By Michael West, Contributing Writer
Akili Smith Jr. took the monkey off his back. The highly touted, Four-Star, Oregon-bound product overcame a chaotic season to elevate his Lincoln High Hornets to the Open Division State Championship Game.
Facing a season with no home field, and overcoming a challenging Regional Final game last week, the steady Smith Jr. put his team on his shoulders and led the Hornets to a stunning come-from-behind 34-27 victory over the Newbury Park Pirates in the Southern Regional Open Division Championship Game.
Smith struggled during the game, to the point he was benched midway through the third quarter. Seeking extra yards on a run while the Hornets trailed by a touchdown, the ambitious quarterback fumbled, giving the Pirates an opportunity to take a two-score lead.
The powerhouse Pirates (14-0 with 46 touchdown producing QB Brady Smigiel) swiftly turned Smith’s fumble into a 27-14 lead. The Hornets quickly responded with a touchdown of their own. Then the teams traded punts, until the Pirates fumbled.
Down 27-20, Smith Jr. zipped a risky pass to Joshua Newbern from the fifteen-yard line. The pass was tipped, Newbern fell, and the ball tumbled gently into his arms while laying on his back. With the score tied, The Hornet defense quickly rebuffed Newbury Park’s effort to regain the lead.
With the game tied, and twenty-one seconds left in the game, Smith dropped back, rapidly set his feet, and threw the ball simultaneously – like the quarterbacks do in the NFL. The pass glided perfectly to Courtney Miller-Thompson in the corner of the end zone. His coach, David Dunn, told sdfootball.net that Smith called the play himself.
“There were some plays earlier where we felt he should have got rid of the ball that he held on a little bit too long. But when he does things like that, it shows his growth. He did a great job of holding his composure together and leading us to this victory.”
Smith Jr. performed well, completing 15 of 26 passes for 3 touchdowns, and added a 29-yard run for an additional Touchdown. He accounted for four of the Hornets’ five touchdowns. The victory gives the Hornets an opportunity to claim their second State Title this weekend.
You can see the game Saturday at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo at 8 P.M.
Some Highlights from the game:
Akili Smith Jr TD run in regional final
https://x.com/i/status/1865594975083499855
Game highlights from Interscholastic films YouTube
