LIVERMORE — Lake Region wasn’t for prepared for Caulin Parker’s homecoming Friday night.

The Spruce Mountain quarterback missed the first game of the season due to preseason injuries and Phoenix lost to Wells.

But Parker was like a box of grenades, going off all over the field. When the 6-foot-3 senior QB wasn’t moving his team up and down the field on keeper plays, he was reeling off touchdown passes to open receivers.

The Lakers were certainly stunned by Parker’s exploits as the Phoenix rolled up the game in the first half, eventually gliding off with a 47-14 victory.

“Caulin is the leader of our team,” Spruce Mountain coach Walter Polky said. “When he came back to our practices again, it was a real shot in the arm.

“He is the captain of our team, and when he comes back, it’s the rhythm, because he has played last year. He’s played three years. He can settle things down.The kids respond to him.”

It is no secret that coaches Brian Jahna of Lake Region and Polky of Spruce Mountain are rebuilding teams filled with young, eager players.

“I think we started five freshmen on defense and I think we had three or five freshmen going both ways,” Jahna said. “We have two seniors that dressed out tonight.

“But it is a core group and they are going to be better. They are not scared to come play football. They are team that stays together.”

But Parker as the big surprise for Jahna and his Lakers.

“They were certainly a lot better on film because No. 10 is one heckuva quarterback,” Jahna said. “They did not have him down in Wells and they became a very different team very quickly.

“The interior guys are fantastic. We knew that. So we knew it was going to be hard to run the ball inside.”

But having Parker back in the lineup certainly helped despite the Phoenix’s youth and inexperience.

Parker didn’t miss a beat in the first quarter. He helped engineer Spruce’s first TD when Dillon Webster came across with his first of four touchdowns on 17-yard rush. He also delivered the two-point conversion and Spruce was well on it way.

The Lakers pulled off their own surprise on the next set of downs when quarterback Derek Mondville found True Meyers open for a 65-yard touchdown pass. Paul Walker split the uprights, making it an 8-7 game.

But that was the last time the Lakers would see the end zone for three quarter

Parker, looking more comfortable than ever, sent a TD a 9-yard TD pass to Kayle Stewart for the touchdown. Webster scored on the conversion.

The Lakers were forced to punt again. The Phoenix got the ball back and 29 and Parker moved Spruce with striking range on the 21 after three keepers. Webster took it from there and scored from the 11, but the conversion failed, but Spruce held a command 22-7 lead.

The Phoenix got the ball right back when Stewart intercepted the ball and put his team on the 20-yard line. Webster the opportunity to scored again from 7-yard line. The kick failed, but Spruce led 28-7.

Spruce Mountain just couldn’t help themselves either in the second quarter. Parker hooked up with Brandon Frey for a 14-yard touchdown pass and Webster scored on a 13-yard rush. Devan Pomeroy made good on the kick and the Phoenix were heading into second half with a comfortable 41-7 lead.

But the Lakers demonstrated character, and even though Pokey sent in his reserves, Lake Region wouldn’t quit.

The Lakers scored their second touchdown when Chase Weese scored on a 5-yard rush and Walker connected on his second extra-point kick in the fourth quarter.

Not to be outdone, the Phoenix scored with 46 seconds left in the game when freshman Brandon Coates took a pitch and scored from the 5. The kick failed, but at that point it didn’t matter — Spruce Mountain had its first victory on the season.