Big third quarter propels Lake to victory as newly top-ranked Division II minted team
By Keno Sultan
Stark County Prep Press writer
www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com
LAKE TWP.--For the first time since the 2023 season, Stark County had a new #1 ranked team in the Associated Press state poll.
And the Lake Blue Streaks did not disappoint in their first time accomplishment as a Federal League team ranked as the top team since Canton McKinley back in the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
After spotting the visiting Perry Panthers a generous 7-0 advantage, the hosts responded with 31 consecutive points with 18 of those coming in the third quarter as Lake commenced Federal League competition with a 31-15 triumph in front of a capacity crowd at Lake Blue Streak Stadium on a night that saw several Lake individuals take their place in the athletic hall of fame, especially the 2005 Division I softball state title winning team that went a flawless 14-0 in league play.
It was one thing for the Lake offense to start firing on all pistons and cylinders. However the night belonged to the defense as they recovered two fumbles and intercepted three passes, one of them in the end zone to stifle a Perry scoring drive and made life arduous for a Panthers team that faced minimal resistance in their first three games.
The last Stark County football team to start a year as the state's top-ranked team was none other than the glamour-laden Massillon squad that set an astounding nine records on their way to a 16-0 season and a state title. Lake may not be as glamorous as that Tigers team that left everyone in awe but the tradition is still upheld under 13th-year boss Dan DeGeorge, an Akron Hoban graduate who has taken the reins of the program and only built on what his predecessor Jeff Durbin started in what became a 21-year journey as their revered patriarch.
DeGeorge was delighted at the response of his team from the second quarter on.
"We created a few turnovers and that was huge for us and offensively we started slow but we made some good adjustments at halftime and we were able to score some points in the second half," he said. "We were able to establish the run and run the ball more effectively and that's what we wanted to do is run the football, eat the clock, our kids did that and I was proud of their efforts.
One Blue Streak responsible for their uprising was senior quarterback Alex Quior. Last season he was under duress in a 17-7 setback on the road. This time around, he was a facilitator for Lake in the form of three touchdowns, two of those with his legs. None however was bigger than his fourth down completion to receiver Quinn Snyder as he got behind the Perry secondary and calmly reeled in a 22-yard scoring pass to issue the hosts a lead they did not relinquish.
If there was one play that capitulated the Perry wagon, it came as the second quarter came to a conclusion. With Perry threatening to extend their lead before the band show, quarterback Cameron Treharn threw a quick bullet to the end zone but cornerback Callen Pierce snagged the ball for an interception and a touchback that set the Panthers back immensely.
The fact that a tiring Lake defense came up with a defining stand left first-year head coach Spencer Leno, a former standout linebacker at Massillon subdued as that chance extinguished any real chance his legion of Panthers had to make the contest one that may have come down to a final possession or two.
"Anytime you turn the ball over and put the defense back on the field...we expect our defense to give our offense a shot to keep us in the game," a dejected Leno said, his voice trailing off.
Perry started out fast for the third straight game as their second possession spanned 10 plays with a sufficient combination of passing and running that ended with Connor Shephard scoring on a six-yard touchdown run.
But it all unraveled for the Panthers on their third possession as Lake linebacker Kyle Hammer landed a punishing hit on Shephard to dislodge the ball in what became the first of two fumble recoveries leading to Lake's eventual touchdown.
Hammer was every bit as tough his surname as he would have a second fumble recovery on the night in the form of another big hit along with an interception that set up a Blue Streaks score and eventually decided the outcome of the first league battle between the schools.
"Our defensive staff and our defensive coordinator Ron Viscounte had a great game plan and our kids executed and did what they were coached to do and we were able to create some turnovers which obviously helped us defensively," DeGeorge said.
Treharn completed 11 passes out of 24 attempted but suffered three interceptions while Quior on the other hand completed 10 out of 18 passes for 124 yards with a touchdown and interception, Lake's only turnover that came on a deep pass in the second quarter.
Davis Matson rushed for 117 of Lake's 173 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter to complete their scoring. Shepard rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns.
For the first time, Perry will have to climb off the canvas and will have little time to dwell on the setback as they are now in a must-win situation against McKinley, who defeated GlenOak 38-0 at press time. A second loss will virtually eliminate the Panthers from league title contention as a second loss will create an uphill battle for them to climb back in the race.
How the Panthers respond will dictate where their season travels according to Leno.
"I want us to stick together and have a next play mentality and we talk about that all the time. Lake's a good football team, Coach DeGeorge does a good job and we're just going to keep fighting and that's going to be the message all week and we got the rest of league play and all our goals are still in front of us," he said.
For the Blue Streaks, the win is their first as the #1 top-ranked AP team in Division II but they are concentrating on the bigger picture and not looking ahead at the moment despite their statewide recognition. They will travel on the road to face a GlenOak team, who like Perry will be fighting for their league title lives and the desperation factor will be high for the Eagles.
DeGeorge and his team will celebrate the triumph and starting at 8 a.m. will turn the page via film study and prepare for the Eagles challenge.
"We just want to get better every single day no matter what is going on, that's our goal and we'll enjoy this one tonight but we'll get back to work tomorrow and get ready for a good GlenOak team coming our way," he said firmly.
For the first time since the 2023 Massillon Tigers and as a Federal League school for the first time since the 2017 and 2018 McKinley teams, Lake entered their football game against Perry as a top-ranked team in the Associated Press poll. And they left their fans something to cheer about upon departing Lake Blue Streak Stadium.
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