PHOTO GALLERY: Lake View Lower State Football Title Win

Here are some photos from Lake View’s Lower State football title win by Craig Brown:

By Craig Brown
The Lake View High School Wild Gators got their 17th Lower State Championship Friday night in Lake View by defeating the Tigers of Hemingway High School 41-14.
This is Coach Daryl King’s second lower state title since he took over the head coaching job in 2008.
This is one of the most dominating Wild Gator teams ever assembled.
At 13-0 they are the first Lake View team in 35 years to reach the championship game with this record.
No team other than arch rival Latta High School that trailed Lake View 20-0 and fought back to eventually lose 20-14 in game one has really matched up with the Wild Gators this season.
On their first offensive possession of the game the Wild Gators marched down the field with ease.
Duane Nichols was turned loose for this game and he finished the drive with a nine yard touchdown run followed by the two point conversion run to put the Gators up 8-0 with 9:01 left in the first quarter.
The Wild Gator offensive line opened holes in the Tiger defensive line that Mack Trucks could drive through allowing Gator running backs Tyshawn McDaniel and Randal Washington to strut their stuff.
The super bad Lake View defense laid hits on the Tiger running backs and receivers aided by the cold frost covered field that had to be felt Saturday morning.

With 3:19 left in the first quarter, McDaniel broke loose for a 45 yard touchdown run with Washington adding the conversion run to increase the Wild Gator lead to 16-0. The Tigers were not ready to lay down and die at this point in the game as Darius Taylor returned the Wild Gator kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown. Tiger quarterback
Troy Singletary ran in the two point conversion to close the Gator lead at 16-8 with 3:05 left in the first quarter. Lake View can return kicks also and had the ball on the Hemingway 21 yard line following the kick return.
Three plays later Randal Washington crossed the goal line from nine yards out. The conversion failed but the Gators were out front 22-8 with 1:29 left in the first quarter. The first quarter would end with this score.
On the Wild Gator’s first offensive possession of the second quarter, Duane Nichols prove he was fully recovered and ready to play finishing the drive on a 44 yard touchdown run. The conversion failed leaving the Wild Gators up 28-8 with 9:04 left in the second quarter.
With time winding down in the first half, Tyshawn McDaniel ended the final Lake View drive on a 12 yard touchdown run. The conversion failed but the Gators now had a commanding 34-8 lead with 2:08 left in the second quarter and would take this lead into the halftime break.
This score would hold through the hard-hitting third quarter and stand until 4:50 remained in the game with Delvon Bethea taking it across the goal line for the Gators. Jesus Montero added the point after kick to give the Wild Gators a 41-8 lead.
On the Tigers final possession of the game, Singletary found running back Donte Aiken open for a 44-yard touchdown pass.  The conversion failed and the Wild Gators would take the 41-14 win and the Class A Lower State Championship title. After the game Wild Gator Head Coach Daryl King as usual game all of the credit to his coaches and players and stated how proud he was of both.
King ask Coach Johnny Dew if he had any remarks. Coach Dew is a very serious and dedicated coach that has been around the game for forty years and he knows this is a special team preferring to keep his thoughts at this time to himself.
Coach Cloy Ford hesitated when asked about how he thought his linemen and linebackers played but with a big proud smile on his face finally stated that the line performed outstandingly in this game and had done so throughout the season. Lake View and Lamar, two very outstanding football programs will meet Friday at 5pm at Benedict College Tiger Stadium.
I will pick Lake View to win this game not because of superior talent as both teams are evenly matched but I choose the Wild Gators because the players and coaches at Lake View are a class act. Lake View Statistician Jimmy Sweat reported that Lake View had 417 yards on offense holding the Tigers to 114 yards of total offense.
Tyshawn McDaniel had 162 yards on 18 carries with two touchdowns, Randall Washington had 155 yards on 30 carries with a touchdown, Duane Nichols was one of two passing for seven yards and had 61 yards rushing on four carries with two touchdowns and Delvon Bethea added a six yard touchdown run.
On defense, Sweat had Datron Jones with six tackles with three for a loss, Albert Wheeler had five tackles, Shawn Williams had four tackles with one for a loss and Xavier Johnson had three tackles with two for a loss. Sweat added that every Wild Gator defensive player had several tackle assists in this game.