Luckily the Silver Lake High football team has some great blocking and excellent speed on special teams.
The Lakers were nearly handed a loss the first week of the season, but their kick returner, Diamani Williams, made sure that did not happen. With 1:20 left in the game, he had a 75-yard kick return for a touchdown to give his team a 24-19 advantage over the North Quincy Red Raiders.
That would also end up being the final score, so the Lakers ended up earning their first win of the season against a league opponent at Veteran’s Stadium in Quincy on Friday, Sept. 8.
Prior to the touchdown on the kick return from Williams, North Quincy had just scored and taken a 19-18 lead in the ballgame. If it were not for the return, the Lakers might not have come out on top, even though they had plenty of success on the ground throughout the contest.
In order for that to happen, the Lakers had to take the lead first. They did so on a 48-yard touchdown run from Patrick Lashley, a sophomore running back. Not only was the play a touchdown, but it was also a fourth down conversion at midfield, so it was certainly a game-changing play.
Phil Lashley also had a pair of touchdown runs for the Lakers in the contest; he ran for over 1,000 yards a year ago and is the Lakers primary back once again.
Senior Tanner Boyd got the start at quarterback for Silver Lake. In the preseason, he and sophomore Jesse Miller battled for the starting job.
The Lakers next game is their home opener this Friday, Sept. 15, against Oliver Ames. A week later, they host the Quincy High Presidents in their first game of the year against a divisional opponent.