After the Homecoming football game was expedited on Thursday, Oct. 23, due to weather concerns, the Lions fell to Episcopal High School (Houston) by a final score of 32-16. Both teams entered the game with a record of 4-4, but the Lions came in 0-3 in SPC play, while the Knights started 2-1. Before the final home game of the season, the Lions honored senior football players and cheerleaders for Senior Night.
The Lions offense got the ball first, but went three-and-out on their opening drive. After a punt, the Knights took over at midfield at scored with a balanced attack of run and pass on a 9-play drive to take an early 7-0 lead. The Lions’ offense again failed to pick up a first down, but the defense forced a Knights punt. Backed up to their own end zone, the Lions could only make a little room on offense before punting for the third straight time. The Knights offense began to drive the ball into Lions’ territory, but senior Spencer Hopkins picked off a pass on a fourth-down attempt to give the Lions the ball at their own 20-yard line. Unfortunately, the Lions gave the ball right back to the Knights on the first play of the drive on an interception. Thrust back onto the field with the ball already in the Lions’ half of the field, safety Mac Saye broke two consecutive passes to force a 45-yard field goal attempt by the Knights, which sailed wide left to keep the Knights lead at 7-0.
The Lions’ offense failed to capitalize on the missed field goal and had to punt to open the second quarter. Again, the Knights began to drive down the field, but the Knights’ quarterback threw a jump ball near the Lions’ own goal line which was picked off by cornerback Ford Robinson. For the fifth time in the first half, the Lions punted. This time, however, punter Henry McGill boomed his punt 51 yards to flip the field in the Lions’ favor. The Lions’ defense, who played arguably their best half of the entire season, got their sixth-straight stop as the Knights punted to give the Lions’ the ball just short of midfield. On fourth and ten just past the 50-yard line, Lions’ quarterback Blaize Schuhmacher found receiver Archer Wilburn on a wheel route for a huge first down. The Lions continued their march down the field, which was capped off with a short touchdown run by David Dickson. After a botched extra point snap, holder David McAtee III scrambled and threw up a pass that tight end Grant Kennington wrestled away from a Knights defender as the Lions got their first point of the game to make the score 8-7 Lions. After another Knights’ punt, the Lions ended the half with an one point lead.
To start the third quarter, the Knights found some offensive momentum which carried them down the field for a score to retake the lead at 14-8. After a penalty on the kickoff, the Lions’ found themselves forced to punt from their own endzone. Starting with the ball at the Lions’ 32-yard line, the Knights quickly scored again to take a commanding 21-8 lead. The Lions’ offense continued to sputter as the Lions’ had their fifth three-and-out and seventh punt of the game.
The Knights chewed up time as they drove down the field, but had to settle for a field goal to make the lead 16 points. The Lions punted again, their eight punt in 11 drives, but the defense got a key fourth down stop to key hope alive midway through the fourth quarter. Finally, the offense found their stride as Dickson ran for his second touchdown and Braden Scott scored the two-point conversion off the direct snap to make it a one score game, 24-16, with just four minutes left in the game. However, the Lions’ defense could not get one more stop as the Knights bludgeoned their way down field to take a 16 point lead. The Lions’ offense tried in vain to score with less than a minute left, but the Lions ultimately came up short.
The Knights will take on the John Cooper School next week in what is perhaps the most important Southwest Preparatory Conference football game of the year, as the winner will take on Kinkaid in the SPC championship in two weeks. After the 32-16 defeat, the Lions will go to rival Episcopal School of Dallas for the final football game of the year next week.
