This year, the Lakers dominated the annual Battle of the Lake, winning 42-21. This win has now bumped Lake Oswego to the number one team in their league, as well as in OSAA rankings, with a record of eight wins and one loss. 

Starting out strong, the Lakers scored early in the first quarter, thanks to senior quarterback Jack Layne. Their second touchdown came from senior corner and running back Gabe Olvera later in the first quarter, putting LO in the lead with a score of 14-0. 

Not only was their offense successful but their defense was phenomenal as well. Recovering a Pacer fumble in the first quarter, the Lakers regained possession and were able to continue their incredible offensive plays. Adding to their amazing defense, the Lakers went three-and-out multiple times, two of which were consecutive. 

For those who are less familiar with football terminology, a three and out is when the offensive team fails to get a first down in three plays and is forced to punt, giving the opposing team possession of the ball. This means that the Pacers had three separate drives on offense and weren’t able to score on any of them. For the Lakers, this meant that they were able to stop the offense on these three drives, resulting in three defensive stops. “Our game plan was to never take plays off and keep them off the field and out-play them physically. I think we overachieved in the physical aspect of the game for sure. They had no answer for our pressure on defense,” said senior Dylan Layne, a wide receiver on the team.

Rolling into second quarter, the Lakers scored yet again when Jack Layne threw a 13-yard pass to senior wide receiver and defensive back Justius Lowe putting the score at 21-0. Continuing the streak, Olvera scored again during second quarter, giving LO a lead of 28-0. The Lakers’ strong defense continued after the first quarter, keeping the Pacers from scoring well until the second quarter. But, with only one minute left in the first half, Lakeridge was finally able to put themselves on the scoreboard, ending the first half at Lakers 28 and Pacers 6.

After halftime, both teams put points on the scoreboard during third and fourth quarter, and by the end of the last quarter each team had scored again bringing the Lakers to another victory with a final score of 42-21. Although the Pacers got in a couple more touchdowns, the Laker defense never backed down and was making great plays all night. “Our defense played out of this world,” Lowe said. “I think that establishing our defense early…helped tremendously [with our win].”

Up until their game against West Linn, the Lakers were undefeated going 8-0. The game started out normal for the Lakers, but as it went on they slowly fell behind and the team was unable to make a comeback. “The loss was a wake up call for everyone,” said Dylan Layne. “I think for a moment this year we thought we were unbeatable, so the loss came at a perfect time for us. We sat down, reevaluated our weak spots and had a really strong week of practice because of it.”

Despite their loss to West Linn, the Lakers didn’t let this stop them from coming at Lakeridge with their all. “Last week’s loss was good for us… it motivated us to do better and never be relaxed when we are going up against opponents, no matter who they are,” said Olvera. 

“The loss doesn’t really mean anything but that we need to work harder, and most importantly work together,” Lowe agreed. “[Preparing for this game], we just had to focus and work together instead of pointing fingers at one another because we all know this is a championship team.” And they did exactly that coming out on top yet again.

The Lakers play phenomenally on their own, but the support they receive from the student section is also an incredible factor pushing them to be the best they can be. “Hearing the student section and playing the rivalry team, who we’ve been rivals with for such a long time, really pushes us to play the best that we can,” Olvera said. Adding to his teammate’s sentiments, Dylan Layne explained, “The Laker Army always adds excitement to any game… and to have the support we did for Friday’s game meant so much more. It’s electric and they can make an away game feel almost like a home game with their energy. It’s awesome when I’m on the field and I know that we have the support of the whole student body and community.”

“We accomplished all we hoped for. We showed up, locked in and didn’t give them any chance to take the game from us,” he continued, describing the team’s overall feelings after the game. “The Battle of the Lake is always a crucial game for us. The emotions are higher in that game and I’m proud of how we calmed down and took care of business.”

After an incredible season, the Lakers couldn’t be more ready for playoffs. “I’m feeling great about the season, everything about it is what I expected it to be,” said Lowe. “[We] took a loss, but we definitely bounced back.”

“We have really come together as a team [and] are in a great spot heading into playoffs [where] hopefully we can make a title run,” Dylan Layne agreed. “It’s been everything you hope a senior season would be.”