One glance at the records of the No. 3 Park View High School Dragons and the No. 6 Lakeland High School Cavaliers would make many assume their playoff football game would obviously go to the higher seed.

Entering Friday night’s game, host Park View was 8-2 and Lakeland was 2-8, but the Cavaliers had no fear of Dragons.

“Our kids believed,” Lakeland coach Kevin Knight said. That belief helped lead them to a 21-14 victory.

The Cavaliers were tested this year with a demanding regular season schedule that featured no teams lower than the Virginia High School League’s Group 4A classification. Lakeland was moved down to Group 3A this year due to its smaller student body.

Knight was pleased with how his team performed on Friday.

“I think we played together as a team,” he said. “Everybody just played hard for four quarters.”

After the first quarter, the score was tied 7-7. Cavaliers sophomore running back DeAndre Faulk got his team on the board with a rushing touchdown from about 10 yards out.

In the second quarter, Lakeland junior running back Damontra Milteer gave his team the lead with an approximately 75-yard touchdown run, leading to a 14-7 halftime score.

The Cavs struck through the air in the third quarter when freshman quarterback Tyquan Holloman connected with junior wide receiver Alajuwun Langston for a touchdown pass of about 80 yards, giving Lakeland a 21-7 lead.

“Tyquan had a great night tonight,” Knight said.

Park View scored in the fourth quarter, but the Cavaliers held off the Dragons for the upset.

“I felt like we were very prepared for them,” Knight said.

Senior linebacker Monte Hillard bolstered the Lakeland defense, causing a turnover by grabbing an interception.

Knigh was excited to get a playoff victory in his first year as a head football coach.

“I just feel great, and I feel good for our kids,” he said.

Lakeland (3-8) will visit Poquoson High School next week.