Lake City – For better or for worse – and it doesn’t really matter what your point view is in making that decision – the Lake City High School football team has the two favorites to win Region 6-AAA out of the way. Now the Panthers can focus their attention on the final three region games and getting back into the state playoffs.
“Getting this team into the playoffs is our focus now,” said Lake City acting head coach Jamison Estep. “Getting into the playoffs starts with Lakewood (on October 6). If we get two out of the three games, we make the playoffs.
“We’re fully capable of winning all three games. They’re all quality opponents, but we feel like we match up very well. We just need to stay together, stay focused and focus on just finishing. Hopefully we’ll get to 5-4 and have some momentum for the playoffs.”
The Panthers, who are 2-4 on the season and 0-2 in region play, have a bye week after playing Lakewood. They close out the season with a home game against Marlboro County on October 20 and a road game against Darlington on October 27.
Lake City was 2-2 before getting whipped by Camden 45-8 on September 22 and falling to Crestwood 41-0 on September 29. Crestwood is ranked seventh in the High School Sports Report AAA Sweet 16 poll, while Camden is ranked eighth.
Though disappointed with the outcome of the past two games, Estep doesn’t fault the effort being put forth.
That was a murderer's row to start region, playing them back to back,” Estep said. “I expect both of them to make deep playoffs runs.
“The boys are working hard. We’re still trying to move people around on offense to get them in the best position to make plays.”
One person Lake City is trying to get the ball to is Treshon Burgess. He played solely at wide receiver for the first two games, but he started seeing playing time at quarterback along with sophomore Amari Hanna as well as playing some running back.
Burgess has 57 carries for 427 yards and has scored five touchdowns. He had just two catches for 26 yards, but has returned three kicks for touchdowns.
Jeffrey McFadden had 350 yards and three scores on 69 carries. Dallas Davis had seven catches for 80 yards and Blayne Edwards had four for 44 yards.
“(Crestwood) hemmed him up a little bit last night, but Treshon Burgess is electric when he gets the ball,” Estep said. “We have to get him more reps at quarterback and running back.”
The defense is led by tackle Lorenzo Pressley-McFadden, who is a Shrine Bowl selection. The Old Dominion commitment had 68 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, three quarterback sacks and six quarterback pressures.
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