Thunder Set Up Shootout for District

EAGLE LAKE | Lake Region quarterback Matt Hopkins scored two touchdowns and a field goal Friday night, but his extra point kick in a second overtime turned out to be bigger.

Hopkins sneaked across the end zone from a foot away, then kicked the extra point for a 20-13 lead over Auburndale.

The Bloodhounds came back and scored on their first play on a 10-yard run by Keeshawn Maxwell. He threw the football to the ground in celebration and his team drew a 15-yard penalty, meaning kicker Ricardo Singh had to kick the extra point from 36 yards.

It missed, giving the Thunder a 20-19 victory and putting them in a three-team shootout for the two Class 4A-District 8 playoff spots.

Lake Region (6-3,3-1) will host Monday night's shootout and have a bye, with Auburndale (4-5, 3-1) facing Groveland South Lake at 7 p.m.

The winner of that game plays Lake Region for the district championship later that night.

Auburndale had its chances in regulation. A long touchdown pass by Demarcus Davis in the third quarter was nullified by a penalty, one of 14 against the Bloodhounds. Davis also threw another apparent touchdown pass in the third, but it was dropped.

The Bloodhounds trailed, 10-0, at halftime, the result of a safety on a blocked punt late in the first and a 3-yard run by Hopkins in the second. Hopkins passed to Stephen Fox for a two-point conversion.

The Thunder took the second-half kickoff and marched to the Auburndale 24, but the drive stalled.

Auburndale took over on downs at its 26 and scored in 10 plays with Davis going over from the 1.

Auburndale's only lead came early in the fourth period when Davis connected with Jeahmiah Crawford from midfield.

Lake Region got a break when Auburndale lined up to punt from its own 24, but the snap was high and the Thunder tackled the kicker at the 24, leading to Hopkins' 22-yard field with 43.5 seconds left that tied the score at 13 and forced overtime.

Maxwell was the game's leading rusher with 149 yards, despite sitting out much of the second half after getting banged up.