Lake View Chiefs Drop First Game After Comeback Falls Short Against Levelland

SAN ANGELO, TX — The Lake View Chiefs dropped their first game of the year Friday against Levelland, but they didn't let it happen without a fight.

After falling behind by 20 points late in the third quarter, Lake View stormed back into the game and was driving with a chance to tie or win in the final seconds.

Chris Alvizo's heave into the end zone from the 30-yard line wasn't able to be hauled in as time expired, and Levelland escaped with a 40-33 win at San Angelo Stadium.

"That's the grit and the grind these guys are putting in, and they're not giving up," Lake View head coach Hector Guevara said. "They fought until the end. We're very proud of the boys."

Lake View was off to its best start in 42 years, but the Chiefs never led in this game. The Chiefs were behind 21-7 at halftime, and they faced their biggest deficit at 33-13 with 2:40 left in the third quarter.

A huge punt return by Kentrell Johnson to the 11-yard line sparked the rally, and Izaiah Rios ran it in on the next play to get within 33-19.

Alvizo threw a 6-yard TD pass to Braylon White to cut the gap to 33-26 with 9:22 remaining, and it was suddenly a game.

Levelland looked like it put the game out of reach when Ethan Salazar scrambled to complete a backbreaking 52-yard TD pass to Bryson Golightly on third-and-16 with 7:39 left for a 40-26 lead.

But the Chiefs marched right back down the field, covering 71 yards in five plays, capped by a 13-yard TD catch by Rios with 6:37 to play.

Lake View's Gabriel Alvarez had an interception on the 4-yard line with 4:25 remaining to give the Chiefs' offense a chance, but they were stuffed on a fourth-and-3 at Levelland's 29 with less than two minutes to go.

The Chiefs' defense came up with another stop, however, and Lake View got the ball back on its 8-yard line with 43 seconds remaining.

They got all the way to Levelland's 30-yard with seven seconds to play to give themselves a chance to score.

Alvizo rolled right and fired a pass into the end zone that was nearly caught in traffic as the final buzzer sounded.

The Chiefs fell to 4-1, while Levelland improved to 3-2.

Lake View will try to bounce back next week when it hosts Burnet at San Angelo Stadium.

"We've got to come back to work on Monday and stay positive and understand the sun will rise tomorrow," Guevara said.

Alvizo was 29-of-39 passing for 299 yards and four TDs with one INT.

Rios had 19 carries for 102 yards and a TD, along with six catches for 49 yards and a TD.

White had seven catches for 118 yards and a TD.

Levelland's Salazar was 13-of-24 passing for 237 yards and three TDs with two INTs.

Martin had 17 carries for 194 yards and two TDs while breaking tackles all game long.

Golightly had seven catches for 153 yards and a TD. Tobias Gavina had three catches for 63 yards and a TD.

Levelland 40, San Angelo Lake View 33

Levelland   14   7   12   7 — 40

Lake View   7   0   12   14 — 33

First Quarter

LEVELLAND - Noah Martin 2 run (Matthew Guillen kick), 5:25

LAKE VIEW - Cristian Esparza 10 pass from Chris Alvizo (Izaiah Rios kick), 2:43

LEVELLAND - Bryson Golightly 61 pass from Ethan Salazar (Guillen kick), :28

Second Quarter

LEVELLAND - Tobias Gavina 40 pass from Salazar (Guillen kick), 10:51

Third Quarter

LAKE VIEW - Chris Rodela 1 pass from Alvizo (kick failed), 10:48

LEVELLAND - Martin 7 run (pass failed), 6:59

LEVELLAND - Jake Potter 6 run (kick failed), 2:40

LAKE VIEW - Rios 11 run (kick blocked), 2:21

Fourth Quarter

LAKE VIEW — Braylon White 6 pass from Alvizo (Rios kick), 9:22

LEVELLAND - Golightly 52 pass from Salazar (Guillen kick), 7:39

LAKE VIEW — Rios 13 pass from Alvizo (Rios kick), 6:37