| Grand Island, NE - The Spartans traded knock out blows and turnovers with
Grand Island
on Friday night, but it was the Islanders that managed to spoil a Lincoln East fourth quarter comeback with a short drive to win over the Spartans 16-13. The battle between two undefeated teams and a energized Spartan following made it a very exciting competitive game. However, it was Lincoln East that had to drive home with a sour taste of what could of been a Spartan victory.
Looking back on history, the seniors have lost to
Grand Island
all three times they played them since their freshman year by a total of 9 total points. You couldn't get two more evenly matched teams.
Grand
Island
’s turnovers in the game stopped two drives in the red zone and three of the Spartans turnovers lead to all
Grand Island
scores including the first score of the game on an interception by Slade Boiles from the Spartan 14 yard line. The extra point run failed and
Grand Island
took a second quarter lead 6-0 after both defenses played a superb first quarter.
With less than 1:00 until half-time the Spartan offense got a spark and moved down the field capping the touchdown drive with a 7 yard pass from Scott Sunderman to Tyson Clark. The two 6'4" Spartan ends, in Clark and Drew Sankey held a height advantage over the Islanders all night with 7 receptions for 104 yards. Kickoff and punt returns of over 141 yards for
Grand Island
and a 43.6 punting average kept the Spartans deep in their own territory all night.
In the third quarter a miscue on the punt return by the Spartans lead to a fumble inside the Spartan red zone and the Islanders were held to a 24 yard field goal. The Islanders held the lead in the third quarter with a 9-6 advantage. With 10 minutes to go in the game, the Spartans drive down the field on passing again and finished the comeback with a short 3 yard Sunderman to
Clark
combination. Spartan fans had the feeling they were witnessing a superb effort by the Spartans to take the lead. The Spartan defense had held Mike Tomlin, leading rusher, in check all night but, his kickoff returns lead to another poor field advantage for the East High defenders.
Grand Island
and East traded possessions before East threw another interception on the
Grand Island
45 yard line. A Spartan defense that had fought hard all night in the red zone, started to look fatigued and
Grand Island
managed to make one successful drive of the night and cap off drive with a 14 yard scamper by the quarterback Mike Lorenz. With the score 16-13 in favor of
Grand Island
, the momentum had changed to the Islanders side and they shut down any East comeback efforts in the final minutes.
|
|
