Lake Wales football "picks off" Davenport on Monday night

Highlanders come up with four interceptions, including two pick-sixes; Corey Harris rushes for three touchdowns

LAKE WALES, FORIDA – Corey Harris had a field day in the first half and the Lake Wales defense did the rest to help push the Highlanders off to a 6-0 start on the season.

Lake Wales rolled to a 49-6 win over Davenport in a 3S District 8 game on Monday at Legion Field in a makeup game from an earlier postponement caused by weather.

Lake Wales rolled early taking a 21-6 halftime lead after Corey Harris scored three first-half touchdowns on runs of 55, 12 and 2 yards. The 55-yarder was a run straight up the middle.

“I just saw the linemen open up the hole and I just ripped through it,” Harris said. “I broke the linebacker’s tackle and I ran over the safety. I just give all the credit to God and my linemen. The hole was so wide I could probably fit my dad’s car in there.”

Lake Wales running back Jordan Henderson fends of a Davenport tackler during the Highlanders 49-6 win at Legion Field on Monday / Photo by Bill Kemp

Lake Wales head coach Tavaris Johnson said the coaching staff knew Harris could have a three touchdown night because he is such an explosive back. He finished the game with 77 yards on five carries and three touchdowns.

“It was just a matter of getting him healthy. You will see more of Corey Harris, that is for sure,” Johnson said.

Davenport picked up a second quarter touchdown on a 9-yard run by Isaiah Pierre with 2:49 left in the quarter.

But the third quarter belonged to the Lake Wales defense, which recorded two pick-6 interceptions to help push the lead to 41-6 heading into the fourth quarter and invoke the running clock rule.

Philipp Davis recorded the first pick-6, returning his interception 64 yards for a touchdown. Less than 20 seconds later, the Highlanders did it again, this time getting a 16-yard pick-6 from Johnquae Richardson with 6:22 left in the third quarter. Lake Wales finished the game with four interceptions.

“I thought we were sleepwalking a bit in the first half,” Johnson said. “We just need to coach better. We just have to get better. We had two weeks off because of the hurricane.”

Lake Wales quarterback Trent Grotjan, who finished the game 7-of-12 passing for 155 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions, hit Carlos Mitchell with a 25-yard touchdown at 2:22 of the third.

Lake Wales quarterback Trent Grotjan fires a pass toward the sidelines during the Highlanders 49-6 win over Davenport / Photo by Bill Kemp

Duel Smith capped the scoring for the Highlanders with a 23-yard touchdown run 4:57 left in the game.

Lake Wales heads to Kissimmee Gateway Friday for their third game in a seven-day stint. Davenport, which fell to 1-4 will travel to Lake Region Friday.