Lakeside football aims for bounce-back season in 2024
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Wins and losses can be decided by the slimmest of margins, and no one knows that better than the Lakeside football team.
Last year, the Panthers missed the playoffs, and three region losses by a combined nine points were part of the season.
Knowing how much talent the Panthers had going three and seven in 2023 left a bad taste in their mouth.
“I think it’s important for them kind of like a bounce back from last year. We had a couple of close games that would’ve gotten us into the playoffs, but man what that did, was in the offseason it just made them determined. They worked harder, they got closer as a group and we just got back down to the basics and I’m excited about it,” said Head Coach Steve Hibbitts.
Washington-Wilkes football team grows ahead of new season
Summer football workouts are heating up for teams across the CSRA. The Washington-Wilkes Tigers are going into year two under the leadership of Head Coach Alex Bradford.
Another reason Lakeside is looking forward to getting back on the field is because of the new classification realignment.
Lakeside and Evans are both dropping down from class 6A to class 5A, which means the Panthers and the Knights will once again be in the same region as Greenbrier.
“I think it’s a natural thing. I mean we hated to lose them for a couple of years, as far as being in our region, but it’s fun man. A lot of the kids know each other, and they love competing against each other. So it’s good. Those types of games for this area are good to build up. It gets the fans excited and the communities excited, so I think it’s a great thing for football,” said Hibbitts.
The Panthers open up the season on the road at Grovetown on August 16.
Lakeside will battle Evans at Lakeside on September 9. Greenbrier will travel to Lakeside on October 11. Evans will host Greenbrier on October 25.
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