The Lambert Longhorns football team ended their regular season with a record of 8-2 and are currently preparing themselves for their first playoff game of the season. The Longhorns finished third in the region and are set to play Peachtree Ridge High School at 7:30p.m. on November 10.
The Longhorns have spent the majority of the 2023 season making adjustments, which has included sophomore Ethan Daughtery sharing starting quarterback duties alongside junior Marshall Coleman. Daughtery has put in the work to mold himself as a quarterback that fits the Lambert offense.
“I have prepared myself by making sure I know the playbook to the best of my ability,” Daughtery explained. “I’ve been getting to know my receivers and I’ve been learning how to throw them the ball.”
Daughtery has thrown for over 650 yards in his eight varsity appearances.
“My receivers and Coach [Tony] Haynes have helped me the most this season,” Daughtery said. “Coach Haynes has really helped me be prepared.”
After the loss against Milton, the Longhorns and Daughtery have been preparing to bounce back in order to beat Peachtree Ridge.
“We have some new plays we’re going to try because we know that teams outside of the county are great athletically in the secondary,” Daughtery explained. “We just have to be able to pass the ball better in third down situations because we struggled in third downs against Milton.”
Despite the offensive struggles during the game against Milton, there were other highlights shown by the Longhorns’ defense. Led by senior Thomas Hall, the Longhorns’ defense had 51 total tackles.
“It’s our third year in a row running this defense and Coach [Dustin] Heard gives us the best looks in practice,” Hall said. “He has us run every single type of play to prepare us for everything we are going to see on a Friday night.”
Hall is one of four starting seniors on the defensive side of the ball, and he serves as a leader for the younger players on the defense.
“I’m not hard on them, but I lead by example to help them cushion up on little things like footwork,” Hall explained. “That’s how I got better, and it sets them up to develop their future.”
Hall currently has nine and a half sacks from the regular season and he is looking for a few more during the game against Peachtree Ridge.
“The defensive line may not make as many big plays, but they set me up for success,” Hall said. “We just have to continue working as a team, staying together, and doing our jobs to put us in a position to win.”
The Lambert Longhorns are prepared to reach the second round of the playoffs and pose as a threat in the 7A classification.
