The Lakota West Firebirds finally played their home opener for the 2005 season.
The Sycamore Aviators brought the housewarming gifts.
The Aviators committed five turnovers in the first half and six in the game, and the Firebirds converted all six into scores - including three touchdowns in a span of 21 seconds - en route to a 36-14 win in a Greater Miami Conference game at Lakota West Friday night.
Senior running back Clinton Brooks, a transfer from North College Hill, scored three touchdowns. "The defense worked hard all week," Brooks said. "They deserved it."
Said Lakota West coach Larry Cox: "It was one of those things where we took advantage."
Both teams had lost their first two games before winning the next two to enter the game on mini-rolls before Sycamore (2-3, 1-1) fell.
Lakota West (3-2, 2-0) took a 7-0 lead when Sycamore junior quarterback Mitch Allen overthrew a receiver, and Firebirds senior J.C. Casper intercepted to set up senior Brooks' 3-yard touchdown run.
On Sycamore's next possession, Allen's fourth-down pass was tipped by a group of Firebirds defenders and grabbed by Brent Black, who returned it 70 yards for a touchdown with 1:16 left in the first quarter.
Aviators junior Kevin Buenavides fumbled on Sycamore's next play, and Lakota West senior Kyle Blevins recovered. Junior quarterback Dustin Huff converted on the next play with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Ohio State-bound wide receiver Josh Chichester.
Huff threw for 99 yards in the first half to reach 810 for the season, breaking the regular-season record of 794 set last season by Dane Romero.
Firebird junior Dillon Halford forced and recovered a fumble on Sycamore's next series, and Brooks cashed in with his second touchdown on a 5-yard run with 11:55 left in the second quarter.
Casper added a second interception later in the half and converted it himself with a 35-yard field goal.
Allen threw a 36-yard TD pass to Mike Byrd and scored on a 10-yard run in the third quarter, but Blevins recovered another fumble in the fourth quarter and Brooks converted with a 58-yard burst.
<TABLE class=enqtable cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR class=enqtdhead><TD align=left>Sycamore</TD><TD class=enqtd align=left>0</TD><TD class=enqtd align=left>0</TD><TD class=enqtd align=left>14</TD><TD class=enqtd align=left>0</TD><TD class=enqtd align=left>-14</TD></TR><TR><TD class=enqtd align=left>Lakota West</TD><TD class=enqtd align=left>20</TD><TD class=enqtd align=left>9</TD><TD class=enqtd align=left>0</TD><TD class=enqtd align=left>7</TD><TD class=enqtd align=left>-36</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
LW - Brooks 3 run (Casper kick)
LW - Black 70 interception return (Casper kick)
LW - Chichester 33 pass from Huff (kick blocked)
LW - Brooks 5 run (pass failed)
LW - Casper 35 FG
S - Byrd 36 pass from Allen (Hancher kick)
S - Allen 10 run (Hancher kick)
LW - Brooks 58 run (Casper kick)
Records: Sycamore 2-3 (1-1), Lakota West 3-2 (1-0).