Ball strippers

By Michael Ashcraft --

After two years of straight losses, Lighthouse Christian Academy won Saturday 56-16, thanks in part to stripping the ball from their opponents twice.

It was the first time the Saints have stripped a football this season, and the turnovers led to a 28-8 lead by half time, at which time the Kerns Resource Center Warriors became the Worriers. (No, I can't resist a pun.)

"All week long I challenged the guys to come out angry and violent, and they came out hitting over and over and over," said Coach Justin Kayne. "The other team rolled over. They quit because we came out and made hits."

The Saints played with minimal mistakes for the first time this season. The guys who ran the ball ran confidently. The receivers made their catches. D-line pressed for sacks and stymied runs. Coaches had to be happy that the kids were learning, finally, at the end of the season, football.

With one more game to its season, Lighthouse is looking to build on Saturday's victory for next season.

Junior Zion Jenkins came out spinning like a top. Every time he was in danger of being tackled, he spun and broke the tackle. Senior Zeke Young made bold curving runs and stiff-armed opponents.Sophomore Andrew Morales, who was injured a few weeks ago and ran gingerly thereafter, found his old form. He's a hockey player who's used to body checks, and he skated through opponents.

When the score was 14-8, sophomore Alex Brick was the first to strip the ball. The turnover led to TD by senior Owen Toomey making it 20-8.

Not to be outdone, The Drewski also stripped the ball, giving LCA an unaccustomed upper hand. With nine seconds in the half, Zion caught a pass in the end zone, that with a conversion, made it 28-8.

The Saints didn't fumble their lead. In the fourth quarter, Morgan Miles, who has waited all season on the bench, was sent on the field and also stripped the football from the carrier, although Kerns recovered. Saints fans went wild chanting his name because they know his patience to play.

The Saints were unrelenting. They had lost too many games -- because of second half mistakes, because bad calls by refs -- and they were hungry for a win. Touchdowns were scored by Zeke, senior Christian Boatwright, and The Drewski.

Related content: No More Mopey, Father figure, Football epiphany, Baby Face, We threw a Brick at them, Nerd on the football team.

About this reporter: Mike Ashcraft teaches journalism at the Lighthouse Christian Academy in Santa Monica.