Lakeland senior Cedric Johnson returned the opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown on Friday night at Nansemond River and the Cavaliers didn’t look back against their city rivals, routing Nansemond River 43-15. Lakeland led 30-0 at halftime and Cavalier quarterback Walter Boykins threw for 220 yards and two touchdowns for the game.

In last season’s meeting between the Cavs and Warriors, the Warriors kept the game close in the first half before Lakeland blew the game open after halftime. This time, Lakeland dominated from the start, scoring each of the first five times it had the ball.

“I like to do that. We like to get the first blow in against a defense like that,” Boykins said.

The first blow took 15 seconds. Johnson took the opening kickoff, broke a tackle around the Cavalier 25, then raced down the right sideline past everyone for the touchdown. Evan Worley booted the extra point to give the Cavs a 7-0 lead.

Nansemond River’s first possession resulted in three plays for losses, including a sack by Justin Howell on quarterback Morris Johnson on third down. Lakeland took over the ball on the NR 43.

A 28-yard pass from Boykins to Donavan Wright put Lakeland into the red zone and the drive ended with Worley making a 38-yard field goal.

The next Warrior possession ended in a punt snap that went over the head of punter Logan Woolston, giving Lakeland the ball on the NR 17.

Using a wildcat formation with Johnson, normally Lakeland’s running back, lined up taking shotgun snaps at quarterback, Johnson carried five straight times to gain those 17 yards. Johnson scored on a 2-yard run, making it 17-0 Lakeland.

With the momentum entirely with the Cavs, Lakeland pulled out an onsides kick and recovered it, with Denzel Brown jumping on the ball at the Cavalier 49.

The Cavs dialed up another trick play on their next snap. Boykins faked two handoffs then threw deep down the middle to a wide-open Wright for a 49-yard gain to the NR 9. Johnson lined up at quarterback and carried for a touchdown on the next play. Lakeland led 24-0 with 1:25 to go in the first quarter.

A couple minutes into the second period, Boykins passed to Deonta Neal for a 17-yard touchdown, capping an 11-play, 50-yard drive and taking Lakeland’s lead to 30-0.

Lakeland held the Warriors to -32 yards in the first half. Boykins was 6-for-10 passing for 127 yards in the half.

Nansemond River got on the board with its first possession of the second half. Sophomore running back Lamont Brown broke loose on a run up the middle and went 50 yards to the Lakeland 14. Benjamin Dubois, who took most of the snaps at quarterback in the second half, carried for 12 yards and Brown scored from the two.

The Warriors had a momentary chance to work their way back into the contest. With a loss on a Lakeland running play, then two Cavalier penalties, NR forced the Cavs into 3rd-and-35 deep in Lakeland territory on Lakeland’s first possession of the third quarter.

Boykins and the Cavs escaped with a 47-yard pass to Jaquan Demiel down the right sideline. Lakeland kept going after the big gain for a 7:16-long drive. Boykins finished it with a 7-yard touchdown run.

Lakeland added its final score of the night in the last minute of the third period. Boykins threw to Wright for a 36-yard touchdown and a 43-7 margin.

Brown scored his second touchdown of the night for the Warriors, scoring on a 10-yard run with 4:45 left in the game.

Johnson finished with 19 carries for 79 yards. Demiel had four receptions for 87 yards and Wright had three catches for 106 yards.

Defensively for the Cavs, Kavis Shephard had three tackles for loss. Rackwon Johnson and Denzel Brown had two each.

Lamont Brown finished with 12 carries for 91 yards to lead the Warriors.

“It’s great to start like that. When we get a play like that, then the rest of the team just keeps on going from there,” Boykins said Johnson’s opening kick return.

Lakeland (2-0, 1-0) travels to Hickory next Friday night while Nansemond River (0-2, 0-2) plays non-district opponent Wilson in Portsmouth on Friday.