Sebastian Kronberger
Football Lakewood

Lakewood Lancers Football Season Preview

Last year was death by a million papercuts for the prideful Lakewood football fan base and head coach Mike Christensen. The Lancers went 3-7 overall and missed the playoffs for the first time in 15 years–making it worse, five of the losses came by three points, including an overtime loss to Wilson.

“Yeah, we lost five games by three points, it was tough,” said Christensen. “But we lost them, we gotta go win them. Our guys haven’t learned how to do that yet. That culture change is a slow process.”

The last four seasons have been tough. The fans are still lining the street to sit on top of their RVs to watch Lancers football games, but the team’s win total has been moving in the wrong direction.

Christensen is in his third year back with the Lancers, a team he previously built into a strong Division 1 program. Lakewood now finds itself in Division 8, hoping to get back into the playoffs after missing them by just a game last year; if the Lancers can get into the postseason, they’ll have the horses to make some noise.

The big name is star running back Sebastian Kronberger, who led the Lancers last year with 1,316 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns, leading the team in total yardage and scoring. Kronberger is one of the Moore League’s top returning offensive players, and could be poised to break career records this season with a strong showing.

Lancers fans won’t get a chance to see Lakewood in action for a while however, as they won’t play a game until Aug. 24 and that will be against Windermere Prep in Florida–they won’t play a game in Southern California until hosting Mayfair in the annual Milk Bucket rivalry game on August 31.

The nonleague schedule is tough overall with the Florida trip, a burgeoning powerhouse in Mayfair, and Corona del Mar all before the first league game. Christensen said he wants to give his kids a chance to compete against top programs, but he also wants to do more than just football. That was the philosophy behind going to Florida.

“Part of our mission is to give these kids experiences they’ve never had,” he said. “Last spring we asked them how many of you haven’t been on an airplane? Half the kids. We’re not going out there for just a game, we hope it’s a lifetime memory.”

The Lancers’ line gives them a good shot to make some playoff memories too. James Voorhies and Kronberger will have some hogs in front of them as they come out of the backfield, including Josh Palu and Faio Tuitaui. Ethan Edwards came out for the team after playing for the Lancers’ basketball team and at 6-4 270 pounds he already has one more Division 1 scholarship offer than he has varsity snaps.

The Lancers have the pieces this year, and Christensen loves his freshman class. If this can be the year that Lakewood starts moving in the right direction, it could be the start of another red reign.

Projected Starting Lineup

Offense

QB: Gevani McCoy

FB: James Voorhies

RB: Sebastian Kronberger

OL: Dalton McAllister

OL: Josh Palu

OL: Chase Carter

OL: Ethan Edwards

OL: Faio Tautai

WR: Jakob Lemieux

WR: Open Competition

TE: Jeremiah White

Defense

DL: Josh Palu

DL: Ryan Robertson

DL: Kaleel Carter

LB: Ray Masoe

LB: Darrius Cole

LB: Tyler Antwine

LB: Zach Myers

DB: Jakob Lemieux

DB: Jeremiah White

DB: James Voorhies

DB: Open Competition

 

Lakewood Schedule

8/17 BYE

8/24 @ Windermere Prep (Florida)

8/31 vs. Mayfair

9/7 vs. Corona del Mar

9/14 @ Jordan

9/21 @ Millikan

9/28 @ Camarillo

10/5 vs. Wilson

10/12 @ Compton

10/19 vs. Long Beach Poly

10/26 vs. Cabrillo

Lakewood Football Season Preview 2018

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Mike Guardabascio
An LBC native, Mike Guardabascio has been covering Long Beach sports professionally for 13 years, with his work published in dozens of Southern California magazines and newspapers. He's won numerous awards for his writing as well as the CIF Southern Section’s Champion For Character Award, and is the author of three books about Long Beach history.
http://The562.org