The Frisco Thunder - Intense Football League

LENFORD LENDS A HAND ON SPECIAL TEAMS

By Michael Boren

Frisco High School RACC TV

FRISCO, Tex. -- In a close game, special teams make a difference. Dennis Hopovac kicked a team-record three field goals thanks to a big night by Kevin Lenford on returns.

Lenford had a record 123 kickoff return yards in addition to a 40-yard missed field goal return that gave the Thunder excellent field position in its 50-41 victory over the Alaska Wild.

"If it wasn't for my blockers, I wouldn't be able to do nothing," said Lenford. "I just be patient, let them set it up, and I hit it."

Coming into Sunday's game, the Wild had scored 88 points in their first game of the season. Yet, Lenford said that just made the Thunder train harder for their meeting with Alaska.

"It just came down to practice, the fundamentals," Lenford said. "We just focused on what we had to do, and we came through," he said.

After the Thunder displayed weak fourth quarters in their first two games o the season against San Angelo and Katy, head coach Troy Esprit emphasized finishing strong this week. Lenford said the team worked hard after last week's game to make it happen.

"We really push ourselves. We've seen at the beginning of the season we [were] kind of slow coming out in the fourth quarter, so we just focused on that in practice," he said.