Summit Christian Academy and St. Michael the Archangel Catholic put on a track meet Friday night masquerading as a football game.
After three hours, 92 points, plenty of cramps due to the heat, and almost 1,000 yards of total offense, the Eagles walked away victorious to open the season with a 54-38 victory.
“If you like points you came to the right place,” Eagles head coach Todd Berck said.
The fireworks started early and often, as the Eagles jumped out to a 27-7 early in the second quarter and looked as if they might cruise to a season-opening win.
But thanks to some Eagle miscues, the Guardians cut the deficit to 27-21 by halftime and made it 34-31 late in the third quarter.
“We had a fumble, a bad snap, an interception, and we didn’t execute on fourth down,” Guardians head coach Andy Pitts said of the opening quarter. “Credit to the kids, they fought and stayed with it.”
The Guardians had the chance to take the lead, trailing 34-31, when they recovered a fumble in Eagle territory, only to turn the ball over on downs.
Summit Christian capitalized two plays later when quarterback Joe Lepak rolled right with the entire offensive line, only to throw back to his left to Jake Sutton who had an open field and a couple of blockers that allowed him to go 41 yards for a touchdown and a 40-31 lead.
“Jake Sutton manned up (tonight),” Berck said. “His speed was electric.”
The Guardians struck right back with a clutch play on fourth-and-six, as quarterback Dillon Zaun found Dominick Ruby streaking down the sideline for a 55-yard touchdown to make it 40-38.
On the ensuing drive, Lepak had one of the biggest plays of the game. On second-and-11, he turned to his left, then to his right, looking to the running back for the handoff. Nobody came as there was a miscommunication on the play, so Lepak took off around the right edge and scampered down the sideline for 44 yards.
“It was a broken play,” Lepak said. “The ball was supposed to go to (Sutton). Thankfully, there was an opening down the field. We got a gift at the end.”
Four plays later the junior signal-caller, making his first career start, found Elijah Huckabee from six yards out for a touchdown to make it 47-38 and put the game out of reach.
Lepak had some mistakes in the second quarter that led to Guardian touchdowns but was able to redeem himself down the stretch with some help from his teammates.
“I was a little bit down on myself. My teammates helped pick me up,” Lepak said. “… I’ve still got a lot of work to do, but it was really exciting.”
Lepak accounted for six touchdowns total, three on the ground and three through the air. But it wasn’t just a one-man show, as Sutton had a score on the ground and receiving, Huckabee and Lincoln Sprouse each caught a touchdown from Lepak, and Max Shoemake also added a late touchdown run.
“Guys stepped up and made plays,” Lepak said.
Added Berck, “They’re almost all seniors who have played together for a long time. They all contributed. We got a big third down catch and interception by (Mason) Holt, too. We had a lot of contributors in a lot of different places.”
Zaun ended up throwing for 350 yards and three touchdowns for the Guardians, as they couldn’t quite put the finishing touches on the comeback.
“We just kind of ran out of gas,” Pitts said. “But we hit some big plays. I saw some good things that we can show them this is what it’s supposed to look like.”
Summit Christian hosts Fort Scott next Friday, while St. Michael travels to St. Pius X.
