The entire White Lake Lakeland coaching staff bum rushed the field at Michigan Stadium screaming in unison.
“Ball security!”
“Ball security!”
Three and a half minutes remained and the Eagles were up 10 points against Lakes Valley Conference foe South Lyon East in the Battle at The Big House Thursday afternoon. If ball security is the key then you know where the ball is going. This is where bruising tough guy Nolin Thompson takes over.
He ripped one carry off for 10 yards and a first down to the East 30. Then he burst for four yards on the next play.
“Don’t drop the ball.”
That was Thompson’s mind set and his duty to his Eagle teammates. They did not need him to score or make some humungous play. They simply need him to run off enough clock so this did not become a two possession game, which was East’s only chance to win.
Thompson’s approach to locking down games is simple.
“I put two hands on the ball and I hold it tight,” Thompson said.
Thompson secured the ball which helped the Eagles secure an opening-day 22-12 victory against East in an error-filled that was finally decided by the Eagles defense and superior execution.
Whenever East threatened, which was often, it was hampered by its own mistakes or Lakeland’s one for all and all for one defense.
Our defense was phenomenal,” Thompson said. “When we made a mistake we covered it up. That’s what family is all about. That’s Lakeland football.”
Lakeland’s defense was stellar. However, the players from East must be still kicking themselves. They were on the short end of a 70-yard pick six, blocked punt into the end zone for a safety. And a sure touchdown was dropped mid-game.
“We obviously turned the ball over,” said East Coach Jacob Topp. “We didn’t throw and catch it. Didn’t block. That’s a bad combination offensively. Defensively I thought our guys got after it. We are not talented enough to overcome this. If we do not execute we don’t play well.”
Thompson also made the key defensive play at linebacker. The Eagles were in a man to man “Bob” coverage when he saw the running back sneak out of the back field. Maybe they should rename the coverage to Stealth because Thompson flew under the radar, got lost in the rush of defensive and offensive linemen.
He picked off the pass and ran 70 yards for a touchdown. That broke open the game and gave Lakeland latitude to survive its own mistake and run out the clock for victory.