The Laker fateful came out in full force Friday to watch Glen Lake battle Kalkaska during Homecoming Friday.
Glen Lake came back from 0-13 in the first half to rout Kalkaska 44-13.
“(Coming back) showed mental toughness and we managed to take some punches,” Glen Lake coach Jesse Smith said.
Kalkaska got on the board first with a 19-yard run to take a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. The Blazers would drive down the field again and score on a 2-yard rush to take a commanding 13-0 lead.
Finally the wheels started to turn for the Lakers when Fletcher Middleton scored on a 1-yard rushing touchdown (137).
On the next possession, the Lakers took advantage of a sloppy Kalkaska play to force a safety. After that moment, all momentum came to a screeching halt for the Blazers. After the ensuing safety-punt return, Glen Lake senior Benji Allen scored on a 6-yard touchdown run to go into halftime 16-13.
Glen Lake seniors Jessie Pugh and Wade Daniels were named Laker royalty as King and Queen.
The Glen Lake marching band rocked the halftime show in front of a packed house.
The Lakers quickly ran away with the game in the second half to win its first homecoming game in three years.
Middleton scored another 1-yard touchdown, followed by a 33-yard touchdown pass from Allen to senior Boden Fisher to take a 30-13 lead going into the fourth quarter.
Fletcher Middleton finished the day with 55 rushing yards, and Fisher had three catches for 91 yards.
Glen Lake running backs Sam Dykstra and Jacob Peplinski both score 1-yard touchdown runs to finish the successful homecoming for the Lakers. Dykstra had 70 rushing yards.
Defensively, patrolled with force against Kalkaska with 10.5 tackles and one tackle for loss. The Lakers had five tackles for loss during the game. Glen Lake held the at times potent Kalkaska offense to 34 yards passing and 143 yards rushing on 40 attempts.
Glen Lake senior quarterback went 5-8 for 134 passing yards. Wade Daniels had one reception for 40 yards and Noah Scott had one reception for 14 yards.
The Lakers went 6-8 on third down to sustain a long drive throughout the game.
Glen Lake will have to clean up 11 penalties for 67 yards to continue its winning ways.
The Lakers (5-1) host Johannesburg-Lewiston on Friday.
“Another tough team and conference game,” Smith said.
Glen Lake controls its destiny at this moment in the season as The Lakers lead the Northwest Conference with two conference games left in the season. If all things go to plan, Glen Lake will be playing Saginaw Valley Lutheran with playoff seeding on the line.
“Right now we are focused on staying healthy and focused on what we’ve been working on and we have to keep that aggression because in the playoffs it’s win or go home,” Smith said.
