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The Lafayette Christian football team put together a miraculous fourth quarter rally to escape with a 16-16 tie from their spring game against Springwood.

Trailing 16-0 heading into the fourth quarter it all seemed doom and gloom for the Cougars, but heads never slumped and the team put together 16 straight points to salvage something from their spring game.

Brandon Davenport proved to be the hero for the Cougars, scoring a 10-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter and with a successful two-point conversion, the Cougars had life. Trailing 16-8 the Cougars were able to force a three and out and took over on their own 44-yard line. The offense promptly fumbled away a high snap. 

The Cougar defense would once again force a three and out to get the ball back on Springwood’s 46-yard line with 2:10 on the clock. A 38-yard run by Davenport set the Cougars up inside the 10-yard line and Bryce Modling finished the drive off with a weaving touchdown run from eight yards out. Tensions were high as the Cougars attempted the two-point conversion, but it was an easy conversion to tie the game. 

The Wildcats could get nothing going on a game-winning drive attempt.

HOW IT GOT THERE:

It was all Wildcats early with Dylan Reeves opening the scoring with a five-yard touchdown run after a long Wildcat drive to open the game. The Wildcats were able to force a fumble on the ensuing Cougar drive to get the ball back on their own 33-yard line.

It looked like the Cougars were on the board in the first half when Ephraim Snyder trucked his way through the Wildcat defense, but his 50+ yard touchdown run was called back for a block in the back. The drive stalled out when Reeves came through with another big play for Springwood when he recovered a fumble, but the Wildcats could not extend their lead before halftime. 

The Wildcats went right back to work on the other side of the break as Colt Person intercepted a pass on the first Cougar drive of the half, The Springwood offense could not capitalize. The Wildcats defense was flying around in the third quarter and forced another turnover when Reevers dislodged the ball from Snyder’s arm and Eli Johnson was quick to jump on the ball for Springwood. 

Springwood extended its lead late in the third quarter when Luke Hudson hit Pearson for a 59-yard touchdown pass. 

The Lafayette Christian faithful once again thought they got on the board when David Karvelas hit Paul Batastini for a 60-yard touchdown pass, but the Cougar sideline was left befuddled once again when a block in the back brought it back. 

The game was full contact with both teams eager to compete for the first time since the fall. Springwood finished last season as the AISA 8-man football runner-up while the Cougars ended last season in the GAPPS state semifinals. Both teams are looking to build on successful 2022 campaigns and make a run again in 2023 and Friday was the next step in that process.