Summit Christian Academy wanted to prove its 3-0 start wasn’t a fluke.
After opening the season with three blowout wins over St. Michael the Archangel, Bishop Ward and Clinton, Summit Christian got its wish on Friday night, but even Lafayette County proved to be no match for the Eagles as they handed the Huskers their second loss of the season winning 28-7 behind Grayson Sprouse and a stout defense – a defense which made two big goal-to-go stands late in the game to help preserve the win.
Perhaps the biggest goal-to-go stand happened in early in the fourth quarter. Lafayette had been driving, marching the ball up and down the field, but on fourth down from the 3-yard line the Eagles defense made a play, stripping the ball from Mason Gash’s grasp as he was fighting for extra yardage.
Summit Christian’s Christian Newsome scooped up the ball and returned to the Lafayette 32. Lucas Eckles scored his eighth touchdown of the season three plays later with a 10 yard run up the gut.
“They’re a good football team,” Lafayette County coach Steve Cook said. “We’ve played a tough schedule to this point, played some good football teams and they (Summit Christian) proved tonight (that they are as good as any of those teams).”
After both teams struggled to get going in the first quarter, it was the Eagles who opened the scoring in the second quarter.
After Summit Christian failed to convert on fourth-and-1 deep in Lafayette County territory, the Eagles defense took matters into their own hands as they came up with a strip sack of Mason Rumsey three plays later.
The Eagles took their time marching down the field, picking up chunks of yardage on the ground with Sprouse and Lucas Eckles and on the sixth play of the drive, Sprouse dove into the end zone from the 2-yard line scoring his sixth rushing touchdown of the season to give Summit Christian a 7-0 lead.
“We really weren’t sure how good of a football team we were,” Summit Christian coach Todd Berck said. “I challenged our guys to start the game on a physical note and just win the physical battle. … I told our guys in the locker room before the game whoever is the more physical team is going to win the football game.”
After the Eagles forced another Lafayette three-and-out, Sprouse and company wasted no time getting into the end zone.
Facing a second-and-4 from the 48, Berck called a trick play – a flea flicker – which was caught by Newsome at the 8-yard line. Two plays later, Sprouse scampered his way into the end zone to put Summit Christian up 14-0.
“We were waiting for the right time to get that in the game,” Berck said of the flea-flicker. “We put that in this week (hoping) to get a big play and change the momentum.”
The only time Lafayette County really threatened the Eagles was in the second quarter. The Huskers, who run the triple option, were able find some open grass and took advantage of Summit Christian’s aggressive defense.
Facing a second-and-5 from the 32, Lafayette running back Mason Gash took a handoff from Noah Iles, cut back to the outside and raced his way into end zone.
“It’s really hard,” Berck said of facing an offense like Lafayette County’s. “It’s really tough for those kids because their eyes start to wander.”
