Lakewood Loses Lead — and the Football Game — in the Final Minutes

In the end, it came down to one play.

In the football contest between Lakewood and visiting North Ridgeville at on Friday night, the schoolyard play “the hook and ladder” sealed the fate of the host Rangers.

They lost in the final moments of the game, 21-14.

It’d be easy to say that lost because of costly penalties and a couple of turnovers. A case could even be made that the 52 total second-half yards for the Rangers — compared with a dominating 247 yards in the first half — did them in. 

But it really seemed to come down to that hook and ladder.

“We have found every way in the world to lose a football game,” said Lakewood head coach Ron Lewis. “That was a great play. You’ve got to give North Ridgeville all the credit. Coach (Jeff) Riesen called the right play at the right time.”

With 1:20 remaining in the game, and Lakewood leading 14-13, it all came down to a fourth-down and 7 yards to go for North Ridgeville at Lakewood’s 23-yard line.

Lakewood called a timeout.

North Ridgeville quarterback PJ Bunevich stepped back in the pocket and tossed a dart to receiver Christian Watkins who was running a hook route; Watkins caught it, and immediately flipped it to running back David Bowden, who galloped into the end-zone.

It couldn’t have been executed any better for the visiting North Ridgeville Rangers, who improved to 2-0 with the win.

Lakewood, which was hoping to avenge last year’s loss at North Ridgeville, dropped to 1-1.

However, Lakewood has shown some serious signs of improvement.

In fact, the Lakewood Rangers had control most of Friday’s game. 

With most of the scoring taking place during the first quarter, the score remained 14-13 for more than three quarters of action. 

North Ridgeville struck first with a one-yard rushing touchdown by senior running back David Riley, after his squad marched down the field in 18 plays.

Lakewood answered right away, five plays later, with a 3-yard rushing touchdown by senior running back Ben Fitchwell, set up by a 65-yard pass from senior quarterback Aturo Morgan to senior tight end Zach Hogya.

North Ridgeville responded two plays later when senior running back David Bowden — who gave Lakewood trouble all night — broke free for a 74-yard dash for a touchdown. The extra point was no-good.

Of course, Lakewood answered with another drive of its own, led by junior tailback Jovon Young, and capped by a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Morgan.

It looked like it was going to be a high-scoring affair.

But the score remained 14-13 until the last moments of the game.

At times, both teams played sloppy. The heat and humidity — 92 degrees at kickoff — didn't help either of them.

In the second half, Lakewood’s offense fell flat, gaining only 52 total yards.

“Our defense played well all night,” said Lewis. “The fourth quarter, we had the ball two or three times — we’ve got to make something happen. It was three and out, and we’d have to punt. We just put our defense on the field too much in the fourth quarter.”

“Offensively, we’ve got to help our defense out a little bit, and move the ball.”