To go from a 67-point defeat to a 21-point margin of victory is quite extreme, but the Skaneateles football team did not mind one bit.

When the Lakers went on the road Friday night to Phoenix, it took charge in the opening minutes and did not let go until it had beaten the Firebirds 28-7 and clinched a Section III Class B playoff berth.

No doubt, it helped the Lakers that, coming off a 69-2 loss to unbeaten Homer on Oct. 3, it would get its next game against a Phoenix side that was still looking for its first win this fall.

Even as a heavy favorite, the Lakers had to execute, and it did so twice during the first quarter. On its opening possession, Skaneateles moved to Phoenix’s nine-yard line, from where Griffin Lawson went the rest of the way for the game’s first touchdown.

When it got the ball back later in the period, the Lakers authored another scoring drive, seeing Tom Hagen take a handoff at the Firebirds’ 35 and go the rest of the way for the touchdown.

Thanks to a two-point conversion, Skaneateles took a 14-0 lead to the second quarter. There, Phoenix would get on the board for the only time in this game on Mike Sadoski’s 12-yard scoring run.

Offering a quick answer, Skaneateles moved to the Firebirds’ 25, where Hagen would take a pass from Lawson and find the end zone for the second time on the night, making it 21-7, where it stood at halftime.

All through the second half, the Lakers’ defense clamped down, making sure that the Firebirds didn’t find the end zone again. And while Skaneateles also had some struggles, it did add to the lead in the third quarter thanks to Lawson’s 35-yard scoring pass to Hill.

Skaneateles, at 3-3, is done with Class B West play and will finish fourth behind Homer, Westhill and Marcellus. The Lakers conclude the regular season with a non-league game at New Hartford next Friday night at 7 p.m.