Suffolk News-Herald

On Thursday night, Treveon Clemons took an interception 87 yards down the left sideline to secure Nansemond River’s 8-0 win over Lakeland in junior varsity football action.

Brandon Early must have been watching. With 10:30 to play on Friday, he repeated the procedure to give the older Warriors (2-1, 1-0) a 12-7 win over host Lakeland in both team’s Southeastern District opener. Early’s 55-yard score breathed some new life into a Warrior squad that had been stagnating all night, giving the defense strength to hold the Cavaliers (0-2, 0-1) to minus-2 yards in the remainder. It was the third consecutive year that the Warriors had beaten their local rivals.

They started off quickly enough. Breon Powell broke through to block a Chris Ashcraft punt at the Lakeland four two minutes into the game, and Jason Brown carried up the middle for a one-yard score.

Each team could muster only one first down until the eight-minute mark of the second quarter. Dan Miller churned out 14 yards to reach the Warrior 38, and Donte Myrick bolted 12 on the next play. Miller and Aston Williams rushed to the 16, and Kelly Sims got to the 12. Williams then rumbled nine yards, and the Cavaliers had a second-and-goal on the three.

Myrick appeared to have scored around the left end, but a holding penalty nullified the touchdown. A false start penalty knocked the Cavaliers back to the 15, but Tyrone Parker rushed down to the six, and Williams hurled around the right end for the score. Ashcraft’s extra point gave the Cavaliers a 7-6 advantage at halftime.

Early rushed 13 yards to the Lakeland 23 with four minutes left in the third, but Tyrone snatched down an interception in the endzone. Both teams went three-and-out, and Lakeland was faced with a third-and-10 at their own 48.

Myrick faded back, and tossed a pass toward the left sideline. It went straight to Early, who scurried untouched all the way to the endzone. The extra point failed, leaving the Warrior advantage at five.

With Myrick out with a leg injury, the Cavalier offense could muster just six yards on their next three plays, but a personal foul penalty gave them a first down at the Warrior 40. Miller ran three yards, but the defense stopped new quarterback Alvin Morris cold on the next play, and a pass slipped through Michael Copeland’s hands on fourth down with 5:24 to go.

River couldn’t get a first down, but was able to chew two minutes off the clock, and Terry Bullock punted to the Cavalier 47. The Warrior defensive line broke through to sack Morris twice on the ensuing drive, and the clock ran out.

Both teams leave town next week, as River goes to Deep Creek and Lakeland to Oscar Smith.

King’s Fork had another tough outing, as the Bulldogs were beaten 73-0 by host Hickory on Friday. Moran Billups yanked down an interception in the endzone for King’s Fork. Shaka Miller had four kick returns for 70 yards. The Bulldogs (0-2, 0-1) will play their first-ever home game against Western Branch on Friday.

– Andrew Giermak