By Greg Gielczyk
LocalSportsJournal.com

Mason County Central’s football team needed a win in Friday night’s game in Lakeview to end the season on a positive note after all the struggles the Spartans have endured.

But there were only smiles after the Spartans throttled Lakeview, 54-24 in the regular season finale for both teams at Lakeview, and head coach Scott Briggs might have had the biggest grin of them all.

“Everybody got into the game. We just got to do as coaches everything we wanted to do in a last game,” Spartans head coach Scott Briggs said. “We got to try some different things to give some kids a chance to do some things.

“We were able to do all that, so it was a good game. Everyone came away from the game with some great memories, which was a big goal of the night, for the seniors go out and for the underclassmen to sort of get a little incentive to get into the weight room to do what they need to do in the off-season.

“I thought that we accomplished a lot of those things, with the way the night went.”

Kolden Myer got the Spartans on the board first when he hauled in a 25-yard pass from Ethan Wood for an 8-0 lead. But, it stayed close for awhile.

Lakeview scored to close within two points, 8-6. The Spartans would answer when Wood carried the ball himself on an 11-yard touchdown run to make it 14-6.

After the Spartans lead shrank to two again, 14-12, Xander Gajeski busted loose for a 60-yard touchdown scamper to extend their lead to 20-12 in the second quarter.

The Spartans scored again a few minutes later, Wood going in from 12 yards out and Eathen Huffman raced 31 yards for a touchdown and the lead grew to 32-12.

Lakeview scored to cut the Spartans lead to 32-18, but the Spartans struck quickly when Riley McLouth gathered in the ensuing kickoff and raced 50 yards for a touchdown and the two-point conversion extended the Spartans lead to 40-18. Lakeview scored before half to make it 40-24 at the intermission.

That was the end of Lakeview’s scoring for the night, while the Spartans put a capper on the win on a 14-yard run by Wood nd a 13-yard run by Gajeski.

“When everybody comes away with a good, positive feeling after the last week of the season, they just have that much willingness to do what they need to do in the off-season,” said Briggs.

“I fel that we accomplished that this past week. The junior high team started off well, and then the junior varsity followed through on Thursday and the varsity followed through tonight.

“Everything is a positive vibe right now. If we just can get the community to jump on  board. I think once the community jumps on board, that the kids will jump on board. Some special things can happen then.”

Gajeski led the Spartans in rushing with 149 yards on nine carries with two touchdowns, Wood gained 77 on nine attempts with three touchdowns, Peyton Merz had 55 yards on five attempts and Gage Ruiz gained 21 on seven tries.

Wood was 3-for-4 passing for 53 yards and a touchdown. Myer caught one pass for 25 yards, and Ruiz and McLouth each had one for 14.

McLouth was the leading tackler with 13 stops, Myer was in on 11, Jacob Johnson seven and Wood six.