St. Mark's record increases to 6-1!
St. Mark’s received the opening kickoff on Senior Night and Ardis Graham ran it with swagger out to the SM 31. John Webb completed to Cameron Kline on a quick out for 4 yards. Webb then immediately connected with John Caldwell for 14 yards. Dom Garcia and Paul Gudmundsson plowed down the ESD line springing Malcolm Bowman for 14 yards through the right side. Webb again hit Kline for 4 yards, and Bowman ran for two more. On third down, Webb completed to Kline for 17 yards to get the Lions to the Eagle 20. Webb hit Kline once more, and Kline made a nifty move down the left sideline for the Lions first touchdown. The point after attempt was no good.
Cole Labhart made a jarring tackle on the ESD return, and ESD started with an 8 yard run up the middle. The runner was promptly brought down by Harrison Hewitt. After picking up the first down, ESD fumbled a shotgun snap, and Will Perkins pounced on the quarterback for a big loss. Ardis Graham intercepted an overthrown pass and returned it to the St. Mark’s 30.
On the first play from scrimmage, Malcolm Bowman sprinted through the middle of the St. Mark’s offensive line with a gaping hole provided by Michael Doorey and Dom Garcia and outran the Eagle defenders for a 70 yard touchdown. Again, the point after touchdown was no good.
ESD mishandled the ensuing kickoff and Otto Clark-Martinek pulled the Eagle returner down from behind for a big play starting ESD deep in their own territory. Graham made another big play, jumping on an ESD fumble caused by the swarming defense. After two incomplete passes, Webb threw a strike to Kline for 21 yards and the Lions scored their third touchdown. Bowman ran in on a pitch from Webb for the two point conversion, bringing the score to 20-0.
The Lions defense pushed back ESD again forcing a three and out, but St. Mark’s fumbled the punt return giving the ball back to the Eagles. After picking up just two yards on the first two plays, ESD made a nice pitch for 7 bringing up a critical fourth down and one. Mac Labhart smothered the Eagle quarterback on a keeper for a loss turning the ball over to the Lions on downs. Webb found Luke Williams over the middle for 9 yards, and Bowman ran around right end for 15 more. Webb hit Kendrick Spraglin for 14 yards on a nice hookup. After ESD was called for being offsides, Webb hit Kline in the back left corner of the end zone from nine yards out for another Lions score. The two point conversion attempt was no good.
On first down, Richie Loftus for ESD connected with Foster Huggins for 16 yards and Loftus threw to Brian Tonti for 8 yards. Stephen Rambin brought him down immediately. ESD made a great long run, and Rambin made a good hustle tackling the runner inside the ten yard line preventing a touchdown and ending the first quarter.
Three running plays resulted in a quarterback sneak for the Eagles first score. ESD kicked the ball deep in the end zone for a touchback. After a delayed handoff to Bowman produced 1 yard, Webb found Kline for 14 yards out to the St. Mark’s 35. ESD was flagged for pass interference on a long pass attempt to Caldwell. The Eagles forced St. Mark’s to punt and a good roll and burying tackle gave the ball to ESD inside their own ten yard line.
St. Mark’s forced a three and out and took over after a short punt by ESD. Webb hit Spraglin on a quick pass for 5 yards to the 38, but the drive stalled and St. Mark’s turned it over on downs. In short order, ESD drove the ball and Jack Johnson scored on a long touchdown run and brought the score to 26-14.
Kline ran the kickoff back to the 30, and Bowman ran for 1 on first down and an incompletion brought up third down. The left side of the offensive line made up of Cole Labhart and Victor Calvillo made excellent blocks for a long run by Malcolm Bowman for a first down. On the next play, Webb hit Caldwell for a touchdown. The point after touchdown by Jacob Wilner was good ,making the score 33-14 at halftime.
During the half, senior football players were recognized. Here's what Coach Epperson had to say about each of the players:
During the half, senior football players were recognized. Here's what Coach Epperson had to say about each of the players:
Welcome to FAST & Physical football 2011. Tonight we honor the Class of 2012 and present your St. Mark’s LIONS senior football players, band members, Spurs, cheerleaders and their families.
Coach Epperson would like to thank the senior football players for the dedication they have shown this football season. Beginning in early August these young men showed dedication by pushing themselves and their teammates thru the hottest summer in history. Inspiring excellence -expecting the best. Week after week the seniors have responded to the challenges at hand. Their leadership has been extremely professional both on and off the field, always representing St Mark’s Football in a positive light. These 13 seniors are true ambassadors of St. Mark’s School of Texas
Presenting our 2011 Senior Varsity Lion Football Players:
#6 Cody Sixkiller, corner back, is a 3-year varsity player and a marksman for 9 years. He is accompanied by his parents Jessica and Ron Sixkiller.
#18 Jose Gonzalez, kicker, is a one-year varsity player and a marksman for 6 years. He is accompanied by his parents Maria and Alfredo Gonzalez.
#19 Lee Perkins, kicker, is a one-year varsity player and a marksman for 9 years. He is accompanied by his parents Annette and Steve Perkins.
#25 Ardis Graham II, corner back and wide receiver, is a 3-year varsity player and a marksman for 6 years. He is accompanied by his parents Rosemary Dumas and Ardis Graham.
#44 Harlan Burk, deep snapper and defensive lineman, is a 2-year varsity player and a marksman for 12 years. He is proudly accompanied by his grandfather Lawrence Burk.
#51 Jackson Stager, offensive left guard, is a 3-year varsity player and a marksman for 12 years. He is accompanied by his parents Laura and Jeff Stager.
#62 Andres Miller, defensive lineman, is a 1-year varsity player and a marksman for 6 years. He is accompanied by his mother Leyda Teledesca.
#66 Travis Brody, defensive lineman, is a 2 year varsity player and a 7 year marksman. He is accompanied by his parents Lynne and Steve Brody.
#4 Cameron Kline, Captain and wide receiver, is a 3-year varsity player and a marksman for 4 years. He is accompanied by his parents Lisa and Greg Kline.
#8 Amir Saboorian, Captain and linebacker & running back, is a 3-year varsity player and a marksman for 12 years. He is accompanied by his parents Raheela and Hossein Saboorian.
#9 Will Perkins, Captain and outside linebacker, is a 2-year varsity player and a marksman for 12 years. He is accompanied by his parents Jennifer and Tim Perkins.
#14 Joe Bush, Captain and quarterback, is a 3-year varsity player and a 6-year marksman. He is accompanied by his parents Nell and Shelby Bush.
#17 Dillard Pinkston, Captain, defensive end and wide receiver, is a 3-year varsity player and a marksman for 6 years. He is accompanied by his parents Linda and Joe Pinkston.
ESD opened the second half with a nice run by Johnson for 18 yards out to the Eagle 42 yard line. Jimmy Papin rustled down the quarterback on a keeper for negative yardage. Andres Miller tackled their runner for no gain up the middle. Harrison Hewitt made a good tackle on good coverage for another short pass play bringing up 4th down and three to go. Good defense by the Lions front 7 stopped the Eagles and the Lions offense took over.
After an incomplete pass, Webb hit Kline on a busted screen for 3 yards, and Webb hit Williams across the middle for a first down. Bowman ran again for three yards and their defense was called for an offside penalty. The offensive line blew out the Eagles defense, and Malcolm Bowman rushed in for another Lions touchdown. The Jacob Wilner extra point was good and after a deep kick, the Eagle returner ran it out to the 34.
After an ESD first down, the Eagles struck for a 51 yard touchdown pass from Richie Loftus to Brian Tonti, bringing the score to 40-21. After a nice return by Kline to the 29 yard line, an incompletion, a quarterback keeper for 6 yards by Webb, an illegal procedure penalty on the Lions and another incompletion on third and long, the Lions were forced to punt. Luke Williams got off another nice punt, which took a favorable roll giving the ball to ESD on their own 28.
Immediately, the Eagles hit a 72 yard pass play from Loftus to Romano for another quick strike touchdown making the score 40-28. The Eagles squibbed their kickoff and Kendrick Spraglin made a nice return to the St. Mark’s. Webb hit Kline for 6 yards and then incomplete passes forced the Lions to punt again. The St. Mark’s defense stiffened and forced a punt, which sailed in for a touchback, ending the third quarter.
Webb hit Spraglin for a first down, and Bowman ran twice for tough yardage and another first down. Webb again enjoyed great protection from the offensive line and threw a long pass down the right sideline, and Caldwell made a beautiful route correction beating the ESD defender to the ball and taking off for a 57 yard touchdown. The two-point conversion from Webb to Caldwell was good, bringing the score to 48-28.
The Eagles ran the kickoff back to the 38 and continued to move the ball into Lions territory. Harrison Hewitt defended a long pass, but the Eagles again connected for a good touchdown catch over the middle for a 20 yard touchdown.
Spraglin again made a nice runback of ESD’s squib kick to the 38. Webb hit Caldwell for 9 yards and then pitched to Bowman around the end for another 13 yards. Webb hit Kline for 5 yards and then the entire offensive line (Calvillo, Labhart, Doorey, Garcia and Gudmundsson along with a full thumbs up to Jackson Stager who has been doing it full-time for 3 years) broke open two great holes for Bowman, who slithered and spun for another vital first down. Webb hit Williams across the middle for 17 yards to the ESD six yard line. After a holding penalty and a high pass over Caldwell’s head, Webb threw another killer pass to Kline for 16 yards and another touchdown for Webb’s sixth td pass of the night and Kline’s fourth td catch of the night. Jacob Wilner connected on the point after touchdown.
The Eagles took over after a good kick and return. An incomplete pass and an attempted jump pass brought up third down for ESD. They converted on a good pass and completed another good pass for 8 yards and a spike of the ball to stop the clock. An illegal procedure was called against the Eagles and a great sack by Dillard Pinkston gave the ball back to the Lions. Bowman churned up the middle, led by blocking from Doorey, Garcia, and Gudmundsson for two more Lions first downs. Case Brabham entered the game and made a nice run on a good block by Cole Labhart, but the ESD defense forced the Lions to punt.
The Eagles moved the ball rapidly down the field, but Stephen Rambin made a very nice tackle, and Will Perkins put a punishing hit on an unsuspecting ESD receiver. Loftus scrambled for what seemed like 12 seconds and finally found Tonti in the end zone and the extra point closed the gap to 55-42. The Eagles attempted an onside kick, but Harrison Hewitt snatched it out of the mid air and turned on the afterburners, taking it down the left sideline to the house for a 52 yard touchdown return. The extra point was blocked, but John Caldwell tracked down the streaking ESD runner to end the play. Jose Gonzales entered the game to kick off and the kick off team again stopped the Eagles before they could get up a full head of steam. Harrison Hewitt tackled the ESD receiver in bounds to end the game.
Strong offensive play and great nights by the Lions skill players and constant up front protection and blocking from the offensive line as a unit, with defense coming through when necessary brought home the hard fought victory.
WAY TO GO LIONS!!! WHOOP IT UP FOR HOMECOMING NEXT WEEK!!!
