No. 17 Lakers suffer their first loss

Looking to win its 16th consecutive regular season football game, No. 17 Boys’ Latin sputtered offensively, on Saturday, and fell for the first time this season, 14-10, to undefeated St. Anne’s-Belfield in Charlottesville, Va.

The Lakers (5-1), who still lead the MIAA B Conference with 5-0 league mark, were undone by five turnovers, including three interceptions.

The host Saints (6-0) took a 6-0 lead in the opening quarter, but BL scored 10 points in the second quarter as Brandon Barnes scored on a two-yard run and Taylor Stothoff chipped in a 20-yard field goal to give the Lakers a 10-6 lead at the half.

St. Anne’s Charlie Murray put his team back on top in the third quarter with a one-yard touchdown run and, following a two-point conversion, the hosts led 14-10.

Any momentum Boys’ Latin attempted to build in the second half was repeatedly thwarted by turnovers.  BL’s defense kept it in the game, but neither team would score again.

The good news for Boys’ Latin is that this was a non-concerence game.  The Lakers have sole possession of first place in the B Conference, following Archbishop Spalding’s upset loss to Archbishop Curley, on Friday.  However, BL must travel to Spalding on Friday to face the Cavaliers for their Homecoming.

A victory would put the Lakers in outstanding position to claim one of the two spots in next month’s league championship game.  A loss would create a mad scramble over the final few weeks of the regular season.  Currently, Curley, Spalding and St. Paul’s each have just one league loss with several head-to-head match-ups still ahead.