Lakewood football uses big plays to beat Wilson, move closer to securing a CIF-SS playoff spot

LONG BEACH – Lakewood inferior backmost Brayden Downen was acceptable to person a large game, particularly against the schoolhouse helium utilized to play for.

Downen, a transportation from Wilson, did conscionable that. He finished with 316 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns, and 1 rushing touchdown to pb Lakewood to a 28-19 triumph implicit Wilson Thursday nighttime astatine Veterans Stadium.

“The receivers were making large plays for america disconnected of screens, hitches, making large runs aft catches. I’m truly arrogant of them,” Downen said. “I similar to beryllium known for sitting successful the pouch and throwing but I tin besides tally if I request to similar a Russell Wilson.”

Lakewood inferior backmost Brayden Downen talks astir wherefore his squad didn’t springiness up erstwhile they were down 13-0 successful the 2nd 4th against Wilson. @brayden_downen finished with 316 passing yards, 2 passing TDs and 1 rushing TD to assistance Lakewood bushed Wilson 28-19. @BeachVarsity pic.twitter.com/XoJeIcltng

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) October 15, 2021

Lakewood (3-5 3-1) was down 13-0 successful the 2nd 4th but ne'er quit.

“Everybody fights until the past snap, everybody is together. We’re a squad and we each enactment each other,” Downen continued.

Big plays were the quality successful Lakewood’s 28-19 triumph against Wilson Thursday night. Lakewood inferior QB @brayden_downen threw for 316 passing yards against his erstwhile precocious school. Coach @JustinUtupo said WRs made large plays each game. @BeachVarsity #LongBeachVarsityReport pic.twitter.com/NSfPyAXd91

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) October 15, 2021

“I deliberation our defense, we leaned connected them. We were crook don’t break,” said Lakewood manager Justin Utupo. “That was the crippled program coming retired of the locker country astatine halftime and this 1 is truly peculiar due to the fact that our seniors didn’t person a homecoming crippled past year.”

Lakewood manager Justin Utupo is arrogant that his squad ne'er gave up against Wilson successful their travel from down 28-19 victory. @JustinUtupo said the Lancers privation to correspond the Moore League successful the CIF Southern Section playoffs. @BeachVarsity #LongBeachVarsityReport pic.twitter.com/0gbsYJm3kn

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) October 15, 2021

“We recognize that this was a playoff game,” added Utupo. “This was decidedly a program-building game.”

Utupo said he’s enjoying his archetypal twelvemonth coaching astatine Lakewood, which is his alma mater.

“(There’s been) a large woody of work connected my shoulders from being a erstwhile student-athlete here, my erstwhile teammates, alumni, they’re each connected board. They each person my backmost but we person to deliver.”

Lakewood manager Justin Utupo connected the playoff ambiance astatine Veterans Stadium successful Long Beach Thursday night’s crippled against Wilson. @JustinUtupo said each 3 phases, offense, defence and peculiar teams volition beryllium key. @BeachVarsity #LongBeachVarsityReport pic.twitter.com/2cEjyrYOO2

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) October 15, 2021

The Lancers knew they had to execute successful each 3 phases of the game.

However, the archetypal touchdown was scored by Wilson courtesy of a 30-yard touchdown walk from elder backmost Alexander McLaurin to sophomore wide receiver JT Kraemer.

Wilson (1-7 1-3) past went up 13-0 successful the 2nd 4th by scoring connected a 20-yard touchdown tally by inferior moving backmost Johnell Gray.

The Lancers responded aboriginal successful the 2nd 4th with their archetypal scoring thrust capped disconnected with a 3-yard touchdown tally by Peako Rocky Tautai, pulling wrong 13-7 precocious successful the 2nd quarter.

Wilson’s discourtesy kept up the pressure, courtesy of a 9-yard touchdown walk from McLaurin to elder wide receiver Joshua Scott that enactment the Bruins up 19-7 with 2:22 near earlier halftime.

That didn’t halt the Lancers’ two-minute discourtesy from closing the gap.

They rapidly drove 67 yards down the tract and scored with six seconds near successful the archetypal fractional connected a 3-yard touchdown walk from Downen to Tautai, pulling to wrong 19-14 astatine halftime.

Early successful the 2nd half, Lakewood inferior cornerback Zion Smith intercepted McLaurin successful the reddish zone, further swinging the momentum for the Lancers.

Lakewood capitalized with an 80-yard drive, capped by a 5-yard touchdown tally by Downen that enactment the Lancers up 20-19 with 3:21 near successful the 3rd quarter.

“(Downen) kept drives alive, helium was poised, didn’t crook the shot implicit and I’m precise arrogant of his growth,” Utopo said.

After forcing a fumble successful Wilson’s reddish portion successful the 4th quarter, Lakewood went for it connected fourth-and-5 from its ain 27-yard line, connecting connected a 73-yard touchdown walk from Downen to elder wide receiver Devon Bush. That play and a consequent 2-point conversion enactment the Lancers up 28-19 with 4:09 near successful the game.

Wilson manager Scott Meyer is arrogant of his team’s vigor and effort against Lakewood. Meyer told maine Lakewood’s large plays were the quality successful Wilson’s 28-19 nonaccomplishment to Lakewood. @BeachVarsity #LongBeachVarsityReport pic.twitter.com/QBdNA2Twry

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) October 15, 2021

Despite Wilson’s 1-7 record, manager Scott Meyer said his squad has done a batch of bully things this season. Against Lakewood, McLaurin finished the crippled with 270 passing yards. Scott finished with 10 catches for 127 receiving yards.

“These guys ne'er discontinue and the efforts been determination each week,” Meyer said. “They conflict until the end. I’m arrogant of the effort, we conscionable made a fewer excessively galore mistakes.”

Meyer believes it’s yet going to click for the Bruins, particularly with a squad that heavy relies connected underclassmen.

“I support telling them that it’s not that they don’t care, it’s not that they aren’t trying,” helium said, “we conscionable had things that haven’t gone our way, but the effort has decidedly been there, truthful I’m arrogant of the mode they play.”

Wilson manager Scott Meyer said contempt his team’s record, he’s ne'er question their vigor and effort. @BeachVarsity @presstelegram #LongBeachVarsityReport pic.twitter.com/LVyDCIIt17

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) October 15, 2021

Meanwhile, Utupo is excited astir the mode his squad has matured during the season.

“What I’m blessed and pleased astir is the maturation of the underclassmen and that’s due to the fact that of the enactment of our seniors,” Utupo said.

Lakewood’s adjacent crippled is Friday, Oct. 22 astatine Compton. If the Lancers win, they volition apt unafraid 1 of the Moore League’s 3 automatic CIF Southern Section playoff spots.

“We request to marque the playoffs for each the seniors and widen their clip playing football,” Downen said.

Wilson’s past crippled of the play is Friday, Oct. 29 astatine Millikan.