Lamar Consolidated’s 28-point second half performance proved to be the difference in Thursday’s match up against Seven Lakes at Rhodes Stadium. Led by quarterback DJ Smallwood and running back Jacquizz Rodgers, the Mustangs remain undefeated in District 24-4A with a 35-14 victory.

“Those guys (Smallwood and Rodgers), when they start making plays they are pretty tough to stop,” Lamar Consolidated coach Lydell Wilson said. “But you have to give credit up front for getting to those blocks to free these guys up.”

Outside of the big performances, there were two gleaming factors in this game that pertain to each team’s accomplishments from last week. For one, both teams chalked up a win. But, Lamar Consolidated had four days to rest and prepare for this Thursday game and the Spartans are coming off their first win in school history after defeating Foster.

Both were things that Wilson had to factor when it came to planning.

“We talked about it all week and knew they (Seven Lakes) would be on an emotional high after picking up their first victory,” Wilson said. “For us, it is a tough comeback playing a Saturday game and coming back on Thursday. We talked about this all week and knew we would be a little sluggish early on.”

And early on, Seven Lakes did not have any problems moving the ball offensively. Spartan quarterback Dalton Livingston led the offense on the opening drive that resulted in a score. With running back Aaron Salem on the ground and receiver Anthony Kendrick’s first-down catch, this set up Livingston’s 1-yard touchdown run towards the end of the first quarter.

But the Mustangs responded quickly. Smallwood’s opening pass to Chuck Obi set Rodgers for a 12-yard touchdown run with seconds left in the first quarter. For the rest of the first half, it was both teams’ defense battled for field position. But ultimately, the first half ended in a 7-7 tie.

In the second half, Lamar Consolidated broke the stalemate. After Rodgers broke runs of 26 and 31 yards, Smallwood hit Jamal Williams for a 20-yard touchdown strike on third-and-long. But the Spartans came back with a drive of their own.

Seven Lakes went to the ground game led by Livingston and Salem who constantly kept the chains moving. Facing a critical fourth down-and-11, Livingston saw Steven McCormack slide behind the defensive backs and connected with him on a 24-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 14.

Two plays later, Smallwood found a crease in the defense and ran off 63 yards for a touchdown. Then after the Mustang defense forced a three-and-out, it was all Rodgers from start to finish. He got back-to-back first downs and capped off the drive with a 13-yard touchdown run at the start of the fourth quarter.

Seven Lakes’ next drive came up short and forced another punt. On the Mustangs’ first play of the drive, Rodgers ran a 48-yard touchdown to score the game’s final touchdown.

GAME LEADERS
Passing:
LC – DJ Smallwood 5-of-14, 91 yards, TD
SL – Dalton Livingston 8-of-17, 99 yards, TD

Rushing:
LC – Jacquizz Rodgers 20/240 yards, 3 TDs
SL – Aaron Salem 23/81 yards/TD

Receiving:
LC – Jamal Williams 1/20 yards/TD
SL – Steven McCormack 3/42 yards/TD
 

Subscribe to this comment's feed