Lakeland Pounds Waterford Kettering on the Ground

Friday night was the Chuck Sanders show in the first half. Yet Lakeland had to withstand some big offensive plays by visiting Waterford Kettering in the second half to come away with a 35-19 victory. 

The game was closer than the final score indicated as the Captains (0-5, 0-3 WLAA North) played hard all night and scored on two long passing plays in the second half, capitalizing on defensive breakdowns by the young Lakeland defense. However, Lakeland was able to churn up the yardage on the ground to take control late in the fourth quarter. 

Sanders, the junior wideout and defense back was the biggest difference in the game as the Eagles improved to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in the WLAA North. Sanders had a 25-yard touchdown run and a 10-yard touchdown catch in the first half as Lakeland led 13-0 at the break. He finished with 90 total yards.

Anthony Waite rushed for 157 on 14 carries and a second half touchdown. Josh Orlando scored twice and had 78 yards rushing. 

“We wanted to run it down their throats and we were able to do that better in the second half,” said Sanders, who also plays cornerback on defense. “Our defense needs some work a bit, but our lines did a pretty nice job.” 

Lakeland allowed minus 9 yards rushing in the first half but gave up two long drives to start the third quarter. The Captains drove 75 yards in 10 plays to start the second half, keyed by a 24-yard completion from Chase Kreilach to Alex Spurloch on a 4th-and-6-play. Three plays later Kreliach snuck it in from a yard out to cut the Eagle lead to 13-7. 

After Orlando answered with a 6-yard touchdown run, Kettering struck again on a 72-yard gallop by Alec Spurlock. A missed conversion kept the Lakeland lead at 21-13. 

That’s when the Eagles took control on the ground.

Lakeland hammered the Captains on the ground early in the fourth quarter with Sanders ripping off a 21-yard gain and Waite taking it in for a touchdown from nine yards out. 

Kettering scored again on a long touchdown catch but Orlando found the end zone late in the game to put the Captains away. 

“We need to play our assignments (with more) confidence,” said Lakeland head coach John Maltese. “We straightened some things out with our blocking at half time and it opened (running lanes) for us but we need to be better with our assignments. (Kettering) had good speed and we let them get behind us too much.” 

Lakeland quarterback Casey Palanca threw for 88 yards. Kettering quarterbacks Chase Kreilach and Dalton McCullough combined for 208 yards passing, with a majority of those yards coming on two touchdown plays.

Scoring

• 1st quarter: Lakeland – Chuck Sanders 25-yard TD run (Shane Lyons kick)
• 2nd quarter: Lakeland – Sanders 10-yard TD reception from Casey Palanca (conversion failed) 
• 3rd quarter: Kettering – Chase Kreilach 1-yard TD run (Hanna Huff kick; Lakeland – Josh Orlando 6-yard TD run (Orlando run); Kettering – Alec Spurlock 72-yard TD run (conversion failed) 
• 4th quarter: Lakeland – Anthony Waite 9-yard TD run (Lyons kick); Kettering – Justin Santana 67-yard TD reception from Kreilach (run failed); Lakeland – Josh Orlando 3-yard TD run (Lyons kick)

Stats

Lakeland leading performers:

• Anthony Waite -14 carries, 157 yards, TD
• Chuck Sanders - 3 catches, 49 yards, TD; 4 rushes, 41 yards, TD
• Josh Orlando - 16 carries, 78 yards, 2 TDs
• Austin Bills - 2 sacks
• Jack Flynn - fumble recovery

Key play: Lakeland’s Chuck Sanders was in the process of being dropped for a 9-yard loss with less than five minutes to play in the first half in a play that would have left Lakeland with a 3rd-and-18. But Sanders’ helmet was ripped off as part of a personal foul penalty that gave the Eagles a first down a new life. Lakeland eventually scored a touchdown for a 13-0 lead. 

Up next: Lakeland will get a second shot at a very good Walled Lake team when Central comes to White Lake for homecoming next Friday.