PREP FOOTBALL: Tri-Cities went down, but not out

BY SPENCER CAMPBELL
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER

BRISTOL, Va. – After their game on Friday night, the Tri-Cities Christian Schools football team huddled around its brand-new trophy.
Shimmering and golden, each player and coach reached out a hand and placed it on the hardware. Head coach Frank Reed said a few words, the team let out a collective cry and the huddle broke.

It wasn’t the trophy the Eagles wanted to bring home. It was given to the squad shortly after losing to Lighthouse Christian School 28-20 in the Tennessee Association of Christian Schools 2008 State Championship game at Gene Malcolm Stadium, and represented their new-found status as the state’s second-best football team.

But considering how Tri-Cities finished last year (0-8), how they nearly completed a winless to peerless turnaround in only a year, Reed wasn’t complaining.

“I told these young men, ‘We come out here every week and don’t pay attention to that scoreboard,’ ” he said. “We play with all our hearts.’ And I believe that’s what we did tonight.

“We just played the state championship and this is only our second year [of football at Tri-Cities]. What a lot of these kids don’t understand is they’re paving the way for the future.”

The Eagles’ loss bookends a stretch that saw them lose all of their contests a year ago and their first two of this season, only to rebound with a 7-2 record in their last nine ball games.

Three of their players – senior quarterback Caleb Leuzinger, eighth-grade running back Bryce Ramey and sophomore running back Eurenna Semper – made Tennessee’s All-Tournament squad.

Leuzinger, who transferred to Tri-Cities before the start of the 2008 season from Mountain Empire Baptist, had only hope for the Eagles to be competitive during his senior campaign.

“Honestly, I was hoping for a couple wins,” he said. “And we got to the state championship. Glory be to God, I’m thankful.”

For Lighthouse, the win completes the perfect, 11-0 season, and gives head coach Scott A. Davis, Sr. his first state title after four Nashville City Championships.

The Lions were led by senior running back Justin Woods, who rushed the ball for 14 times for 143 yards, two touchdowns and two two-point conversion runs.

Woods’ fourth-quarter 48-yard run set up his own five-yard touchdown. The senior’s ensuing two-point conversion run produced the Lions’ eight-point margin of victory.

“We started in May,” Davis said. “Football is football. It’s about blocking, tackling, bringing the hat, having fun and just absolutely lighting people up between the white lines. I’ve played for a lot of years and coached for a lot of years and to go undefeated in a great thing.

“Football is unbelievably great. I just love it.”

Lighthouse’s Ben Counts began the scoring with back-to-back touchdown receptions of 27 and 34 yards, both from quarterback Bobby Muller, also a member of the state’s all-tournament team.

Just when it appeared that the Lions – leading 12-0 after missing on both two-point conversions – would run away with the title, Leuzinger floated a deep pass just over the fingertips of a Lighthouse defender and into the arms of Ramey. The sophomore did the rest of the work, using his speed to outrun the secondary. Eighty-eight yards and a Semper 2-point conversion later, the Eagles trailed 12-8.

Semper, however, was not limited to only scoring on conversion attempts. After Woods scored his first touchdown late in the first half, the sophomore returned the Lions’ kick 85 yards to glory, cutting Lighthouse’s intermission lead to 20-14.

The Eagles briefly tied the game in the third quarter, when Leuzinger ran the ball in from two yards out, but Woods’ fourth-quarter score proved to be too much for Tri-Cities to overcome.

“Mainly it was on offense,” Reed said after the game. “We didn’t execute as well as I thought we could against this team. “But I think the guys have done extraordinary this year. I’m so proud of these young men, I can’t explain it. I love every single one of them with all my heart.

“I mean, come on. State championship? Second year? You only lose by eight points? That’s great. It’s awesome.”

scampbell@bristolnews.com|(276) 645-2543

Lighthouse Christian 6 14 0 8—28
Tri-Cities Christian 0 14 6 0—20
Scoring Summary
LC – Ben Counts 27 pass from Bobby Muller (run failed)
LC – Counts 34 pass from Muller (run failed)
TCC – Bryce Ramey 88 pass from Caleb Leuzinger (Eurenna Semper from Leuzinger)
LC – Justin Woods 1 run (Woods runs)
TCC – Semper 85 kick return (pass failed)
TCC – Leuzinger 2 run
LC – Woods 5 run (Woods run)

Team Stats
First Downs: LC 17, TCC 10; Rushes-Yards: LC 36-227, TCC 36-146; Passing Yards: LC 98, TCC 87; Comp.-Att.-Int.: LC 7-10-0, TCC 4-14-1; Penalties-Yards: LC 4-45, TCC 9-75; Fumbles-Lost: LC 6-5, TCC 6-4; Punts-Avg.: LC 1-36, TCC 3-26.34