THE RIVALRY CONTINUES
By Coach Jerome Davis
(Game Day Support/Operations)
NOAH Jaguars vs. Lighthouse Christian Chargers
Springfield, Missouri
Well, it was a long-time coming but Head Coach Joe Blankenship and the NOAH Jaguars proved from the start why they are the defending National Champions. A three-hour road trip to the Springfield, Missouri suburb of Willard and Willard High School's "Tiger Stadium" set up NOAH's first decisive victory of their 2010 campaign. With temp's in the lower 70's and a light northern breeze, the pre-game air was electric and the conditions prefect for the next chapter of the I-44 Rivalry.
Over 200 NOAH athletes, coaches, staff, and fans made the trip and both sides of the stadium were buzzing by kickoff. and for good reason. This game, as it is almost every year, was a match-up between two of the top homeschool programs in the country with NOAH coming in ranked #1 nationally and Springfield ranked #5. In the five previous meetings between the two, NOAH & the Chargers have always played hard fought games with NOAH maintaining a 5-0 record in this young but potent rivalry.
Right out of the gates, NOAH took advantage of Lighthouse miscues. The Chargers fumbled on the first play from scrimmage and NOAH recovered on the Chargers 30 yard line. The Jags scored two plays later on carries by Eric Thornton and after a successful 2pt conversion NOAH took the lead 8-0 after only 41 ticks off the clock and never looked back. The Jags unrelentingly poured it on as Thornton lit up the Charger Defense for two more TD's and the Jag's continued their first quarter roll, up 22-0 at the break after a missed PAT & another good 2 point conversion.
The second quarter started out with a bang as Joe Sabatini connected a long pass to Gutierrez for another Jaguar Touchdown, putting the Jag's up 28-0 before the 2 point conversion failed on a bad snap. After several major adjustments on the Lighthouse side of the ball, the Chargers had their first scoring drive of the night. Lead by the arm of Chargers QB Ethan Purvis, Lighthouse drove the Jaguar D backward on several successful pass plays before Raymond Stanley ran it in on a 14 yard sweep play that finally put the home team on the board. Following a solid kick, the Chargers trailed the Jaguars 28-7 with 7:15 remaining in the second. After two more touchdowns for NOAH, the Jaguars were finally slowed as the Chargers forced a turnover on downs. But the Jags struck back, recovering a fumble deep in Charger territory. The end of the first half was marked by the ejection of Chargers Head Coach David Staley due to violating a new sideline rule. The Jaguars headed to the locker room with a statement making 42-7 lead at the half.
The third quarter started off very much like the second, only this time with the ball in the hands of Eric Thornton who continued a career night and scored yet another touchdown on the first play of the second half. Following a high snap and an interception on the PAT attempt, the Jaguars settled for a 48-7 lead. The Chargers then managed yet another rebound after several sharp executions and a 30+ yarder to Tyler Crain by Purvis to rack up another Charger TD. With the successful PAT, the Chargers made the score 48-14 with 5:25 to go in the third. NOAH then rotated in fresh players with Sam Blankenship coming in at QB. Blankenship's first time out is ended with a turnover on downs late in the third. The third quarter wrapped with the Jaguars leading the Chargers 48-14.
The fourth quarter proved to be all Chargers with Parker Crain pulling in a 28 yard strike from Purvis with 5:43 left in the game. Then Purvis struck again, hitting Brandon Staley for another 12 yards to keep the late game drive alive. The Charger QB appeared to be in a solid rhythm, sending up yet another long strike to Tyler Crain for 31 yards and putting the Chargers deep in the Jaguar's Red Zone, with Crain knocked out bounds at the 3 yard line and 4:18 left in the game. After a hard fought Red Zone battle, Josiah Lockwood punched in the Chargers third TD of the game on a one yard run bringing the Chargers to 20 with 3:18 remaining. The Chargers followed up their drive with a wild on-side kick recovery by Lockwood giving the Chargers a fresh set of downs, taking over at the NOAH 45. Lighthouse then began another march down the field with Purvis nailing a 12 yard pass. After having their backs to the wall with a 4th & 1, Taylor Moore moved the chains on what would prove to be the Chargers final drive of the game. Moments later, the home crowd exploded as Caleb Swadley pulled in an 11 yard pass for a Charger touchdown. A 2 point conversion attempt stopped on a run, the score holding at 48-26 with 1:23 left to play.
The drive was the final scoring drive of the game and the NOAH fans & players cheered as the closing seconds ticked away and this first game of 2010 was in the books with the final score remaining 48-26. The Jaguar fans and players left Springfield with not only the pride that comes with a resounding 22 point victory over a major rival but confidence of a great season yet to come.
| Varsity Football 9-3-10 | Qtr 1 | Qtr 2 | Qtr 3 | Qtr 4 | Final | |||||
| Tulsa NOAH Jaguars | 22 | 20 | 6 | 0 | 48 | |||||
| Springfield Lighthouse Chargers | 0 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 26 | |||||
| NOAH Offensive Statistics 13-19 for 119 yards passing with 2 TD’s, 1 PAT, and no interceptions | 275 yards rushing with 5 TDS, 1 PAT and 1 fumble | Kickoff Team – 8 times – gave up 97 yards (12.1 yards/return) average starting position was 26 yard line | | PAT- converted 2-4 kicks (Caleb 2-3) and 2-3 2 point conversions | | |||||
| Rushing Joe Sabatini – 4 carries for 38 yards, 1 TD; Season 4 carries for 38 yards (6 points) Marquae Cato – 8 carries for 15 yards; Season 8 carries for 15 yards Jeremy Clark – 4 carries for 8 yards; Season 4 carries for 8 yards Milan Leathers – Derek Guitierrez 1 carry for 2 yards; Season 1 carry for 2 yards Ben Beavers – 1 carry for 5 yards; Season 1 carry for 5 yards Dequan Coronado – 2 carries for 5 yards; Season 2 carries for 5 yards Samuel Blankenship – 1 carry for 3 yards; Season 1 carry for 3 yards | Passing Samuel Blankenship 4-7 for 23 yards; Season 4-7 for 23 yards Daniel Fowler 0-1 Season 0-1 for 0 yards | Receiving Daniel Fowler 3 catches for 40 yards; Season 3 catches for 40 yards Justus McGwire catches for yards; Season catches for yards Derek Gutierrez 2 catches for 32 yards, 1 TD, 1 PAT Season 1 catches for 29 yards, 1 TD, 1 PAT Sawyer Hulslander catch for yards; Season catch for yards Chandler Fayard 2 catches for 17 yards; Season 2 catches for 17 yards Milan Leathers ; Season catch for yards Hunter Ogden 3 catches for 25 yards; Season 3 catches for 25 yards Jeremy Clark 1 catch for 4 yards; Season 1 catch for 4 yards Joe Sabatini Season catch for yards | SPECIAL TEAMS Milan Leathers – Season Punt Returns for yards Daniel Fowler – PR for 0 yards, KR for yards; SEASON PR for yard; KR for yards Eric Thornton – KR for yards; Season KR for yards Ben Beavers – 2 PR for 6 yards; Season 2 PR for 6 yards Derek Guiterrez – 2 punts for 77 yards; Caleb Blom 2-3 PAT; Season 2-3 PATs | |||||||
| Defensive Statistics
Luke Wilson – 10 tackles, 1 sack, 1 FC, 1 FR, 1 QBH; Season 10 tackles, 1 sack, 1 FC, 1 FR, 1 QBH Darius Andrews - 6 tackles, 1 FR; Season 6 tackles, 1 FR Milan Leathers - 1 tackle, 1 PBU; Season 1 tackles; 1 PBU Daniel Fowler - 2 tackles; Season 2 tackles Jon Dunbar – 1 tackles, 1 sacks; Season 1 tackles; 1 sacks Caleb Berquist - 3 Tackles, 2 PBU; Season 3 tackles; 2 PBU Sawyer Hulslander – 1 tackles, 2 FC; Season 1 tackles, 2 FC Caleb James 4 tackles; Season 4 tackles Marquae Cato 1 tackle; Season 1 tackle Austin Kirby 1 tackle, 1 FR; Season 1 tackle, 1 FR Christian Krautter - tackle, sack; Season tackles; sacks Derek Gutierrez – 2 tackles, 1 PBU; Season 2 tackles, 1 PBU Logan Luttrell – 3 tackles Season 3 tackles | | Defensive Stats cont… Jared Harbin - 4 tackles, 1 sack - Season 3 tackles; 2 sacks Joe Sabatini tackle – Season tackles, PBU Micaiah Saucedo - 5 tackles Season 5 tackles, sacks David Gogolakis - 3 tackles, 1 PBU Season 3 tackles, 1 PBU Justus McGwire – 2 tackles Season 2 tackles Jeremy Clark - 2 tackles Season 2 tackles Robert Clark – 1 FR Season 1 FR Andrew Arcuri – 2 tackles Season 2 tackles Ben Beavers – 3 tackles, 1 int. (4 yd) Season 3 tackles, 1 int. Jonah Fry – 2 tackles Season 2 tackles, Grant Morgan – 2 tackles, 1 sack Season 2 tackles, 1 sack Cherrod Culberson - 1 tackle - Season 1 tackle Christian Dudley – 2 tackles – Season 2 tackles Nate Woodson – 1 tackle – Season 1 tackle Nathan Means – 1 tackle, 1 sack – Season 1 tackle, 1 sack Chase Gaalswyk – 1 tackle – Season 1 tackle Nick Fisher – 1 tackle – Season 1 tackle | ||||||||
