Bi-District Champs Lake View Looking to Feast in Program's First Game on Thanksgiving Week

SAN ANGELO, TX-- The Lake View Chiefs have never played a game on Thanksgiving week.

They’re changing that this year.

Thanks to the stars aligning just right to where Thanksgiving falls on the second week of the Texas high school playoffs instead of the third round and David Tanguma’s heroic efforts to win against Clint Mountain View, Lake View is playing on Thanksgiving week for the first time. They’re thankful for that opportunity this holiday season.

“It means a lot,” second-year head coach Hector Guevara said. “It means a lot to see these kids experience that. Us as well, as coaches. It’s always a good feeling knowing you’re playing on the Thanksgiving holiday.

“I guess if you’re writing a script, it was a well-written script. It was a good fought game. Mountain View was very good. They had a really good running attack. It just kept going back and forth. David was there at the right place at the right time. Momentum changed and we got the victory.”  

The win opens the door for Lake View to make more history and show the culture is changing on the northside. It’s their first playoff win since 2014.

“There’s a change going on over here at Lake View,” Tanguma said. “It’s not just where everyone thinks bad about it. It’s actually proving people that think bad that it’s not all that. It’s not just losing streaks and all this. There’s actually something coming up.”

Last week, the Chiefs were deadlocked at 21 with Mountain View late in the fourth quarter before Tanguma picked off the Mountain View quarterback. He then carried the ball four consecutive times to score and send Lake View to the second round for just the seventh time in school history.

“The emotions were like … I’d say ‘dang’,” the senior linebacker said.

That win set the Chiefs up with a date against Wichita Falls Hirschi (9-2) and one of the best rushing attacks in the state. The Huskies average 389 yards rushing per game with most of that coming from senior Daimarqua Foster. He’s carried the ball 215 times for 2,376 yards and 34 touchdowns. His 2,376 yards are second in the state.

The Chiefs are looking to rely on their confidence in stopping Mountain View’s rushing attack this week, but know the further you get into the playoffs the tougher the opponent gets.

“Their confidence levels went up, for sure,” Guevara said. “But they know the coming week, the more we play, the competition gets stiffer. So, they’re up for the challenge.”

In their seven appearances past the second round, none have been wins. Yet, the Chiefs, unlike most outside the program, won’t write themselves off in this game. They feel they can win if they follow their game plan.

“If we do what we’re all supposed to, if we show up to play, I think we can shut ‘em down,” Tanguma said. “As a team, if we all do our part, watch the quarterback, watch the running back, it’ll be good.”

So how did the Chiefs get to the spot they’re at now? A late season change that moved senior Kendall Blue to running back instead of quarterback. That move was instantly well-received by the team.

“It’s been nothing but positive,” Guevara said of the change. “The kids put their trust in us and just work. Sometimes they have their doubts, of course, but they just work.”

It also has made Lake View’s offense multi-dimensional.

“We were able to run the ball when I wasn’t playing running back,” the 6-foot-2 senior said. “But it was just I was running [as quarterback].”

Blue recalled a few times on third and fourth down in short yardage where defenses knew he was going to run it and keyed on the run.

“It was one dimensional. They knew what was going on. They knew who the threat was,” Blue continued. “With me being at running back, it’s like ‘Well, I don’t know what’s going on.’ So, it helps us be less predictable.”

Lake View and Hirschi are scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. kickoff from Abilene’s Shotwell Stadium this Saturday, Nov. 24.