The Lakeside Panthers defeated the Bradwell Institute Tigers 59-20 on Friday, Oct. 25, securing a first-round home playoff game.
The Panthers recently endured a grueling stretch of three games in eight days due to rescheduling after Hurricane Helene. The final game was against Brunswick, the top-ranked team in Region 1-AAAAA. The Pirates handed the Panthers their first loss of the season 61-34 on Oct. 18.
“To be back on a normal schedule is a big-time relief,” Lakeside coach Steve Hibbitts said. “The kids were exhausted, but they played their butts off in those three games and came back this week and got straight to work.”
Lakeside took control early, with quarterback Ty Jones connecting with Mikeal Grissom on a 21-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. This early score previewed a dominant performance by the Panthers.
Bradwell Institute struggled to cross midfield on its opening drive, giving the Panthers a favorable field position. This pattern continued throughout the game with Lakeside’s defense consistently holding the Tigers in check.
The Panthers entered halftime leading 45-6 after the Tigers returned a kickoff for a touchdown late in the first half. However, Bradwell Institute missed the extra point following a botched snap.
“The team was relentless on both sides of the ball tonight,” Hibbitts said. “They were still kind of ticked off after last week against Brunswick.”
In the second half, the Panthers shifted to a more conservative game plan as the clock ran continuously, with most of the Panther’s starters on the sideline. Lakeside maintained control with a strong defensive showing and scoring on occasion.
The Panthers ultimately came out on top, winning 59-20 over Bradwell Institute.
With this victory, Lakeside secured the No. 2 seed in the region and a first-round home playoff game. The Panthers will host the No. 3 seed from Region 5-AAAAA, likely either East Paulding or New Manchester.
This win marks the first time the Panthers have hosted a home playoff game since the 2009 season when they hosted both Statesboro and Westside of Macon.
“These kids worked their butts off this season and clinching tonight is a reward for them,” Hibbitts said.
Before the playoffs, however, the Panthers will face Statesboro on Nov. 8, following a much needed bye week.
“There were a couple of drives tonight that we should’ve finished better,” Hibbitts said. “We are going to use this bye week to heal up. Probably going to be a lot of ice baths, just making sure everyone is ready to go.”
Jaxon Garner is an Augusta University student.
