Team

Lakeview

Record	Div.	Conf.
9/2	Div. IV	All-American Conference White Tier

Team

Hubbard

Record	Div.	Conf.
5/5	Div. IV	All-American Conference White Tier

By John Bassetti

bassetti@vindy.com

CORTLAND

When Hubbard used the wind to its advantage during Mike Lopuchovsky’s 52-yard field goal to end the first half with a 10-0 lead, the Eagles were somewhat confident, yet cautious that Lakeview posed a danger.

Their suspicion was correct as the Bulldogs took the wind out of Hubbard’s sails in the next 24 minutes of an American Athletic Conference White Tier battle and won, 21-18.

“We had a nice momentum shift on that field goal at the end of the first half to go up, 10-0,” Hubbard coach Brian Hoffman said. “We moved the ball in the second half but didn’t finish drives. We left the door open and they crept back into it.”

Lakeview (3-2, 2-0) did gain slowly, first using the hook-and-ladder play and slick running by Trevor West to set up the Bulldogs’ first touchdown, a 1-yard run and Clint Hess conversion kick that pulled the home team within 10-7 with 3:23 remaining in the third quarter.

In the drive, the hook-and-ladder involved Anthony Franco’s pass to Toma Leveto, who then tossed a lateral to Louie Novakovich for a 12 yard gain.

It seemed to be the play of choice in the second half as the Bulldogs pulled off the same gimmick when Leveto caught Franco’s pass, then tossed the ball to Novakovich for a 7-yard pick-up during a drive that resulted in a 2-yard West TD with 2:38 to go. Hess’ kick put Lakeview ahead for good, 14-10.

After Hubbard (3-2, 1-1) failed to advance when faced with 4th-and-7 at its 25, Lakeview took over and Franco’s 25-yard keeper for a touchdown and Hess’ PAT put the Bulldogs up, 21-10, with 2:10 remaining.

Hubbard executed its own hook-and-ladder when quarterback Mike Lopuchovsky’s short pass to Tyler Duez and Duez’ successive lateral to Dan Duvall had the Eagles within striking distance, 21-16.

The Eagles got their final two points with 10.2 seconds left when Franco ran out of the end zone for a safety.

“We’ve been practicing it, so we might as well use it,” Lakeview coach Tom Pavlansky said of the hook-and-ladder.

To open the drive that concluded with West’s 2-yard TD, Lakeview provided fireworks when Franco threw long to Drew Bell to complete a 59-yard run.

“We had success with that early in the third quarter,” Pavlansky said of a similar pass play to Novakovich for a 19-yard game. “We thought they’d be in man coverage, which they were most of the night, and our kids executed. It was the second or third option for Anthony. You don’t find many quarterbacks at this level who can go from one to two to three [options]. We’re fortunate that Anthony can [in terms of his reads]. Drew [Bell] was exactly where he had to be and I couldn’t be more proud of him and everyone else.”