Lions’ 20-7 Loss to Palm Beach Lakes Puts District Title Up for Grabs

Lions 20-7 Loss to Palm Beach Lakes Puts District Title Up for Grabs

The Olympic Heights football team was unable to generate much offense against the Palm Beach Lakes Rams, and the defense could only hold on for so long in a 20-7 district game loss on Friday night, Oct. 13, at Corey Lewis Stadium.

Friday’s loss, coupled with a Dwyer win over previously unbeaten Forest Hill, opens the district title up for grabs and makes Heights showdown with Forest Hill on Thursday, Oct 19, a must-win game for the Lions.

Heights, Dwyer, and Forest Hill each have one loss in the district with Heights having beat Dwyer and Dwyer having beat Forest Hill. A win over Forest Hill would put Heights back in control of the district giving the Lions the tie-breaker advantage over the other two teams.

Coming off a 42-7 loss to Vero Beach last week, the Lions were looking to right the ship and maintain a hold on the District 13-7A lead, but the Rams had different ideas.

Palm Beach Lakes got on the board first on a 37-yard touchdown run by running back Tanner Franklin early in the first quarter. A successful two-point conversion attempt staked the Rams to an 8-0 lead.

The Lions were able to make the score 8-7 at the close of the first quarter on Reis Clark’s 20-yard touchdown run. Unfortunately for the Heights faithful, that would be all the scoring the Lions would manage on the night.

A scoreless second quarter was followed by the Rams’ second touchdown of the game within the first two minutes of the third quarter on quarterback Teja Young’s scramble into the end zone.

The nail in the coffin came with just over three minutes remaining in the game on Young’s 53-yard touchdown run.

The Lions now have a short week to prepare for the crucial game against Forest Hill as that game will be played on Thursday and will be Heights’ homecoming game, as well as the final home game of the regular season.