A feeling of disappointment flowed through Lehman Lobos freshman Bryant Lewis’ mind after dropping a pass in overtime against the Akins Eagles Thursday.
With the game tied 35-35 and Lehman facing a 2nd and goal from the 19-yard line, Bryant felt as if he let his team down. When coaches called his number on the very next play, however, Bryant didn’t let the opportunity slip.
A sensational go-ahead touchdown reception made by Bryant in the back of the end zone proved the difference as Lehman stunned the Akins Eagles in a dramatic 42-35 overtime win.
For Bryant, whose varsity career has spanned three games, coming up with a score in the clutch was once only the stuff of practice.
“Right when I touched the ball, I held on tight. They tried to pull it out,” Bryant said. “I brought it in and said, ‘I’m not letting go of this ball.’ I’m not letting my team, my brothers, down. We’re family.”
Lehman’s win, which was the first on the season, was also the inaugural victory for head coach Josh Kirkland and his coaching staff. Kirkland said the Lobos needed the overtime win to “flip the script” and keep the team moving forward.
The Lobos did so with an offense that gained confidence as the game wore on. Senior running back Kaleb Priestly shouldered the load by rushing for a team-high 170 yards on 23 carries and a pair of touchdowns.
Priestly’s rushing talents were discovered during practice two weeks ago, Kirkland said. While working on the scout team offense, Priestly “ripped” back-to-back touchdowns on the Lobo defense.
“Kaleb ran the ball like a bat out of hell,” Kirkland said. “He can scoot, he’s stupid fast and he’s very elusive.”
Aiding Priestly on Thursday was an offensive line that effectively picked up blocks in the second half. Lehman’s line also bought time for Lobo quarterback Daniel O’Neal to throw the ball. O’Neal went 15 of 25 for 148 yards and a touchdown passing.
Lehman took a 14-0 first quarter lead by capitalizing on Akins turnovers.
The Eagles, however, responded by scoring 21 unanswered points to take a 21-14 lead at halftime. Lehman’s defense struggled to stop the combination of Eagles quarterback Nick Cagle and wide receiver Jeremiah Brown.
Cagle went 21 of 44 for 254 yards and four touchdowns passing. All four of his touchdowns went to Brown, who hauled in 184 yards on 13 receptions.
A game-tying 46-yard touchdown run by Priestly to start the second half set the tone for the Lobo offense, Lewis said.
The Lobo defense also ramped up the energy as well. Akins, which scored on its first two drives of the second half, was relegated to a missed field goal, a turnover on downs and two punts over its next four drives.
Lobo senior linebacker Josh Weusi-Barrera said a halftime pep talk snapped Lehman out of its first half haze.
“We couldn’t lay down like we did in the second quarter,” Weusi-Barrera said. “We had to play and we had to put it all out there in the second half.”
Tied at 28-28, Lehman regained the upper hand with a 13-yard, fourth quarter touchdown run by O’Neal.
Akins, however, didn’t back down and responded with a 12-play, 81-yard two minute drive that featured a pair of fourth down conversions. An 8-yard touchdown pass to Brown drew the Eagles even and took the game into overtime.
Lehman turned to Lewis, who, with a pair of defenders in his face, snagged a pass in overtime for the go-ahead score.
The Lobos squashed Akins’ response by recovering a fumble, creating a wave of emotions on the Lobo sideline, Weusi-Barrera said.
Clinching the overtime win is what Weusi-Barrera believes could help turn the Lobos around.
“We lost the last two games because of mistakes,” Lewis said. “We came together for this one.”
