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Eisenhower edges Shepard
Updated: October 1, 2011 12:04AM
Leading 37-11 with 7:31 remaining in the third quarter, Eisenhower was on the verge of blowing out District 218 rival Shepard Friday night in Blue Island.
Or so it appeared.
Some 17 minutes and 28 seconds later, Shepard was lining up for the two-point conversion in hopes of forging a 37-37 tie after reserve quarterback Steve Martinez’ 19-yard pass ping-ponged into the arms of receiver Londell Lee with 2:03 remaining.
Martinez’ conversion pass, however, fell incomplete and Eisenhower escaped with a 37-35 victory — its fifth straight — to remain atop the South Suburban Red standings.
“I knew it was going to be like this,” Eisenhower coach Travis Moore said. “We’ve lost so many games like this. I’m so glad we won this one.”
The Cardinals (5-1 overall, 4-0 in conference), donning pink and white jerseys in honor of “Breast Cancer Month,” strolled to a 23-0 lead.
Lavantis Lewis hauled in a 68-yard touchdown pass from Justin Geiter (6-of-10, 186 yards) and also added a 12-yard TD run, while Leo Okeke (21 carries, 125 yards) registered a 12-yard score and Gio Sanchez drilled a 37-yard field goal to account for the 23-point advantage.
Okeke added a 50-yard TD run on the Cards first series of the second half to extend the lead to 29-3 after Sanchez’ point-after kick.
The Astros received a boost when Lee (four catches, 123 yards) hauled in a 66-yard TD pass to cut the lead to 29-11 after the two-point conversion with 9:06 left in the third quarter.
Ike came right back as Geiter scooted in from 10 yards out and the Cards converted the two-point try to make it 37-11 at 7:31.
That’s when Shepard (3-3, 2-2) made its move.
“We told the kids to keep competing, to keep working,” Shepard coach Dominic Passolano said. “We started to take some chances on special teams, offense and defense.”
The Astros hit some big plays by way of the pass, as Brandon Lucas (45-yard TD reception) and Lee (17-yard and 19-yard TD receptions) came up with big catches. Tommy Eyer added a 32-yard field goal and all of a sudden it was 37-35.
Geiter’s 23-yard run on a third down and 17 with 1:29 remaining iced the win for Ike.
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