It was the fifth Friday of this strange COVID-19 spring football season, and both Compton and Lakewood were looking for their first win. After a back-and-forth game filled with lots of emotion, it was Compton that came out with that all-important milestone, and they celebrated it with an ice bath for longtime coach Calvin Bryant, who was ecstatic with his team’s 34-21 victory.
“Any piece of success is good for us,” said Bryant. “Being able to play well and get a win that’s huge, that’s huge for our seniors and it’s great for next year too.”
Junior Deon Johnson rushed for 182 yards and two touchdowns in the win, and said the team was happy to get the win for their coach, and to dump the ice on him.
“We had to, we love that man,” he said. “Without him, who knows? We had to do it for him.”
Compton came out energized and started the game with a textbook 10-play, 73 yard touchdown drive that ate up half of the first quarter, using their double wing formation’s misdirection to keep Lakewood off balance and scoring on a short run by Johnson. After getting the ball back, they went on another long drive that saw Louis Williams go in from two yards out.
After that, Lakewood answered back as junior quarterback Anthony Eyanson kept it on a read option, and then on their next drive found Anthony Alvarez for a 53-yard score that put Lakewood up 14-12. Lakewood got another touchdown from Auggie Lyons that made it 21-12.
Compton was able to answer to cut the lead to one point on a 40-yard touchdown Johnson.
It was the Tarbabes that came out ready to play in the second half, and senior linebacker Brysant Evans made the play of the game on the third play of the third quarter. Evans batted a pass by Eyanson and was able to bring it back in, then break a tackle and rumble for a touchdown that gae Compton the lead back. It was all Compton after that, as QB Allen Monroe Jr. hit Erick Barrios for a 57-yard touchdown to make it 34-21 Compton.
The Tarbabes defense clamped down with a pair of goal-line stands, which Bryant was proud of.
“We were able to control the clock, move the ball, and establish ourselves physically,” said Bryant. “We played Compton football. That’s who we are.”
Lakewood coach Scott Meyer was happy to see his team able to play for only the second time this season after three games canceled previously.
“It’s kind of like another first game for us,” said Meyer. “We were able to do some nice things offensively in the first half. This is a difficult offense to prepare for off of a layoff.”
Compton will finish the season against Jordan next week while Lakewood will face off against Wilson at Millikan.
