THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 24, 1994 TAG: 9411220246
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 29 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: BY DENISE MICHAUX, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
It has become every coach's favorite quote.
``It's going to come down to whoever makes mistakes,'' Lakeland head coach Ed Smither said prior to last week's playoff game at York.
That statement rang very true in the Cavaliers' 19-12 Group AA, Region I, Division 4 semifinal loss to the Falcons last Saturday afternoon.
York, which snapped a three-game losing streak with the win, was especially anxious to make up for the 15-3 loss it suffered to Lakeland in the second-to-last game of the season.
The Cavaliers can point to three mistakes which sealed their doom on Saturday:
No. 1: Dwayne Wiggins was set to punt from inside the Lakeland 10. Wiggins had trouble controlling the bad snap, but lack of running room forced him to try to get the kick off anyway. The ball traveled roughly seven yards into the arms of York tackle Greg Foster.
Foster returned the ball to the 1 and one play later Brian Ginn's one-yard dive gave the Falcons a 12-6 edge.
No. 2: Jonathan Thompson intercepted Lakeland quarterback Jessie Bradshaw on the Lakeland 46.
A 16-yard run from Joe Johnson and a facemask penalty set up Je'cisken Ramsey's second touchdown of the game and the lead was 19-6.
No. 3: Late in the fourth quarter, Foster got a hand on Bradshaw before he could hand the ball off. Bradshaw dropped the ball and Ramsey fell on it.
The result was the end of Lakeland's fourth-quarter comeback drive and a successful season.
Mistakes aside, Lakeland's offense just wasn't on the field as much as it needed to be to win, and when it was the Falcons defense had Reginald Wiggins contained to 2- and 3-yard bursts, rather than the usual eight to 12.
``If we stay on the field we are going to score,'' Smither said.
As the team boarded the bus for the ride back to Suffolk, it is doubtful Smither even remembered the mistakes.
``I am proud of my kids,'' Smither said. ``They could have laid down, but they never did. They fought the whole way. They have done that all season.
``We'll be better from our experience.
``We'll be back.''
Lakeland will lose just six players to graduation. by CNB