It took a half for Lakeside to get going, but once they did, the Rams got rolling.
Scoring four second-half touchdowns, the Rams rallied from 14 points down to beat Sheridan 33-27 in a benefit game Tuesday night at Austin Field.
"It was the first time we've tackled to the ground," said Lakeside coach Jared McBride. "We had a pretty soft offseason, and we haven't gone to the ground all that much. It's hard to defend what (the Yellowjackets) do. Coach (Louis) Campbell does a good job with that (Wing T) scheme, and you better be where you're supposed to be and tackle and make the play. We didn't do that in the first few reps, but I like the way our kids responded back and played hard. They put the ball in the end zone and created some stops."
Lakeside's first-teamers scored twice in a 12-minute third quarter to make it 21-all. The Rams converted twice on third down in a 70-yard drive, Clint Smedley keeping for 22 yards and Colt Housley scoring from the two.
Lakeside stopped Sheridan on both timed possessions, Housley plunging one yard with five seconds left in the third. Beau Uzick carried four times for 38 yards and Smedley scrambled for 16 on third and 12, the senior quarterback totaling 51 yards on three carries.
"We're going to have to be tough (offensively)," McBride said. "We're going to have to rotate some kids out of there, and we're going to have to create yards. I like my group up front, and we're going to have to control the line of scrimmage. If you let Clint get loose, he's going to hurt you. He can be a game changer and a difference maker for us."
Sheridan made its share of big plays, three for 65 or more 50 yards. Brockton Brown's 70-yard run on the first play of the final period put the Yellowjackets up 27-21.
"They were blitzing everybody and blitzing a lot, and when you pick it up, you have a chance," Campbell said. "When you break it, the middle of the field is wide open from then on. We had some big runs -- we also had some bad plays -- so you measure it all out when you get to the end."
Lakeside tied it, 27-all, when JD Miller returned a fumble 36 yards after the Rams batted an option pitch at the line of scrimmage. Sophomore Ryan Viscardis ran 56 yards for the winning touchdown on the Rams' third-to-last play of the game.
"It's a full-team effort for sure," McBride said. "We've got three guys at running back who are going to have to rotate and play. We've got two-deep at the receivers who are going to have to rotate and play. We've got kids playing on the offensive side and defensive side, so it's going to take a full-team effort each week for us."
Reserves kept Lakeside it in early, Fisher Alexander's 38-yard pass to Vincent Marteny pulling the Rams within 14-7.
With each side getting 10-, eight- and six-play series in the first half, the Yellowjackets ran the Wing T on a seven-play, 70-yard scoring drive. Fullback Eli Anderson broke for 29 yards up the middle, and Cameron Blair swept left end for the last five.
"I thought when we had our ones together, I was very pleased," Campbell said. "I thought they executed and played well and played as a team. I'm excited about how they did."
Sheridan's running resulted in three Yellowjacket quarterbacks completing four of five passes for 114 yards, Brandon Bennett hitting Brady Bibb on a 66-yard wheel route for a 14-0 lead. It was 21-7 at halftime after Cameron Olds' 70-yard blast up the middle.
"Any time you can run the ball effectively, you're going to have a chance to throw it effectively," Campbell said.
Sophomore linebacker Jack Henry Hill stood out on the Lakeside defense, leading the scrimmage in tackles (five) and recording a pair of sacks.
"He's a good football player. He's got a nose for the football," McBride said. "It's tough practicing against him. He's always making plays. You can't screen him because he's always making plays. He's not that big, but he's a sure-tackling linebacker."
Lakeside opens the regular season against Lincoln at 5:30 p.m. Monday at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.
Sports on 08/28/2014