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Lutheran North Stops Trinity; Hazelwood Central, East Fall
By Jim Wieners
Too bad that about 5,000 fans according to media reports, including power-five conference college scouts, at Lutheran North’s Bill Lamothe Football Field were not watching a Class Two State Semifinal game.
Instead, it was a Class Two, District Two Final Nov. 3 between two previously unbeaten, top three ranked teams in state. Only one of them stays alive as top-seeded and third-ranked Lutheran North used a goal-line stand to stop Trinity Catholic’s two-point conversion run attempt as the 11-0 Crusaders edged the 9-1 second-ranked and second-seed Titans 48-46.
With 38 seconds left in the fourth quarter Lutheran North stopped Trinity quarterback Isaiah Williams at the Crusader one-yard line in a two-point conversion attempt after Williams threw his sixth touchdown pass of the game to Marcus Washington, his third TD reception. After that, Lutheran North recovered the following onside kick by Trinity to wrap up the game.
It was Lutheran North’s rushing game; five rushers drove the ball 53 times for 292 yards and four touchdowns against the Williams passing attack, completing 11 out of 26 passes for 247 yards. Crusader running back Canaan Brooks led the ground attack by rushing the ball 24 times for 138 yards and two touchdowns leading Lutheran North to a 33-19 lead with 7:35 left in the third quarter. Williams led the Titan comeback with three third-quarter touchdown passes and a two-point conversion pass to Washington with 1:47 left in the third quarter to tie the game at 33-33.
In the fourth quarter, Isaiah Azubuike put Lutheran North up for good in a two-yard touchdown run with 5:04 left. The Crusader defense provided the insurance 21 seconds later as Kobe Reed Pope intercepted a Williams pass and returned it 50 yards for a pick-six. Lutheran North intercepted four of Williams’ passes.
Williams tried to rally the Titans with touchdown passes to Bryce Childress and Washington to cut the deficit to 48-46 with 38 seconds left. However, North’s defense and special hands team ended the scoring.
Lutheran North, after playing two home games in districts will now hit the road Friday, Nov. 10 with a trip to the boot-heel with a 7 p.m. Quarterfinal game at 9-2 Caruthersville. A Lutheran North win means returning to Lamothe Field for the Nov. 17 or 18 Semifinal against top-ranked and defending six-time state champion Lamar or Ava. Lamar is on a 46-game winning streak going to Ava Nov. 11 winning 87 out of their last 92 including a 2013 semifinal rout at Lutheran North, 70-7, after the Crusaders won a home quarterfinal 56-41 over Caruthersville.
So 48 was a winning number but not for Hazelwood Central and Hazelwood East in district finals. CBC defeated Hazelwood Central 48-20 in Class Six, District Two (which is also the state quarterfinal) while Pattonville shuts out Hazelwood East 48-0 in Class Five, District Two.
CBC 48, HAZELWOOD CENTRAL 20 — For the fourth straight year CBC has ended Hazelwood Central’s season by scoring more than 44 points each year, scoring the most this year. However, the last two years the Cadets could never use the Mercy (non-stop clock) rule (with a 35 points or more lead) as they led the Hawks this year by no more than 28.
Bryan Bradford led the Cadets by rushing 28 times for 151 yards and five touchdowns and caught a Brett Gabbert touchdown pass. Raphael Bell did the entire Hawk scoring by rushing for two touchdowns and in the third quarter, Bell caught a touchdown pass and a two-point conversion pass from John Harrison, Jr.
PATTONVILLE 48, HAZELWOOD EAST 0 — For the second straight year Hazelwood East finishes second in Class Five, District Two and for the second time in four years the Spartans lost to Pattonville, former Suburban North Conference rivals. Kaleb Eleby passed for two touchdowns and ran for another, Sam Sanderson ran for two touchdowns and the Pirate defense had two pick sixes and six QB sacks.
