Facing the No. 1 ranked team in the state, the Duxbury Dragons, the Silver Lake High School football team had an opportunity to prove themselves as the top team on the South Shore. And while it was tightly contested for much of the first half, the Lakers unraveled late and fell, 55-14. With the loss, they fall to 4-1 while the Dragons improve to 5-0.
After fumbling, the Lakers surrendered the first score of the game. But they responded quickly. Quarterback Alex Snell’s 5-yard touchdown rush lit the scoreboard on the Lakers side, making it a 7-6 game (the Lakers’ extra point attempt was blocked).
With 4:51 remaining in the first half, a 7-yard touchdown run by Phil Lashley put the Lakers a field goal away from taking the lead. They trailed, 14-12 at the time.
After Lashley’s touchdown, the Dragons began pulling away. Their potent air raiding offense clicked as they threw 45-yard and 70-yard touchdown passes before the end of the half, going into the locker room with a 16-point lead.
The Dragons played stout defense in the second half, preventing the Lakers offense from scoring again. The Lakers only second half score came on special teams — a blocked PAT attempt returned for two points, cutting the Dragons lead to 34-14.
Towards the end of the second half, both teams got their second units on the field.
With the win, it appears as though the Dragons will likely win the league title, although both sides do have two league games remaining. To win the league title, the Lakers would need the Dragons to lose both of their next two league games. This includes one against a winless Quincy Presidents squad next Friday night, who has allowed over 40 points per game this season and has scored just two touchdowns in five games — and zero against opposing team’s first units. The Lakers beat the Presidents, 40-7, earlier this season.
While a league title now appears unlikely, the Lakers are still in position for a high playoff seeding — which would likely result in home playoff games.
Their next game, a home game, is this Saturday at 3:00 p.m. against Plymouth North, a team who has yet to win a league game this season.
And the following Friday, the Lakers close out their league action at home against the Whitman-Hanson Panthers (7:00 p.m. start time). Like the Lakers, the Panthers lone defeat this season came against Duxbury.