By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

A week ago, the Lakers bulldozed Yarmouth to the tune of 300 yards running the ball to score 40 points and win their football opener.

Mt. Ararat/Hyde used the same formula to hand Lake Region its first loss.

The Eagles (2-0) gashed LR’s defense for 342 yards with senior Dash Farrell scoring three touchdowns for a 30-20 win at Art Kilborn Athletic Complex Friday night.

Eagle quarterback Trent Bailey tossed just three passes, completing two including a 10-yard strike to Kurt Coen for a total of 38 yards.

Lake Region (1-1) fell behind 12-0 in the first quarter as the Eagles gave the home team a steady diet of Farrell inside runs and occasional bounces to the outside.

Farrell was a work horse, carrying the ball 7 of the 10 plays on the Eagles’ opening drive for 51 yards capped off by Bailey’s TD toss.

Farrell bolted through a huge hole off tackle on the Eagles’ next possession for a 55-yard TD with 14.6 seconds left in the quarter.

Following an electric kick return by Matthew Mansula (22 yards), the Lakers clawed back as senior quarterback Brock Gibbons rumbled for 39 yards and then lofted a jump ball in the end zone from 17 yards out, which wideout Jaiden Meehan (122 receiving yards) leaped high and snatched the toss with defender Micah Westbrooks draped on his back side. The Eagles stuffed Gibbons (108 yards rushing) short of the goal line on the 2-point conversion.

LR went right back to work when Jackson Libby bounced an onside kick down the sideline, recovered by Sethlen Lester at the M-43.

Gibbons (134 yards passing) zipped three straight passes to Meehan on an out-pattern, good for 7, 6 and 4 yards. On second down, Meehan again went toward the sideline, but this time, turned his route up the field, leaving the Eagle defender behind, good for a wide-open 25-yard TD. The 2-point pass conversion failed.

The Eagles regained the lead when junior running back Nick Doughty found some daylight off tackle, and rumbled 78 yards for a TD with 5:02 left in the half. Gibbons broke up the 2-point conversion pass.

Like the Eagles, the Lakers stuck with what was working — the Gibbons to Meehan connection. With the LR line of Aaron Wilkinson, Cooper Miller, Braydan Wilson and Jackson Libby providing ample time to set, look and throw — Gibbons hooked up with Meehan for 16 yards down the sideline and then went to Meehan again, this time the Eagles defender being flagged for pass interference.

Gibbons followed solid blocks off the right side and bulled past MTA/H defenders for an 11-yard TD run with 4:13 left in the half. He added the 2-point run for a 20-18 Laker lead.

A bobbled snap by Bailey and LR recovery by Chris Caron put Coach Mike Meehan’s crew back in business with 3:06 left. LR reached the L-47, but were unable to complete balls over the middle to Lester and Libby, forcing a punt.

The Eagles did not veer from their game plan. With a dash of Farrell and Doughty, the Eagles rushed 12 times and drove 69 yards on their opening possession of the second half to regain the lead, 24-20 as Farrell scored from 6 yards out. Doughty tried a 2-point run conversion, but was stuffed by LR linebacker Nolan Cummings.

The Lakers looked to answer, opening the drive with another nifty high-wire grab by Meehan along the sideline for 21 yards. But, the Lakers misfired on three passes, while also being tagged for two penalties (motion and holding) as the drive stalled.

Desperately needing a defensive stand to keep it a one-score game, the Lakers suffered two big mistakes — first, a defensive encroachment penalty on fourth down and the Eagles needing 4 yards; then Bailey finding Farrell for a 28-yard gain, erasing a 2nd-and-12 situation, moving the ball to the LR-1 as Landon Ross made the saving tackle.

LR found some extra juice, as Jackson Libby sliced into the Eagle backfield and dropped Doughty for a 3-yard loss. Then, Brayden Wilson upended Farrell for just a yard gain. But, Farrell delivered the knockout punch, barreling into the end zone from 3 yards out with 5:07 left in regulation. Wilson tackled Doughty to prevent the 2-point conversion run.

Down 10 was tough enough, but trying to make a comeback with starting quarterback Brock Gibbons on the bench due to an ankle injury was just too tall of a task for the Lakers. LR had to move their best receiver, Jaiden Meehan, to quarterback — and the drive went nowhere with a holding penalty and 3 incompletions.

A Farrell fumble, recovered by Braydan Wilson, proved the LR faithful with some hope with 3:22 left, but the Eagles got the ball right back as Meehan’s pass down the middle was intercepted by Micah Westbrooks, whom Meehan had torched in the passing game most of the night.

On a positive note, fans raised nearly $500 in donations for the Maine Football Coaches Association. So, not all was lost for the Lakers on a great night for football in Naples.

Stat Line

First Downs: LR 15, Eagles 19

Penalties: LR 12-114, Eagles 4-20

Passing: Gibbons 12-of-25, 134 yards

Rushing: Gibbons 16-108

Receiving: Meehan 10-122, Sean Murphy 1-12

Tackles: Nolan Cummings 8, Brock Gibbons 6, Landon Ross 6, Wesley Obermeyer 5, Braydan Wilson 3, Sean Murphy 2, Chris Caron 2, Jackson Libby 1, Titus Benton 1.

Up next: The Lakers travel to Kittery on Saturday to take on Traip Academy at 1:30 p.m. TA beat Telstar 32-8 last week.