Spartans avoid scare from Falcons

Lakewood 7, Dunedin 6

By CHRIS GIRANDOLA, Times Correspondent
Published March 20, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG - Clinging to a 7-6 lead with less than two minutes left, Lakewood appeared to be on the brink of an eye-opening loss Monday.

Dunedin had just scored on a pass from junior Anna Gould to junior Cara Trudell in the back corner of the end zone. The Falcons (1-2) were set to shock the Spartans (3-0) when they lined up for a two-point conversion.

But after Gould found Vladona Petricevic along the sideline open, freshman defensive back Latisha Johnson came up with the play of the game, rushing over from the middle of the field to force the Dunedin receiver out-of-bounds with a foot to spare.

"That was a huge play," Lakewood coach Necole Tunsil. "She helped pick us up after we started out slow there in the first half."

Lakewood has not lost a regular-season contest in nearly two years. The Spartans scored when senior captain Kquanise Byrd, who normally starts at running back, found Johnson on a crossing route on a crucial third-down play during the Spartans' drive from its own 20. Senior halfback Innekia Reedy gave Lakewood the lead with an end-around run from the 5. Byrd found Johnson for the extra point.

[Last modified March 20, 2007, 01:24:19]