By Steve Robinson | April 13, 2021 - 3:04 pm
Posted in Category: The Normalite, U-High

NORMAL – Although University High was able to keep pace with Springfield Lanphier High School during the first quarter of their Central State Eight Conference contest Friday night, the Pioneers’ defense’s not being able to contain Lions’ senior running back Tierre Butler allowed the senior running back to score twice on the night. That contributed to the end result of the Lions defeating the Pioneers, 33-20, before a small Hancock Stadium crowd.

Following a scoreless first quarter. U-High (1-3) grabbed a 3-0 lead on sophomore kicker Declan Duley’s 32 yard field goal 3 seconds into the second quarter. His points capped a five play 30 yard drive. Before that the Lions had trouble getting out of their own territory giving a field advantage to the Pioneers.

U-High increased its lead, 10-0, on a four yard score from senior running back Peter Deffenbaugh capping a 3 play 38 yard march at 7:09 in the quarter, followed by a Duley extra point.

Butler put Springfield Lanphier (2-2) on the board at 4:46 in the quarter on a 1 yard run capping a 6 play 69 yard drive followed by an extra point by sophomore kicker Alex Suprenant cutting the Pioneers’ lead, 10-7.

U-High were able to march into Lions territory on their next possession until they got to the Lions’ 30. From there, a pair of incomplete passes and a short yardage gain forced Duley to kick a 31 yard field goal for the Pioneers to increase their lead to 13-7 with 2:47 left in the half.

A second Butler touchdown from 7 yards out capped a 5 play 54 yard drive for the Lions from the ensuing kickoff followed by Suprenant’s extra point, putting Springfield Lanphier in front for the first time, 14-13, with 2:47 left, putting the Lions in front at the half.

An 80 yard pass from Lions senior quarterback Jacob Galassi to senior wide receiver A’Tejon Lee would help push the visitor’s lead, 21-13, following another Suprenant extra point. Lee’s score would be the only play in the drive toward the score at the 4:30 mark in the third quarter.

Each side would give up the ball on downs for their next possession, but Springfield Lanphier would score a final time at 4:17 in the fourth quarter as Galassi would scramble around Pioneers defenders for a 10 yard touchdown but Suprenant missed the extra point, but the Lions increased the lead, 27-13.

Senior running back Lamar Manning would a short yardage touchdown with 2:52 left in the game, but the extra point try failed, giving Springfield Lanphier a 33-13 lead.

Pioneers senior wide receiver Gavin Markert would catch a 28-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Collin Cunningham for a touchdown with 7 seconds left in the game, followed by Duley’s extra point leading to the final score.

“Up front, we knew their running game was good and we respect them for that,” explained Springfield Lanphier head coach Don Goff after the game, giving a nod to the Pioneers’ offense. ”But we felt we could get the ball to our athletes out in open spaces. We haven’t had a quarterback who likes to throw the ball as much as he does, and so we got the ball out in the parimeter and our kids made some great plays.”

Goff had praise for the Pioneers’ effort on the night, saying, “They are well coached and they play hard. They’re well coached.”

“We made this team look like a hundred bucks in this game,” Pioneers head coach John Johnson said of Springfield Lanphier in comparison to his squad. “We made too many mistakes. We should have won the game, but we didn’t. We made too many mistakes and we’re too divided.”

Champaign Central Visits Hancock Stadium Friday: The Pioneers will be home Friday night but Champaign Central from the Big 12 Conference will be the opponent rather than Decatur Eisenhower as noted on some schedules. Kickoff is slated for 7p.m. at Hancock Stadium.

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