“You’re going to see them again,” Landis told his team afterward.
With the regular season winding down and the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association playoffs nearing, Landis is confident that his Eagles and the Greenies of Christ School haven’t settled their 2011 business just yet. Both appear to be in the mix for the NCISAA crown so either way, win or lose, Landis was going to encourage his Eagles to learn from their first meeting with Christ School and prepare to use that intelligence in their second game.
But because SouthLake (6-1) lost the battle of unbeatens, after Christ School (7-0) scored 38 straight points, it was the first time Landis had to motivate his team after a defeat.
“We need to keep this taste in our mouths,” said Landis. “We need to keep this in mind.”
Christ School won the total yardage battle 417-258 and picked off Eagle quarterback Randy Schroeder five times, while winning the turnover battle 7-2. And after SouthLake took a 21-7 lead on a 6-yard Adam Gilkerson touchdown run with 6:06 to play in the first half, the Greenies dominated.
“Tonight, they were just a better team,” said Landis. “That’s all there is to it.”
Two games
Early on, it appeared SouthLake was going to roll to victory as the Eagles scored three times with relative ease. A blocked punt by Jake Hatfield set up SouthLake’s first score, a 17-yard run by Demetri Allison on the Eagles’ first play from scrimmage. Andre Diouf’s interception led to a 30-yard SouthLake drive and a 1-yard Allison score to put SouthLake up 14-0, and after Christ School posted its first points on a Christian Jewkes 1-yard run, the Eagles’ best drive of the night — eight plays, 80 yards — made it 21-7.
But as productive as the Eagles had been until then, the rest of the way SouthLake managed just three first downs, turned the ball over five times and could not change the momentum as Christ School rattled off 24 second-quarter points, all in the final 5:56 of the half.
“It happened quick,” said Landis.
SouthLake struggled against the run, especially when Mikey Dumaine had the ball. Dumaine rushed for 220 yards on 32 carries and scored four times, including a 52-yarder in the second quarter.
“With their size and the athleticism they have, it was tough,” said Landis. “Our guys kept fighting.”
Allison the playmaker
It was too little too late, but Demetri Allison’s third score of the night showed his athleticism and gave the Eagles a late infusion of hope.
On first-and-10 from its own 42-yard line, SouthLake called a pass play, and Schroeder looked to Allison running a go route down the home sideline. Allison went up and retrieved the ball over two defenders in a jump-ball situation at the Christ School 40, spun and raced to the end zone for the 58-yard touchdown.
“SouthLake’s a heck of a team,” said Greenies coach Mark Moroz. “There’s a reason they were 6-0 going into this game.”
PATs
The Greenies landed some big hits throughout the game, including a few on Eagle kick returns. Asked if he’d seen such a physical team, Landis said, “Not this year.” ... The Eagles had some players that matched the size of the Greenies, but overall, Christ School was still noticeably larger. ... SouthLake’s Taylor Jurney had a sack and a fumble recovery. Scott Richardson also had a sack. ... SouthLake plays at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School in northeast Georgia Friday at 4 p.m. Rabun Gap is located approximately 220 miles from SouthLake and is one of a handful of NCISAA schools located outside the state.
