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Saturday
March 20, 2010 Since 1922 |
Second half puts Lee in winners circle
By Dave Rogers
That’s because Robert E. Lee’s Ganders flew high Friday night, winning their season opener against La Porte 27-14 before about 5,000 football fans at Stallworth Stadium.
“It was a big one,” senior running back Dandrick Jackson said. “We’re kind of a new team with a new coaching staff and a new quarterback and people really doubted us. Being a senior, I had to step up.”
Jackson did just that, rushing for 136 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries.
But sophomore Jaevon Richardson did more than step up. He leaped high into the air to snag two touchown passes from junior quarterback Malcolm Ruben.
Both Richardson and Jackson also came up with interceptions for Lee as part of a defensive effort that put the clamps on La Porte after the Bulldogs threatened to run the Ganders out of the stadium early in the first half.
La Porte junior Anthony Webb ran for 181 yards and two scores in the first half, but gained only 40 second-half yards as the Ganders blanked La Porte in Friday night’s second half.
“We hadn’t had to play anybody physical like that,” new Gander head coach Marvin Sedberry, Jr., said. “It took us a while to warm up.
“Trey (senior all-district defender Trey Murray) stood up at halftime and said ‘I love you guys. Let’s leave it on the field,’” Sedberry reported.
“I told them if we’re the best football team, it’ll show up in the second half and it showed up for us tonight.”
Richardson caught five passes for 81 yards and Ruben completed 13 of 21 passes for 135 yards and the two scores. Senior Jarrett Havins led Lee in receptions, with six for 38 yards, as Lee totaled 303 total yards, just a tad fewer than La Porte’s 313
The Bulldogs gained just 95 second-half yards and seven of those came on an ill-fated fake punt attempt on fourth-and-13 from the Bulldog 23.
The Ganders scored in four plays on Richardson’s sky-walking takeaway of a ball La Porte defender John Wesby had in his mitts for a 31-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter.
“He’s a hoopster,” Sedberry said of Richardson’s background on the Lee basketball team. “That’s like dunking a basketball for him. We’re a little school. We have to share athletes.”
Lee’s final touchdown came early in the fourth quarter after La Porte punter Josh Vidales dropped a snap and the Ganders took possession after Mac Havel’s 22-yard return to the Bulldog 27.
Richardson scored from a yard out.
Lee’s most impressive offensive drive had tied the game 14-14 at halftime.
Ruben completed 5 of 8 passes for 62 yards in the 14-play, 77-yard drive that included three big plays.
Jackson picked up 13 yards on a short pass play on third-and-13 to get the drive going, then backup quarterback Daniel Guzman ran eight yards with a fake punt on a fourth-and-five near midfield.
Finally, Richardson outjumped Bulldog defensive back Vidales for a Ruben jump ball on fourth-and-13 and scored a 26-yard touchdown with 3:36 on the second-period clock.
At the half, Webb had 181 yards rushing and two TDs on 17 carries and La Porte had 222 total yards. Lee had 97 yards rushing (93 by Jackson) and 80 passing yards for 177 total yards.
The La Porte running game flexed its muscles against Lee early, with the Bulldogs going 71 yards in four plays to score with the opening kickoff.
Webb did all the damage, setting up his five-yard scoring run with breakaway gallops of 22 and 42 yards.
But the Ganders had an answer in their own running back, Jackson.
The track star was untouched as he went 74 yards up the middle to score with 6:31 left in the first quarter. Emmanuel Torres booted the PAT that tied things up with 7-7.
The Ganders inserted big offensive tackles Xavier Ruben and Tim Smith into their defense to help slow the Bulldogs and Lee dodged a bullet when Vidales misfired on a 28-yard field goal try.
But the Bulldogs went ahead 14-7 the next time they had the ball. Webb burst through a hole at right guard and ran 48 yards to score.
That’s because Robert E. Lee’s Ganders flew high Friday night, winning their season opener against La Porte 27-14 before about 5,000 football fans at Stallworth Stadium.
“It was a big one,” senior running back Dandrick Jackson said. “We’re kind of a new team with a new coaching staff and a new quarterback and people really doubted us. Being a senior, I had to step up.”
Jackson did just that, rushing for 136 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries.
But sophomore Jaevon Richardson did more than step up. He leaped high into the air to snag two touchown passes from junior quarterback Malcolm Ruben.
Both Richardson and Jackson also came up with interceptions for Lee as part of a defensive effort that put the clamps on La Porte after the Bulldogs threatened to run the Ganders out of the stadium early in the first half.
La Porte junior Anthony Webb ran for 181 yards and two scores in the first half, but gained only 40 second-half yards as the Ganders blanked La Porte in Friday night’s second half.
“We hadn’t had to play anybody physical like that,” new Gander head coach Marvin Sedberry, Jr., said. “It took us a while to warm up.
“Trey (senior all-district defender Trey Murray) stood up at halftime and said ‘I love you guys. Let’s leave it on the field,’” Sedberry reported.
“I told them if we’re the best football team, it’ll show up in the second half and it showed up for us tonight.”
Richardson caught five passes for 81 yards and Ruben completed 13 of 21 passes for 135 yards and the two scores. Senior Jarrett Havins led Lee in receptions, with six for 38 yards, as Lee totaled 303 total yards, just a tad fewer than La Porte’s 313
The Bulldogs gained just 95 second-half yards and seven of those came on an ill-fated fake punt attempt on fourth-and-13 from the Bulldog 23.
The Ganders scored in four plays on Richardson’s sky-walking takeaway of a ball La Porte defender John Wesby had in his mitts for a 31-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter.
“He’s a hoopster,” Sedberry said of Richardson’s background on the Lee basketball team. “That’s like dunking a basketball for him. We’re a little school. We have to share athletes.”
Lee’s final touchdown came early in the fourth quarter after La Porte punter Josh Vidales dropped a snap and the Ganders took possession after Mac Havel’s 22-yard return to the Bulldog 27.
Richardson scored from a yard out.
Lee’s most impressive offensive drive had tied the game 14-14 at halftime.
Ruben completed 5 of 8 passes for 62 yards in the 14-play, 77-yard drive that included three big plays.
Jackson picked up 13 yards on a short pass play on third-and-13 to get the drive going, then backup quarterback Daniel Guzman ran eight yards with a fake punt on a fourth-and-five near midfield.
Finally, Richardson outjumped Bulldog defensive back Vidales for a Ruben jump ball on fourth-and-13 and scored a 26-yard touchdown with 3:36 on the second-period clock.
At the half, Webb had 181 yards rushing and two TDs on 17 carries and La Porte had 222 total yards. Lee had 97 yards rushing (93 by Jackson) and 80 passing yards for 177 total yards.
The La Porte running game flexed its muscles against Lee early, with the Bulldogs going 71 yards in four plays to score with the opening kickoff.
Webb did all the damage, setting up his five-yard scoring run with breakaway gallops of 22 and 42 yards.
But the Ganders had an answer in their own running back, Jackson.
The track star was untouched as he went 74 yards up the middle to score with 6:31 left in the first quarter. Emmanuel Torres booted the PAT that tied things up with 7-7.
The Ganders inserted big offensive tackles Xavier Ruben and Tim Smith into their defense to help slow the Bulldogs and Lee dodged a bullet when Vidales misfired on a 28-yard field goal try.
But the Bulldogs went ahead 14-7 the next time they had the ball. Webb burst through a hole at right guard and ran 48 yards to score.