Lake Forest Spartans dominate in homecoming win

A.J. White Lake Forest is propelled into the end zone after a hit by Sussex Tech’s Kyle Thompson. Photo by Dar’Juan Pitts

FELTON—Lake Forest head coach Freddie Johnson wanted his team to have a breakout game offensively. Following three consecutive losses by a total of nine points, Johnson felt it was just a matter of time before his team would open up their offense.

In front of a large homecoming crowd on a Saturday morning the Spartans gave Johnson just what he had been looking for with a 56-0 win over Sussex Tech.

“I felt that we are a good team with the teams we scrimmaged and the quality of our first five opponents. We have been in five close games, we could have been winless or 5-0,” Johnson said.

The Spartans’ offense amassed 489 yards in total offense, 361 of which came in the run game, but Lake Forest went to the air early in the game.

Quarterback Jack Parson connected with Darius Miller for the game’s first two touchdowns. The first was on an out pattern for 20 yards, where Miller broke a tackle and sprinted into the endzone. The second was a 37-yard pass play where Parson hit Miller in stride. Nolan Ellwanger converted both kicks as Lake Forest took a 14-0 lead with 6:25 to play in the first quarter.

Parson completed seven of eight passes for 128 yards and three touchdowns. Miller caught for passes for 81 yards and a pair of touchdowns while Demarion Russ led the ground game with 113 yards on three carries and two touchdowns.

Ellwanger was a perfect seven for seven on extra-point kicks on the day.

Ayden Young ended the first quarter scoring with a five-yard touchdown run, extending the Spartans’ lead to 21-0.

Demarion Russ scored to open the second quarter and again to end the first half scoring. Russ had touchdown runs of 52 yards and 56 yards. In between, Na’von Pierce caught a 33-yard touchdown pass, and A.J. White added a 5-yard scoring run as the Spartans led 49-0 at halftime.

With the second half starting under a running clock, Sussex Tech possessed the ball for the entire third quarter, getting as far as the Lake Forest 12-yard line, but the Spartans’ defense turned them away.

As spectacular as the Lake Forest offense played, the defense was equally stellar, holding the Sussex Tech offense to 97 total yards in the shutout win.

“Our kids are learning a new defense this year, and it’s coming along. Coach Webb has done a really good job with them. In fact, all of our coaches have done a great job teaching these kids. It showed out there today,” Johnson said.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Dominique Hall broke through the middle of the line and sprinted 77 yards for a touchdown, extending Lake Forest’s lead to 56-0.

Lake Forest ended a three-game losing skid with the victory as they continue to play in the Class AA District 3 part of the schedule. Johnson said he feels good about his team’s chances down the season’s closing weeks.

“No slight against Woodbridge, Delmar, Laurel or Milford but I feel like the teams we have already played are at least as good as the teams we will face in the coming weeks. I feel our schedule has prepared us, we just have to execute now,” Johnson said.

With the loss, Sussex Tech fell to 3-2 overall and 0-1 in Class AA District 3. The Ravens will have a short week and will host Concord on Thursday night for homecoming. Kickoff will be at 7:00 PM.

Lake Forest improved to 3-3 overall and 1-0 in Class AA District 3. The Spartans will travel to Delmar on Friday night for a District game versus the Wildcats with a 7:00 PM kickoff.