STATE 5A FOOTBALL SEMIFINALS: Lakeland falls short in bid for first title game appearance since 2001

AMMON — It was all going according to plan. 

The offense was humming. 

The defense was making plays when it needed to. 

It had all the makings of a storybook finish for the Lakeland football team. 

Then, it didn’t. 

Lakeland senior tailback Lovie Weil scored on a 16-yard run to give the third-seeded Hawks a 28-14 lead after the third quarter, but the second-seeded Hillcrest Knights scored 28 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to capture a 42-28 win in the state 5A football semifinals. 

Lakeland, bidding for its first appearance in a title game since 2001, finishes 9-3.

“The first half went exactly as we planned,” Lakeland coach Mike Schroeder said. “We closed the half with a disappointing drive on defense, and they cut the deficit to 21-14 at halftime.” 

Weil scored on a 16-yard touchdown run to give Lakeland a 28-14 lead with 4:27 remaining in the third before Hillcrest rallied to tie the game at 28 early in the fourth quarter. 

“When they scored right before the half, it took some of the wind out of our sails,” said Schroeder, who coached Emmett to a state 3A title in 2015. “We rallied a bit at halftime and came out and scored and took the momentum.” 

Snow began falling early in the second quarter and had blanketed the field by the fourth quarter, when Hillcrest scored 28 points to rally. 

“I think it was a game of momentum and stretches for a bit,” Schroeder said. “It was tied 28-28, and we had a 70-yard touchdown called back and we just didn’t play well after that.” 

Lakeland won its first home playoff games since 2007 by beating Shelley in the opening round on Nov. 1. 

“I told this team, especially in this state, it’s hard to win on the road,” Schroeder said. “You’re not playing a neutral site. You’re playing at their high school stadium. Hillcrest is a very good football team and deserved what they got out of that victory.” 

Hillcrest (9-3) will face the winner of today’s game between Skyline and Minico in the title game next weekend. 

Lakeland    14    7    7    0    —    28 

Hillcrest        0    14    0    28    —    42 

First quarter 

LL — Lovie Weil 2 run (Parker Sterling kick), 6:41 

LL — Weil 52 run (Sterling kick), 1:03 

Second quarter 

Hill — Tyson Sweetwood 3 run (run failed), 4:31 

LL — Weil 16 run (Sterling kick), 1:21 

Hill — Markus Webster 11 pass from Sweetwood (Jace Judy pass from Sweetwood), :11 

Third quarter 

LL — Weil 16 run (Sterling kick), 4:27 

Full scoring plays not available. 

JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY Lakeland senior running back Lovie Weil gets into the end zone during Friday's state 5A football semifinal game against Hillcrest at Westmark Stadium.