Lions fall to Cavaliers 41-18 in first defeat

The Lockhart Lions suffered their first defeat of the season on Friday night at the hands of the Lake Travis Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers came to Lions Stadium ready to throw the ball. On the opening drive they did just that . Quarterback Todd Reesing and his offensive mates marched the ball down the field.
The Lion defense stiffened and, after a sack by Willie Hi

ll broke up a fourth-down pass, took the ball for the Lions.
Lockhart”s offense offered up an eight-play drive that took nearly three minutes off the clock. Hill had two catches for 20 yards and Thomas Collins added an 11-yard catch. Nick Jones picked up 21 yards on a reverse, giving Collins the opportunity to find the end zone on a 4-yard run.
The Cavaliers” powerhouse tailback Luke Lagera took over at the kickoff. After a fumble, Lagera took the ball 91 yards up the left sideline to tie the score at 7-7.
According to Monsen, Lagera”s run was the play that changed the game.
On their next possession, the Lions were forced to punt. Joey Uker launched a beautiful punt that came down at the 2-yard line. On the next snap, Lagera grabbed 98 yards, untouched. The play was called back on clip call on the Cavaliers.
Lake Travis started over at the 6, and the Lions were able to hold on and end the quarter at 7-7.
The second quarter began with Lagera putting the ball on the ground and Zach Alfier recovering for Lockhart. Once again, the Lions were forced to punt.
The Cavaliers answered by taking a lead that they would not relinquish for the rest of the evening. After four plays, Reesing hooked up with Andrew Nell for a 13-yard touchdown pass, pulling the Cavaliers ahead 14-7.
When a second-quarter injury took Collins out of the game, the Lions looked to Hill. On their next drive, Hill carried five times for 29 yards before Uker fumbled the sixth play of the drive and Lake Travis recovered.
The Cavaliers got on the board again quickly. On the second play of the drive, Reesing hit Lagera with a 47-yard touchdown pass, increasing the score to 21-7.
The Lions” next drive ended in another punt and Lake Travis went on the move again. Five plays later, a 4-yard touchdown run from Lagera sent the Lions to the locker room trailing the Cavaliers 28-7.
The Lions experienced another first coming out of the locker room. They were unable to score on their first drive of the half and were forced into another punt. The Lions” defense then forced a fumble, which Ira Woolridge pounced on for Lockhart.
The Lions offense took the field and started a five-play drive. Despite Hill”s 42-yard romp that took the Lions all the way to the 3, they not get to the end zone. They were, however, able to pick up three on a 20-yard field goal by David Moore.
Once again, Reesing found Lagera, this time on a 75-yard touchdown pass that increased the Cavaliers” lead to 34-10.
The Lions offense came back to the field to march 69 yards in 10 plays. Hill carried six times for 54 of those yards, and Uker found the end zone from 4 yards out. Jacob Alvarez then teamed up with Hill for two more points, finishing the third quarter, and the Lions” scoring, at 34-18.
The Cavaliers finished sealing up the 41-18 victory during their first drive of the fourth quarter, when Lagera scored his fifth touchdown of the night on a 5-yard run.
Hill finished the night with a total of 145 yards on 17 carries.
“It was just one of those nights,” Monsen said. “Good things happened for them early and bad [things] for us early. Lake Travis is a good team, and to give them credit, they played well.”
Monsen finished by saying that one game does not make the season. The Lions will have the chance to prove Monsen right on Friday night when they travel to Gonzales to face the Apaches. The continued non-district action begins at 7:30 p.m.