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Football: Lakeland 55, Sickles 26

 
Published Nov. 14, 2015

LAKELAND — It was defense that earned Sickles a spot in the 7A playoffs and a first-round game against six-time state champion Lakeland. Once there, it was that same unit — which posted seven shutouts in 10 games during the regular season — that failed the Gryphons.

Against a Sickles defense that came in giving up just 7.2 points per game, the Dreadnaught offense stole the show Friday, as running back Xzavier Allen rushed for five touchdowns on the way to a 55-26 victory.

Lakeland will host Plant in next week's 7A region semifinal.

Based on Sickles' first play of the game, a 74-yard run from Kelvin Clemmons, it appeared the Gryphons might be able to keep up. But the Lakeland defense followed with a goal-line stand to keep the Gryphons out of the end zone, and Sickles had to settle for a 22-yard field goal from Dillon O'Connor.

Its lead wouldn't stand for long. Lakeland's AJ Davis took the ensuing kickoff 81 yards for a touchdown. After Davis' score, the Dreadnaughts (9-2) recovered a fumble and converted four third downs to score four more touchdowns in the first half, three by Allen.

"They have a great quarterback, some stud receivers," Sickles quarterback Chris Oladokun said. "They're a high-power offense. I expect to see them far in the playoffs."

Despite trailing by 25, Sickles (8-3) wasn't yet ready to roll over. It responded when, once again, Clemmons broke off a long play, this time a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown early in the second half.

Moments later, the Gryphons forced Lakeland to punt for the first time, and it was short. Oladokun found the end zone soon after on a 6-yard touchdown run, and O'Connor kicked another field goal just seconds before halftime, this time from 35 yards. Sickles trailed 34-19 at the half.

"I know for us seniors, each and every one of us left it on the field. Kelvin created some real good sparks for us, and we didn't give up in the first half," Oladokun said. "I think we were down 28-3, and for us to cut it down … it shows what we were about all year."

After the break, the Gryphon defense came in hot, making their second stop of the night, and the Lakeland punter was down when he received the snap, giving Sickles a short field.

But for Sickles, things only went downhill from there.

Oladokun threw an interception on the first play of the ensuing drive. The Gryphons' next drive ended with a fumble, and their third went for negative yardage. Meanwhile, the Dreadnaught offense was as active as ever, scoring three more TDs, two by Allen.

The few bright spots for Sickles came from Clemmons' long dashes and Oladokun, a USF commit, who went 10-of-15 for 137 yards and two touchdowns, including one in the closing seconds of the game.

But in the end, the very thing Sickles had leaned on all season finally met a task too great to overcome.

"They were hard to tackle. They were very physical players," Sickles coach Brian Turner said. "We gave them some easy stuff. We could have made it better, but they're the better team."