State 4A football playoffs: Lakeland falters after strong start

POCATELLO — In search of its first victory in the state playoffs since 2007, the No. 11 seed Lakeland Hawks got off to a great start against the No. 6 Skyline Grizzlies.

Lakeland scored the first two touchdowns, only to see Skyline run off 42 straight points en route to a 42-21 victory over the Hawks in a state 4A first round playoff game Thursday night at Holt Arena.

Lakeland finishes 6-4.

Skyline (6-4), the defending state champions who had had an inconsistent regular season this year, advances to play the winner between No. 3 Minico (9-0) and No. 14 Vallivue (5-4) next week in the quarterfinals.

Lakeland led 14-0 on quarterback Devon Suko’s second TD run of the game, this one on the first play of the second quarter.

The score was set up by Suko’s 35-yard completion to Alden Waddington to the Skyline 1.

Skyline got on the board on Kenyon Sadiq’s 1-yard run on fourth down with 4:23 left in the half.

Lakeland forced three turnovers in the first half — a fumble recovery, and interceptions by Thomas Calder and Waddington.

Suko lost a fumble late in the half, and Skyline recovered at the Lakeland 31.

But Waddington intercepted a Grizzlies pass in the end zone in the waning seconds of the half, and the Hawks took a 14-7 lead into the locker room.

Skyline tied it at 14 late in the third quarter when Sadiq took a screen pass from Lachlan Haacke and zipped 48 yards for a touchdown.

Lakeland lost a fumble early in the fourth quarter, and Skyline took the lead on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Haacke to Sadiq with 8:41 left.

Moments later, Isaac Farnsworth of Skyline returned an interception 20 yards for a 28-14 lead.

With just under 4 minutes left, Sadiq took another screen pass from Haacke and raced 26 yards to make it 35-14.

After Lakeland turned it over on downs deep in its own territory, Skyline scored again.

Suko ran 33 yards for his third TD of the game, with 1:16 left.

Lakeland 7 7 0 7 — 21

Skyline 0 7 7 28 — 42

First quarter

LL — Devon Suko run (Owen Forsman kick)

Second quarter

LL — Suko 1 run (Forsman kick)

Sky — Kenyon Sadiq 1 run (Demott kick)

Third quarter

Sky — Sadiq 48 pass from Lachlan Haacke (Demott kick)

Fourth quarter

Sky — Sadiq 3 pass from Haacke (Demott kick)

Sky — Isaac Farnsworth 20 interception return (Demott kick)

Sky — Sadiq 26 pass from Haacke (Demott kick)

Sky — Caden Taggart 11 run (Demott kick)

LL — Suko 33 run (Forsman kick)