Lake City upsets Myrtle Beach

LAKE CITY — Longtime Lake City football supporter John McCutcheon died Tuesday after a long illness.

According to Panther football fans, McCutcheon might have given his team one more assist Friday night. On an otherwise windless night, it might well have been a slight gust of wind that pushed Jordan Butler’s game-winning field goal attempt wide left with 2.8 seconds left, preserving Lake City’s 14-13 upset victory over Myrtle Beach.

Butler, who had beaten Hartsville and Conway earlier this season with field goals as time expired, was called upon to win another game with his right leg. Lightning failed to strike thrice, however, and the Panther bench erupted.

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Click here for additional images from the game by Morning News photographer Angela E. Kershner.

“We didn’t play well enough to deserve this win,” Myrtle Beach coach Scott Earley said. “This loss might be what we need to get to Clemson, however.

“Last year, we were undefeated and the pressure got to us. This might be a good thing for us because the pressure’s off now.”

Trailing 13-6 with 2:31 remaining in the fourth quarter, Lake City (4-2) had a chance to drive for a score. But Sheldon Robinson muffed Butler’s punt, handing the ball — and seemingly the game — to the Seahawks (5-1) at the Panther 27.

Robinson got a chance at redemption, though. While trying to run out the clock and add another score, Morgan Byrd was stripped by Shonquez Nelson. Robinson recovered the loose ball at the Lake City 5, giving his team a new life with 1:31 left.

“These kids never give up,” said Panthers coach Justin Gentry, whose team has beaten two top-ranked Class 3A teams this season. “Even when we were down, we still believed.”

“(Byrd) just fumbled it. There was no miscommunication,” Earley said. “We wanted to get a few more yards to put the game away.”

The Panthers made the most of it. Deshaun Butler, who had thrown three interceptions in the contest, fired a deep ball for Desmond Haygood. Haygood caught the pass in stride at midfield and raced untouched for a stunning 88-yard touchdown that pulled Lake City to 13-12 at the 1:10 mark.

“I asked Desmond what he wanted to run,” Gentry said. “He said the deep ball was there and we ran it.”

“When Butler threw his third interception, I was mad. He told me on the sideline that he would get me,” said Haygood, who had two catches for 98 yards and a score. “Coach called a hitch-and-go. I had (the defender) beaten the whole time.

“He fell down and I was gone.”

Wanting no part of overtime, Gentry elected to go for two and the win. Shon Carson made his coach a genius, powering into the end zone to give his team a 14-13 advantage.

Carson finished with 144 yards on 19 carries. The sophomore added a 45-yard scoring run on a hook-and-ladder with 12 seconds left in the first half.

“We’ve put ourselves in too many bad positions in overtime,” Gentry said of his decision to go for the win. “We felt like we should take a shot.”

Everett Golson went 12-for-24 for 157 yards and a pair of interceptions. Jamere Valentine had 91 total yards and two TDs.

Lake City travels to St. James next Friday at 7:30 p.m.