GAINESVILLE, Ga. — A lot of teams would have been too shellshocked to respond after losing a 10-point lead in the final two minutes on two long touchdown passes.
Lakeview Academy is showing it is not like a lot of teams.
The Lions drove 75 yards in the final 58 seconds of the game for a 34-31 win over George Walton at Lakeview Stadium Friday night.
“They have resilience,” Lakeview coach Lee Coleman said. “We’ve preached ‘finish’ all year long, and they finished the drill right there. When you get up 10 with a minute something left you just need a stop. Even if they score, let them kill some clock, but they have two big plays back-to-back to take the lead. For our offense to be resilient and poised and drive down the field to win the game, that’s incredible.”
Quarterback Kyari Burch hit Jr. Thompson with a 3-yard scoring pass with six seconds left for the win. On the winning drive, Thompson caught four passes for 59 yards. Jace Forrest caught two for 18 yards, and Desean Dorsey added two for 12 to keep the drive moving. Burch’s 23-yarder to Thompson to the Bulldogs’ 3 set up the winning touchdown.
“We work on it at practice every day,” Burch said. “When we get into the game, it’s just execution and we got the win.”
The Lions (5-0, 2-0 GIAA District 4-A/3A) took a 27-17 lead with 2:33 left on Ryker Kohler’s 1-yard touchdown run but George Walton responded quickly with a 59-yard touchdown pass from quarterback AJ Dillard to Sam Elvington just 32 seconds later.
Lakeview recovered the Bulldogs’ onside kick attempt but could not run out the clock. After a punt, Jackson Wells got behind the Lakeview defense, and Dillard hit him for a 71-yard touchdown with 58 seconds left.
George Walton (2-3, 1-1 GIAA District 4-A/3A) had won all eight previous meetings against Lakeview and appeared to have No. 9 in hand.
The Lions showed the toughness they have displayed all season. Getting the ball back at their own 25, they calmly marched for the winning score.
“The playmakers were talking all game long about giving us the ball coach,” Coleman said. “Our playmakers came to play, and it’s incredible.”
Burch completed 21-of-28 passes for 273 yards and three touchdowns. Thompson caught 13 for 176 yards and two scores. Nesean Dorsey caught six for 79 yards and one touchdown.
The Bulldogs jumped out to a 7-0 lead on the game's first play on a Dillard to David Eberly 66-yard pass. The Lions settled down and tied the game on Dorsey’s 30-yard touchdown catch.
Bora Oczelik kicked field goals of 24 and 35 yards to give the Lions a 13-7 lead midway through the second quarter. Lakeview pushed its lead to 20-7 on a 60-yard Burch to Thompson pass.
The Lions take next week off before continuing district play at Riverside on Sept. 27.
“It’s not perfect, but we are perfect going into the off week,” Coleman said. “To go into the off week 5-0, we can get some folks healed up and work on some things.”
As they enter the second half of the season, Lakeview will continue district play and take nothing for granted.
“Everybody needs to come together and do what we need to do to continue to win,” Burch said.
