HA spoils Homecoming
Published 12:00 am Saturday, September 24, 2005
MERRY HILL – Seven fumbles were too much to overcome here Friday night as the Vikings of Halifax Academy defeated Lawrence Academy 33-14.
Things started off well for the Warriors on their homecoming night as they took the opening drive 57 yards for the score.
Jay Spencer began the drive with a five yard run between the tackles.
On the ensuing play quarterback Dusty Todd found an open Holden McClenney for a 30 yard pass that set the home team up on the Viking’s 22 yard line.
Two Halifax penalties put the Warriors 13 yards from the endzone.
The Vikings defense regrouped and allowed only 6 yards on the next three plays.
That’s when Andrew Krawczk busted through the line for the 7 yard touchdown run.
A Krawczk run added two points to give the Warriors the early 8-0 lead but their good fortunes would end there.
Halifax would answer the score on the first play of the second quarter to pull within one point and immediately get the ball back on the Warriors’ 47 yard after a fumbled kickoff return.
The visitors, led by quarterback Brent Caudle drove downfield and punched the ball in for the score and their first lead of the game.
Caudle’s five yard score and Chris Dill’s kick gave the Vikings the 14-8 advantage.
Lawrence began to put on a drive of their own on the ensuing possession but once again fumbled the ball, this time on their own 41 yard line.
Dill scooped up the loose ball and ran 59 yards to paydirt.
The extra point failed and the Warriors found themselves down 20-8 with just over two and a half minutes remaining in the first half.
Halifax was not done however.
The Vikings forced the Warriors to go &uot;three and out&uot; and found themselves with the ball and a minute to go before the break.
That would prove to be plenty of time as Caudle found a wide open Shase Hawkins for the 70 yard touchdown pass.
Dill’s kick was the last point of the half and gave the Vikings the 27-8 lead going into halftime.
Any hopes of a Warriors comeback were crushed when, on the opening drive of the third quarter, the Vikings’ Hawkins turned the corner and scampered 52 yards for the score and the 33-8 lead.
Lawrence would find the endzone again, this time on the first play of the fourth quarter when Krawczk broke through the defense and raced 83 yards to the goal line.
The senior’s run cut the lead to 19 but it would prove to be too little, too late as the Warriors would fumble the ball twice more before time expired in the 33-14 rout.