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Lone Pine comes up short versus Crusaders |
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Tuesday, 27 October 2009 |
 Robert Hunter looks to throw the ball as a host of Eagles block for him. Photo by Kellie Caparula By Kellie Caparula
Sports Editor
10-27-2009 Lone Pine didn’t have enough to get past Immanuel Christian Friday as the Eagles lost 36-68 in the their Homecoming game.
The Eagles looked as though they would get sent to the locker room early but were able to fight back after Immanuel Christian suffocated Lone Pine in the first quarter.
In the first quarter, the Eagles struggled to take care of the ball and the Crusaders were able to turn Lone Pine’s mistakes into touchdowns.
Lone Pine turned the ball over on a fake punt during the Eagles’ opening drive of the game. The Crusaders recovered the ball deep in Lone Pine territory and were able to score. Once the Eagles got the ball they lost it again and the turnover led to another Immanuel Christian touchdown.
The Crusaders halted the Eagles’ offense the whole quarter. On the Eagles’ next drive they turned the ball over on downs and Immanuel Christian didn’t waste its possession, adding another touchdown.
Immanuel Christian used defense to get its final score of the quarter as the Crusaders blocked an Eagles punt deep in Lone Pine territory and scored to go ahead 28-0.
Lone Pine did end the quarter with a high note as Casey Sullivan ran the kickoff back into Crusader territory.
Lone Pine football head coach Dale Newell said he was worried that his team would start slow after a week full of Homecoming activities that created low numbers at practice.
“We only had one good practice because of Homecoming festivities,” Newell said. “I had a bad feeling about today.”
But the Eagles started to get on track in the second quarter as Robert Hunter was able to connect with Travis Trazinsky for a touchdown. The momentum stayed with the Eagles as Marco Dominguez recovered a Lone Pine onside kick on the 40-yard line.
The recovery led to another Eagles touchdown as Hunter and Sullivan connected again.
On the kickoff, Lone Pine tried another onside kick and Andrew Howe recovered it for the Eagles. But Lone Pine fumbled the ball on the next play and the Crusaders recovered it, and once again a Lone Pine turnover led to another Immanuel Christian touchdown.
Lone Pine’s defense came to life in the second quarter as the Eagles forced a safety. Then the Eagles got another touchdown as Hunter hit Trazinsky.
At the end of the half the Crusader were on the Eagles’ 14 with 42 seconds left in the quarter. Lone Pine stopped Immanuel Christian twice, but on third down the Crusaders were able to punch the ball in. The Crusaders went into the half with a 40-22 lead.
Immanuel Christian added another touchdown at the beginning of the third quarter. The Eagles’ Emanuel Castro intercepted a Crusaders pass on Immanuel Christian’s 27-yard line. But the Crusaders got the ball back on the next play.
A few plays later Lone Pine got the ball back and Hunter hit Seth Munis for a touchdown. The Eagles were able to get another onside kick but the Crusaders got it back and scored, going up 54-30 into the final quarter.
Immanuel Christian scored at the start of the quarter. The Eagles repaid the favor as Trazinsky ran in a touchdown, but Hunter went out on the play after getting hit hard.
Hunter didn’t return to the game because Newell wanted to give him a rest, but he will play next week.
The Crusaders got another score before the game was over.
Even though his team lost, Newell was happy to see them keep playing hard.
“It was nice to see them get down and fight back,” Newell said.
The Eagles will play again Saturday when they travel to Trona.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 21 December 2009 )
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