The Final Play

The Lakeland Hawks suffered a heartbreaking loss in the 5A semifinals to the Hillcrest Knights.

The tough loss to end the Hawks 2024 season, but even though the outcome was not in their favor, the Hawks still put up one tough fight all game long. Taking a very quick lead in the first quarter 14-0. With spirits high heading into the second quarter, the Hawks had both feet on the gas pedal.

“I think we all felt pretty good about the start of the game but we knew we had a long game ahead of us,” Cyler Bauer said.

The Knights were ready to get some points on the board putting up a solid 14 points. Lakeland responds with a touchdown of their own to keep their lead heading into halftime.

As the third quarter came upon both teams, the Knights knew the football they were playing was not going to cut it against this Hawks team. Both teams’ defenses stepped it up in the third holding each team to just one touchdown.

The Hawks still kept their lead going into the fourth quarter, prepared to do whatever it took to seal this game off and secure a trip to the state championship.

The Knights had other plans, stacking 21 points on the Hawks’ defense in just one quarter, putting the game out of reach in the final seconds of the game, sending the Hawks home with a devastating playoff loss.

The Hawks received the Idaho third-place trophy as well as Minico who suffered a loss from the Skyline Grizzlies.

It was an emotional loss especially for these Lakeland seniors. For many, High School football is the last time these boys will ever wear pads again, strap on a helmet, and feel the love from a home crowd on a cold Friday night under the lights.

“Life without football is something that I’ve never had to experience before,” Haydon Benson said.

Life without football is an extremely hard transition for players. To build a life, lifelong friends, and beautiful memories all around one sport, and then have it taken away so suddenly is a feeling that many High School athletes fear.

A football team is never just a team, it’s a family, a home, and a bond that can never be broken. A band of brothers that you learn to love throughout the season, and most don’t even realize it.

“It’s always been more than just a game for me,” Lovie Weil said.

As the Hawks season comes to an end, the state championship has officially been scheduled, Skyline and Hillcrest will battle it out for a chance to possess a state title and bring home a trophy.

As Scotty Mcreery once said  “Man, next time to get in here, I’ll have to buy a ticket can you give me 5 more minutes”