The reigning Class 2A state champion Many Tigers football team looked the part Friday night as they routed the Lakeview Gators 50-0 in a game that featured a running clock from around the 4:00 minute mark of the first quarter.
The Tigers ran their record to 9-1 and 6-0 in District 3-2A while the injury-riddled and outmanned Gators fell to 1-9 and 0-6. It was the ninth consecutive win for Many, which officially claimed the district championship again. MHS remains No. 1 in both the LHSAA power points rankings for Class 2A and the Louisiana Sports Writers top 10 poll.
The Tigers scored 29 points in the first 10 minutes and 49 seconds, as coaches agreed to use a running game clock late in the first quarter.
London Williams scored four first-half touchdowns, reaching the end zone on all but one of his carries in a short night’s work for the state’s third-leading rusher.
Meanwhile, the Tigers’ defense allowed only two first downs. The Gators’ woes were complicated by injuries that benched their quarterback, who was their third starting QB knocked out of a game this year, and their running back, forcing Lakeview to play its seventh first-team ballcarrier.
Swayze Carheel stood out for Many on defense, recovering a fumble and blocking a punt in the game’s first four minutes to set up the first two scores.
After Carheel’s fumble recovery, Williams got the Tigers off and running with a 23-yard touchdown run at the 9:50 mark in the first quarter. Deacon Lafollette added the kick for a 7-0 score.
Carheel blocked a punt to end Lakeview’s next possession. Williams scampered 27 yards for a touchdown on the next play from scrimmage. A two-point conversion was successful on a pass from Tylen Singleton to Williams to make it 15-0 with still 7:58 left in the first.
Following a three-and-out by Lakeview, Many set up shop on Lakeview’s 47. A 42-yard pass from Jack Deville to Mason Leach put the Tigers at the 6-yard line. Williams punched it in from there and with Lafollette’s kick, the score was 22-0 with 6:02 left in the first quarter.
Lakeview’s next possession ended after a Demario Glover hit that caused a fumble recovered by Garet Culverson. This time it took two plays to score. Jeremiah James gained 7 yards on first down and Williams accounted for the last 16 yards on a second-down TD.
Lafollette added the kick for a 29-0 score at the 4:11 mark of the first quarter.
From this point, with a running clock, the game moved along at a very fast pace.
The Gators picked off a Deville pass and returned it 70 yards to the Tiger 5 for a chance to get on the scoreboard. After a Gator penalty and a couple of defensive stops, Lakeview tried to pass but it backfired. Malik Garner intercepted and raced 96 yards for a touchdown, which wound up being the only score of the second quarter. Many led 36-0 at halftime.
The second half started with a Trevor McLendon kickoff return for a touchdown, but it was brought back by a holding penalty. The Tigers’ starting running backs were finished for the night as the first possession of the third saw Jamaryn Garner and Trent Williams in the backfield. Garner took a handoff 20 yards, Williams had one for 6, and then Garner took one 40 yards to the house. Lafollette’s kick was good to push the margin to 43-0.
Many’s last tally was a 35-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter from Joseph Yount to Sean Mitcham. With Lafollette’s kick the Tigers stretched the lead to 50-0.
The Tigers emptied their bench and mass substitution followed for the remainder of the game.
Many totaled 293 yards on the night while Lakeview had a net of minus 14.
The Tiger defense was led in tackles by Marquise Maxie and Keaton Montgomery. The Tigers had 8 tackles behind the line of scrimmage..
With the playoffs looming and the Tigers resting a lot of players to get healthy for the playoffs, they look to be in great shape.
The opening round will be at Many High School’s John W. Curtis Stadium next Friday night at 7. The first round opponent will be named Sunday afternoon.
Scoring Summary:
First Quarter
9:50 London Williams 23 yard run, Lafollette kick, 7-0
7:58 Williams 27 yard run, Singleton to Williams two-point conversion, 15-0
5:17 Williams 6 yard run, Lafollette kick, 22-0
4:11 Williams 16 yard run, Lafollette kick, 29-0
Second Quarter
6:46 Malik Garner 96 yard interception return, Lafollette kick, 36-0
Third Quarter
9:12 Jamarlyn Garner 40 yard run, Lafollette kick, 43-0
Fourth Quarter
8:34 Joseph Yount 35 yard pass to Sean Mitcham, Lafollette kick, 50-0
Individual Stats:
Passing: M – Deville 1-2-1, 42 yards
Yount 1-1, 35 yards, 1 TD
L – 0-3-1
Rushing: M – L. Williams 5-75, 4 TD’s, J. Garner 2-60,1TD
Maxie 4-40, James 3-24, Deville 1-8,
Higginbotham 4-8, T. Williams 1-6,
Warren 1-5, Aldredge 2 –negativr 10
L – 26-negative 14
Receiving: M – Leach 1-42, Mitcham 1-35, 1 TD
To report an issue or typo with this article – CLICK HERE
