By JAKE DONOVAN
The Page Patriots exploded to a thunderous start versus Lipscomb Academy, only for the night to be preempted by lightning strikes.
A severe weather warning dashed the hopes of both schools in search of their first win of the 2016 football season. The game ended in a 7-7 tie after just one quarter of back-and-forth action, with incoming storms forcing an abrupt ending Friday evening at Page’s Waylon Jennings Stadium.
The game was delayed just prior to the start of the 2nd quarter, with both teams and their respective patrons forced off of the field and into safe shelter inside Page High School. Upon official cancellation, efforts to reschedule the remainder of the game proved futile, with the absence of a feasible make-up date forcing both schools to settle for a no-contest.
“It is what it is,” quipped Page head coach Charles Rathbone.
The abridged game featured pockets of explosive football and – for the Patriots – a marked improvement upon the offensive woes that contributed to its buzzer-beating loss to Fairview one week ago in their annual “Battle of 840” season-opening clash. Also motivating was the haunting memory of a 21-20 loss to Lipscomb Academy one year ago, with Page’s hopes of a come-from-behind victory squashed by a failed two-point conversion.
Whereas the defense atoned for a dormant offense, the Patriots came out strong on both sides of the football. Lipscomb Academy – a preseason favorite to win Region 6-4A and return to the playoffs – stumbled out the gate, as the visiting Mustangs were held to three-and-out on each of its first two drives. Sandwiched in between was an impressive 45-yard scoring drive by Page, all of which came on the ground.
Freshman running back Donald ‘Bubba’ Johnson powered his way to 16 yards on three straight carries. Junior quarterback Jacob Van Landingham took care of the rest, shaking off an incomplete pass and a 3rd-and-6 to march 29 yards to the house on a draw play – his lone carry of the brief game – to give the Patriots the early lead.
“Our defense kept us in the game last week,” Van Landingham noted. “We knew we had to come out firing this week and that was our goal on the opening drive.”
Landingham also added 41 yards in the air on three completed passes in five attempts, giving the junior 192 passing yards on the year and emerging as the leader of the Patriots’ offense.
Both teams exchanged punts after failing to produce a first down on subsequent drives. Held to just six yards of total offense through its first two offensive series, Lipscomb – playing its first game of the season – experienced a wake-up call in a big way.
William Phillips, a two-way starting senior, began a 78-yard drive with a 13-yard run before being taken down along the visitor’s sidelines. A three-yard run by senior wideout John Thomas Paul on a reverse play was followed up by the Mustangs’ first timeout.
Whatever speech was issued in the huddle resonated with the offense. Its first play once action resumed was a 51-yard catch and sprint by Paul from junior quarterback Logan Sakarapanee (1-3, 51 yards) to put the Mustangs in Patriots’ territory – and deep into the red zone – for the first time in the evening.
Three plays later, Phillips hit paydirt, strolling into the end zone untouched on a 3-yard run. A successful PAT by senior kicker Tyson Keenan knotted the game at seven with 3:59 to go in the opening quarter.
The Patriots did their best to respond, registering 53 yards of offense on six plays in threatening to take the lead. However, the scoring drive came to a screeching halt when Johnson (eight carries, 29 yards) coughed up the football at the Lipscomb 12-yard line. The fumble was recovered by Rutger Reitmaier (two solo tackles, one fumble recovery), the Mustangs’ defensive captain and top-rated linebacker who is committed to Oregon University next fall.
A pair of carries by junior running back Matthew Jones (two carries, 18 yards) helped move the chains. Lipscomb survived a brief scare when Sakarapanee recovered his own fumble, though, resulting in a 5-yard loss as time expired to end the opening quarter.
Lightning strikes forced players and patrons to safe quarters, where they were held for more than 45 minutes before the game was officially canceled and declared a no contest at 8:30 p.m.
The pursuit of the first win for 2016 continues for both teams heading into separate games next Friday.
Page enjoys home field advantage once again, with the Patriots hosting the Spring Hill Raiders (1-0 heading into its game versus McGavock HS).
Lipscomb is slated for its home opener, as it welcomes Northwest High School to its campus.
The Mustangs defeated Northwest in a 21-19 thriller one year ago.
[scroller style=”sc1″ title_size=”17″ display=”cats” cats=”7125″ number_of_posts=”12″ auto_play=”5000″ speed=”300″]
