Lima Senior’s Kaelan Law tackles Toledo Scott’s Emmett Hixon Jr. during Friday night’s game at Spartan Stadium.
Jessica Trinko | The Lima News
LIMA — Lima Senior proved it deserved to have a chance to win the Toledo City League championship on Friday night, turning a tight 20-20 game against Toledo Scott late in the second quarter into a 62-26 rout at Spartan Stadium.
If the Spartans win next Friday at home against Toledo Start, they’ll clinch the TCL championship in their first year in the league and solidify their chances of a home playoff game. Lima Senior’s last football conference championship was in 1996 as a member of the Greater Miami Conference when the Spartans won the Division I state championship.
“We’ve been working for this championship,” said senior receiver Chance Sanders, who had five catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns. “It’s finally coming. It’s time to turn the city up.”
The Spartans (7-2, 5-0 TCL) celebrated Military Appreciation Night with the Ohio National Guard during the game. It probably should’ve been sponsored by the Air Force, with Lima Senior accumulating 479 yards through the air. Sophomore quarterback Ja’niaus Hall threw nine touchdown passes, which coach Bill Lawrence said might be a school record.
Even with those outlandish numbers, Lawrence highlighted his team’s defensive prowess. The Spartans, winners of six in a row, only allowed 74 total yards in the second half to break open the game. The team also recovered several onside kicks to start the second half, as Lima Senior outscored the Bulldogs (4-5, 3-2 TCL), 42-6, over the final 24:07 of the game against the defending TCL champs.
“You know, everybody loves to write about our offense,” Lawrence said. “But let me tell you something, we have a good defense. … Our defense stepped up and made a lot of plays, keeping us grounded and founded.”
Offensively, Zaveon Garner was phenomenal, catching eight passes for 173 with four touchdowns. One of thosecame right after a key fourth-down stop by the Spartan defense. Hall found Garner streaking down the left side of the field on a 69-yard scoring play that gave the Spartans their first lead of the game, at 20-14.
“It feels good, for real,” said Garner, a 6-foot-3 receiver. “Everybody was running that five wide, and everybody was in. All of our receivers touched the ball. I just made some plays, and that’s how it goes.”
Seven different Spartans caught passes. Sumarion Doughty added four catches for 96 yards.
Defensively, Lima Senior tried to limit the opportunities for Scott superstar Darryl Barnett Jr. He finished with 12 catches for 119 yards, as the Bulldogs’ quarterback, Carnell Smith II, kept feeding him the ball.
With Scott behind them, the Spartans turn their attention to Start for a 7 p.m. game Friday at Spartan Stadium with the winner claiming the league championship.
“We hope that all of Lima will show up to be a part of it,” Lawrence said. “The last time we had a winning season was seven years ago. We’re excited, and we want to turn out big next week. We don’t want to share.”
Game summary
Scott Lima Senior
12 First downs 21
280 Total yards 479
120 Rushing yards -4
160 Passing yardage 483
20-31-1 Passing 28-45-0
0-0 Fumbles-Lost 1-1
3-10.3 Punts 2-39.5
6-55 Penalties 12-105
Score by quarters:
Scott 7 13 6 0 — 26
Lima Senior 6 21 28 7 — 62
First quarter
S-Daryl Barnett Jr. 5 pass from Carnel Smith II (Ethan Ramsey kick), 3:45
LS-Kahliq Wash 20 pass from Ja’niaus Hall (run failed), 1:35 Second quarter
S-Carnel Smith II 9 run (Ethan Ramsey kick), 11:54
LS-Chance Sanders 28 pass from Ja’niaus Hall (Chance Sanders pass from Zaveon Garner), 10:07
LS-Zaveon Garner 69 pass from Ja’niaus Hall (pass failed), 7:44 S-Carnel Smith II 1 run (kick blocked), 2:08
LS-Chance Sanders 36 pass from Ja’niaus Hall (Emmanuel Jokinen-Rutz kick), 0:07 Third quarter
LS-Zaveon Garner 25 pass from Ja’niaus Hall (Emmanuel Jokinen-Rutz kick), 10:57 LS-Boog Wilson 21 pass from Ja’niaus Hall (kick failed), 7:22 LS-Zaveon Garner 24 pass from Ja’niaus Hall (Zaveon Garner pass to Sumarion Doughty), 6:50 LS-Zaveon Garner 21 pass from Ja’niaus Hall (Emmanuel Jokinen-Rutz kick), 2:33 S-Daryl Barnett Jr. 15 pass from Carnel Smith II (pass failed), 0:26 Fourth quarter
LS-Jamall Webster 82 pass from Ja’niaus Hall (Emmanuel Jokinen-Rutz kick), 6:03
David Trinko wrote this story for LimaScores.com. Reach The Lima News sports department at 567-242-0451.
