Lions knock off rival Cardinals
Coach Mario Lane likes his football team’s energy. The H.W. Byers Lions traveled a few miles across Marshall County Friday night to knock off Potts Camp 47-32. But he wants to see the fire for a full game.
“The last two weeks we have gotten off to fast starts, and then we have to hold on to finish the game,” he said. “We need to be able to come out from halftime with the same energy and effort as we do in the first half.”
The Lions, 5-2 overall, got off to a winning start in District 2-1A play. They also accomplished a clean sweep of county foes Byhalia, Holly Springs and Potts Camp.
“I am liking the improvement I have seen versus where we were when we began the season,” said Lane, in his first season at Byers. “We don’t have many (on the roster), but they show up to practice and do whatever I ask them.”
Quarterback Corey Willis Jr. turned in yet another stellar showing. He was 16 of 22 passing for 381 yards and five touchdowns. He added nine rushes for 65 yards, one touchdown and three of five twopoint conversions. Jayden Lesueur was on the receiving end of nine of those tosses, good for 305 yards and three touchdowns. He also had a 13yard punt return. KeSean Lafrance had one catch for 17 yards and 18 carries for 72 yards, two touchdowns and a two-point conversion.
Leading the Byers defense in the win were Andreco Oneal with 12 tackles, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble, and Jessie Hughes Jr. with 10 tackles, one tackle for loss and a pass break-up. Anterio Guy had seven tackles and two interceptions and Lesueur six total tackles.
“We have a great group of guys, and we are just taking it one game at a time,” said Lane, whose Lions will host Falkner (3-4) this Friday night in a district clash.
Potts Camp ran the football 30 times for 345 yards and five touchdowns in the loss to rival Byers. Jeffrey Curry had 16 rushes for 196 yards and four touchdowns, Tylan Love eight carries for 124 yards, Malachi Brownlee five rushes for 23 yards and a touchdown, and Aaron Gilmer one carry for 2 yards. Gilmer was 11 of 16 passing for 77 yards. Braxton Totten had eight receptions for 51 yards. The Cardinals committed four turnovers, two fumbles and two interceptions.
“We just couldn’t stop them,” said Chris Daniels, head coach of the Cardinals. “They did whatever they wanted to against us.”
Potts Camp (2-4 overall and 0-1 in the district) will travel a short distance to Ashland (0-7) this Friday night for a district contest.