let one slip away that we could've won."

LP junior Caleb Jones rushed for 108 yards and senior Zach Campbell completed 4 of 10 passes for 68 yards, finding fellow senior Avery Young twice for 34 yards.

The Longhorns scored on their first two possessions to take a 13-0 lead early, but the Green Dragons didn't back down, taking their next drive down the field and scoring on a 27-yard reverse run by Young.

That play was set up by another big gain from Young, a 32-yard screen pass that lifted the LP sideline.

"We came out flat and they got on us early," Holden said. "Young's 32-yard reception got everyone fired up and put some life in us. And we drove down the field and finished."

After the Longhorns brought a 13-7 edge into the half, both teams traded defensive stops until the Green Dragons lit up the scoreboard again, this time on a 34-yard field goal by junior Steven Guelff to pull Lake Placid within striking distance at 13-10.

After Lennard went three-and-out on its first series of the fourth quarter, LP sophomore Anthony Gonzalez gave the Dragons the lead with a 65-yard punt return for a touchdown that gave Lake Placid the 17-13 advantage.

But Lennard went for broke on their next possession, converting a 4th-and-1 on their own 28 and driving the ball downfield for a 15-yard touchdown pass with 2:28 to play to give the Longhorns a 20-17 lead.

The Dragons ran their two-minute offense and got the ball to the Longhorn 40-yard line on an 4th-and-8, but Guelff's 57-yard field goal attempt fell short and Lennard escaped with a victory.

"Guelff has the foot to make that," Holden said about his team's attempt to tie the game. "He just got a bit under it."

Despite the loss, Holden said he was proud of how his team managed the game and played until the final whistle.

"They really fought hard all the way until the end of the game," Holden said.

The Dragons travel to Bishop Verot next week.

The Highlands Today sports department can be reached at 863-386-5841 or sports@highlandstoday.com.

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