MADISON TOWNSHIP —
Maybe it was inexperience.
Perhaps it was just a lack of execution at key times.
Nonetheless, the Madison Blue Streaks could not put Lakeview away.
The result was a hard-fought, 26-23, opening night loss against the visiting Bulldogs Friday at Blue Streak Memorial Stadium.
Both teams accumulated similar stats in the game. Madison gained a total of 303 yards to Lakeview’s 300. Both teams had 18 first downs. Both teams lined up to punt just three times each (Madison faked one).
But, critical mistakes (two interceptions and at least four kickoffs out of bounds that gave Lakeview favorable field position) and the inability to stop Lakeview’s running game in the second half was Madison’s undoing, despite holding a 9-7 halftime lead.
Lakeview, who had just 72 yards total in the half, including completing just 3 of 17 passes in the first half, went almost exclusively on the ground in the second half.
Running back Michael Mannella (112 yards, 1 touchdown) and standout receiver/running back Elijah Henderson (94 yards, 2 touchdowns) did most of the damage in leading the Bulldogs to touchdown drives the first three times they touched the ball in the second half.
“We beat ourselves,” Madison coach Tim Willis said of his team that lost 16 lettermen from a year ago. “We made too many mental errors. Our problem was defensively we could never get a stop when we needed to get a stop.
“If we are going to be a good football team, we’re going to have to get better.”
Madison looked anything like an inexperienced team at the onset, as the Blue Streaks scored the first two times they had the ball.
Senior tailback Mark Murray took a direct snap from center and scampered 3 yards for a touchdown, capping a 10-play, 65 yard drive to open the game to give the hosts a 6-0 lead.
Then senior Mason Kensinger converted a 25-yard field goal five minutes later, pushing the lead to 9-0.
But, Lakeview started to make some adjustments, allowing Henderson in shotgun formation to start taking direct snaps from center.
Consequently, the Bulldogs responded with its best drive of the half, marching 55 yards in 10 plays, capped by a one-yard run by Mannella with just under 11 minutes remaining in the half.
“Elijah has to touch the ball a significant amount of times for us to have a chance,” Lakeview coach Tom Palansky said. “You saw tonight, when he has the ball in his hands, he might fall into the category of being special.
“We beat a good, well-coached Madison team tonight. It was a good way to start the season.”
Negin is a freelance writer from Madison Township.
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