Hawks’ Playoff Payoff Hard Work Of Two Seniors Helps Boost Lakeland Into State Tournament
At another time, Al Bevacqua may have been a two-year starter at quarterback for the Lakeland High School football team.
Four years ago as a freshman, Bevacqua set his heart on being a starting quarterback. He wanted to follow in the cleat marks of then-varsity quarterback John Kinsey, a player Bevacqua admired.
When his junior year rolled around, Bevacqua was given the opportunity to compete for the starting job. But by the end of the preseason it was determined that the multi-talented Bevacqua could help the team most at two positions rather than just quarterback, a job given to Derek Dickinson.
So when the summer prior to his final season arrived, the 5-foot-10 Bevacqua was finally destined to start at the position he dreamed of playing. Sophomore Kurt Reese, a prototypical dropback quarterback at 6-4 and loaded with tons of potential, would be groomed as Bevacqua’s replacement next year.
But Bevacqua’s versatility and seemingly bad timing meant a position change two weeks ago. As far back as four weeks ago, Lakeland coach Terry Kiefer started giving Reese more playing time, not just mop-up duty.
Bevacqua returned to outside linebacker and wide receiver in the Hawks’ next-to-last regular-season contest to fill needs brought on by either season-ending injuries or defections. Since midseason, Bevacqua has started at five positions on offense: quarterback, halfback, fullback, flanker and split end.
He made the switch willingly - though Kiefer knows that deep down, given a choice, Bevacqua would rather start at quarterback.
“Al has made a lot of sacrifices for the team,” Kiefer said. “I think there are a lot of his teammates who don’t fully appreciate the sacrifices Al has made.”
“It wasn’t easy (switching positions); nothing like that is ever easy,” Bevacqua admitted. “To me Lakeland football is team-oriented. You can’t do it individually, it’s team first. I do more good for the team at the other positions than anything. I have just one objective when I play and that’s to go out and play hard. I want everybody to see the real Lakeland football - it’s team.”
Coming into the season, the Hawks were searching for an identity of sorts after graduating some key players. They also were still coping with the death last winter of running back John Neff, who would have easily been the Hawks’ top returning all-around player and a natural leader.
And the identity crisis was magnified with the influx of several young players.
Then three days before their season opener, the Hawks lost another key returner, wide receiver/ defensive back Kevin Bridge, who had to have emergency surgery to repair a broken bone in his neck.
The melding of the returners such as Bevacqua and senior offensive right tackle Joe Brown with the younger players took time. It was painfully obvious during back-toback losses the first two weeks of the season.
But even during those tough times Bevacqua and Brown were confident the Hawks would ultimately earn a state playoff berth. And that’s despite the fact that the 1995 Lakeland team was - how can we say this politely - the most athletically challenged team since 1990, when the Hawks didn’t make the playoffs. And it’s believed that the ‘90 team, which finished 4-5 overall, would have beaten this year’s team, which will take a 5-4 mark to Weiser (8-1) in a playoff opener Saturday.
“A lot of people counted us out after Post Falls,” Bevacqua said of the Hawks’ season-opening 27-7 loss. “But this team has the biggest heart I’ve ever seen. The size of the heart is what has kept us driven all year.”
The facts are Lakeland could have easily have been 0-9 as well as 7-2. The Hawks never scored more than 21 points in any win, and their average margin of victory was a touchdown.
Kiefer admits he’s taken much more talented teams to state. This year’s Hawks don’t have half the talent featured on Lakeland’s back-to-back state title teams in 1988-89. But it’s been a very rewarding season for Kiefer and his staff nonetheless.
“We’re tickled pink to be going to the playoffs,” Kiefer said, “because it’s a great achievement for this team.”
Like Bevacqua, Brown is an unheralded standout who has gone about his duties quietly.
The 6-3, 255-pound lineman also plays every other series on defense at tackle. He, too, had high aspirations going into the season.
“All of our losses - on the field and off - have made us stronger through the season,” Brown said.
Still, a 48-13 loss at leaguechampion St. Maries three weeks ago, compounded by a humiliating loss to Lake City (15-6) two weeks ago, made it difficult for the Hawks to gather themselves for their regular-season finale against Moscow. Somehow they managed a playoff-berth-securing 21-14 win.
“At the beginning of the year I think we had the talent, we just had to put it together,” Brown said.
Added Bevacqua: “We have a lot of talent, but we don’t have superstars. It’s been a great season, frustrating at times, but a great season. We may not be the strongest Lakeland team ever, but a big heart can take you a long ways.”
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