Lake Worth knocks Eastern Hills from playoffs, Bullfrogs clinch a piece of district title

Rebounding from last week’s loss to Fort Worth Dunbar, Lake Worth beat Fort Worth Eastern Hills in a rout, 52-0, Thursday night. With the win, Lake Worth (8-2, 6-1 in District 6-4A D1) closes out the regular season assuring itself of at least of share of the district title with either Kennedale or Dunbar.

Kennedale hosts Dunbar at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Lake Worth will enter the playoffs as a No. 1 seed with a Kennedale win.

The Bullfrogs will be No. 2 with a Dunbar win.

Lake Worth defeated Kennedale 10-3 on Oct. 7, but lost to Dunbar 14-10.

The Bullfrogs won all five of their home games this season. It’s the program’s first district title since 2009 and first in Class 4A. Lake Worth is headed to the postseason for the 11th straight season.

Bullfrog quarterback Donte Reese rushed and threw for two touchdowns apiece and returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Teammate Damion Moore rushed for another touchdown and returned a fumble for a score as the Bullfrogs feasted on the Highlanders’ mistakes.

Though not playoff-bound, Eastern Hills (6-4, 4-3) at least finished with its first winning record since 2000. Lake Worth scored 18 seconds into the game when Reese returned the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown.

Western Hills clinched the last playoff spot with a 56-0 win over DHJ on Thursday. The Cougars own the head-to-head with a 30-28 over Eastern Hills on Oct. 6.

Reese bobbled it at about the 7, the Highlander defenders over-pursued it, and the junior then took off down the right sideline accompanied by a cadre of blockers.

After a miscue on the punt by Eastern Hills, Lake Worth took over on the Highlander 22-yard line. Three plays later, Reese faked a run right, halted, and pitched short to Moore near the line of scrimmage.

From there, Moore ran it in from 22 yards out and a 14-0 lead midway in the first quarter. The Bullfrogs scored 25 points in the second quarter alone for a 39-0 halftime lead.

They went 62 yards in 10 plays for a 34-yard field goal by Abraham Pulido. Next, Highlander quarterback Kenwaun Durst was tackled in the end zone for a safety. It appeared Anthony Garcia, a defensive back, was the first to reach Durst as he ran left and was gang-tackled about three yards deep into the end zone.

It came one play after Pulido’s kickoff died at the 1 near the left pylon. Durst nevertheless finished with a game-high 101 yards on 20 carries. Reese added touchdown runs of 4 and 3 yards on the Bullfrogs’ next two possessions. The latter score was set up by a turnover.

Eastern Hills was again pinned back deep in its territory. A mishandled snap was recovered by linebacker Marcus Bryan at the Highlander 3. On the next play, Reese scored up the middle for a 32-0 lead.

Lake Worth got one more touchdown when it forced a punt and began play at its 45-yard line with 40 seconds before intermission. It took the Bullfrogs only two plays to find the end zone. Reese threw a post to Jose Meza 47 yards to the 8. From there, the quarterback threw to Dominic Alvarez in the end zone.

It came 20 seconds before halftime.

The second half began as disastrously as it did in the first for Eastern Hills and epitomized the way things went for the hapless Highlanders. On the first play from scrimmage, Durst burst up the middle for 42 yards but fumbled as the ball was jarred loose from behind by a pursuer.

Moore, playing defensive back, scooped it up, and again with an escort of blockers running interference returned it down the left sidelines for a 67-yard touchdown. He also had an interception.

Reese added a 21-yard scoring throw to Cornell Avington before the third quarter was over for the final score. By halftime, Lake Worth had amassed 182 yards of offense and 10 first downs.

Eastern Hills was held to 36 yards and one first down.

This story was originally published November 3, 2022 at 11:59 PM.