Lake looks for a brighter future in 2004
By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
July 2, 2004
LAKE Last fall, the Lake Hornets made their second straight playoff appearance and their fourth postseason showing in the last five years, despite a 5-6 overall mark.
Lake moved back up to Class 2A last year after spending the previous 10 seasons in Class 1A.
Highlights included winning the last three regular season games to even their record at 5-5 and clinch a playoff berth. In those three wins was an 8-0 blanking of neighboring Newton.
The 2003 Hornets also had a 19-15 victory over Class 3A Carthage to their credit.
A pair of close league losses turned what might have been an outstanding year into a so-so season. Lake fell 7-6 to Philadelphia and 20-14 to Clarkdale in a pair of Division 5-2A contests.
The Hornets lost 20-0 to Perry Central in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs.
The Hornets spent this past spring getting ready for a brighter 2004 campaign.
Lake loses a dozen seniors from the 2003 team and is expected to have seven seniors this time around.
The Hornets need to be ready in a hurry as three of their first four games will be on the road. Lake opens at Morton on Aug. 26 in a Thursday night contest. After hosting Raleigh on Sept. 3, the Hornets got to Carthage and Madison St. Joseph the following two weeks.
Enterprise and Clarkdale will visit Death Valley on consecutive Fridays to end September and begin October. The Clarkdale contest begins a string of five games against Division 5-2A competition.
After a journey to Philadelphia, Lake will host Kemper County for homecoming on Oct. 15. The Hornets make the short trek to Newton on Oct. 22 before closing out the regular season on Oct. 28 at home against Williams-Sullivan in another Thursday night game.
