Three more guaranteed games.
That is all Lakeland High School (LHS) senior football players have guaranteed.
“Beside their commitment to the school and football program other than that they have had high character and really just great honesty and humility about playing the game of football,” Head football coach at LHS, Mike Schroeder said.
With a season of not a single loss, beating Post Falls High School (PFHS) on their homecoming night this year, returning the favor of the win against us last year. As well as winning all the games that make a football season, like senior night and the LHS homecoming game.
“Overall you have got to think this is the first class of freshman that has been in the program for four years with the faculty and principles I want in the program,” Schroeder said.
This team has been playing the game together since middle school. Even some starting as early as third grade. Their bonds have grown over the years, making this more than just a team.
“Jace Taylor and I always practiced together all summer, but did not really talk,” Dreyden Smith said, “On the first day of school in seventh grade, I went and sat by him and we started talking. As a joke he asked me to be his bodyguard.”
Their seventh grade year they went undefeated. In eighth grade, the team only lost two games.
Their first high school season together on the freshman team, they went 7-1 only losing to the Coeur d’ Alene Vikings. They ended up winning their league that year.
Sophomore year, the class split up and the season they lost the first round.
Schoeder said the reason why the class wasn’t great is because half of the sophomores had to be pulled up to varsity to fill out teams correctly.
Junior year they were back together as a team and were able to place third in state. Senior year is still going on but they are looking better and are having a better season. Working Hard All Year
For the last four summers, these seniors have been working together five days a week with their days starting before 7 a.m. and ending practice around 10 a.m. Experiencing some of the toughest workouts in the summer.
“Waking up at like 6:30 was bad, but actually working out in the morning was great because then you would be ready for the day,” Aiden Huezo, senior starting offensive lineman, said, “Everyone is like, ‘This sucks,’ but you are all in the same mindset of we all have to get through this, it is going to make us better.”
The summer workouts they were put through made them stronger.
Summer workouts consisted of them getting their going to the weight room, then going to the field.
Mid summer they would do no pads. As soon as hell week hits they are on the field full pads for two and half hours, then a 30 minute break, then back on the field for two and a half hours. After all that they made it back up to the weight room.
Although sometimes they felt like they were tired they knew they were all in it together.
“It made us come together, because we’re always together everyday,” senior linebacker and receiver Cash Lund said, “It gave us the trust of each other before the football season.”
More than a Game
This game has been so much more for these boys. The friendships and memories that have been made on the field will last a lifetime.
With Four years of Thursday games, to finally make it up to the Friday night lights to play in front of their parents and other peers.
“A play I will always remember is when I caught a touchdown on Timberlake last year, my first varsity touchdown,” cornerback and receiver Cyler Bauer said.
Stepping on the field for three more times at least, the hope to continue paying up until the state championship game.
“My goal at the beginning of the season was that they make a full commitment to the school and program and community which they have upheld so far,” Schoeder said, “The goal right now with two league games is to win our league.”
High school football players dream of winning state and having an undefeated season.
“I think we are going to get there, we put in so much time in,” Lund said. “We are going to give it a good run at it. We are going to keep practicing the same and keep preparing like we do every week even if it is Timberlake or Hillcrest.”
With some continuing to college and others stepping on a football field for the last time.
“I am happy but sad,” center Daemon Huddleston said, “Football taught me to work hard and to push through the hard times. It is kind of crazy to think we went from being young and playing junior tackle football to being seniors and graduating.”
Everyone will go a different direction, but Friday nights lights bring together a community.
“This season means more from a kid perspective because once I make it to college it is a job,” Jace Taylor, receiver and cornerback, said.
The seniors had a great four years but this is not the end of the Hawks great seasons.
“They are really what I think is the beginning of what can be great,” Schoeder said, “They are following the footsteps of last year’s seniors and creating a tradition.”
Oct. 17th they face the Sandpoint Bulldogs at 7 p.m.
