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Martez Walker breaks Brother Rice record in ‘W’
Updated: October 28, 2011 10:59PM
Martez Walker was an offensive star in Brother Rice’s 35-14 victory over visiting Sandburg in Friday night’s Class 8A playoff opener, rushing for 182 yards and three touchdowns.
He ended the night a record-setter, scoring his school single-season high 19th touchdown and 118th point.
But before all that, the 5-foot-9 senior was a difference-maker on the other side of the line.
It was late in the first quarter and Sandburg was on the verge of taking the lead. On a third down and goal from the 1, Martez made a 1-on-1 tackle on Eagles running back Lemonte Booker for a one-yard loss.
On the next play, Sandburg’s Mike Rago ran into a Rice defensive wall at the 1.
The drive was stalled.
“I played outside in like coach was telling us all week and I just made a big play,” Walker said of his defensive gem.
Brother Rice then went 99 yards in 10 plays, the last of which was a 28-yard touchdown run by Walker. Walker contributed heavily on the Crusaders’ next scoring drive as well, with one rush good for 40 yards and another for 14 and a TD.
A pair of perfect PATs by Brian Kane accounted for two more points, while a late interception by Cody Stull deep in his own territory helped Brother Rice lead if, not convincingly, certainly comfortably 14-0 at intermission.
By the end of the third period, it was convincing.
Sandburg had the first shot, but the Eagles’ drive died at midfield after a sack by Rice’s Mike Martin.
After an Eagles punt, the Crusaders went 65 yards to pay dirt. Walker went 41 yards on the final play, fumbling forward at the 10. Teammate Dan Lyons scooped the ball up at the 3 and ran it in the rest of the way.
Walker’s records-setting touchdown came on a 5-yard run with 1:47 remaining in the third period. He followed up with the 2-point conversion run to make it 28-0.
“I had no idea (about the records),” Walker said. “I don’t care about that too much. I just like to win.”
Two Brother Rice fumbles allowed Sandburg to convert two fourth-quarter scores on 1-yard runs by Booker (8 carries, 81 yards) and quarterback Anthony Adams (13-of-21, 108 yards).
The Eagles had another chance, down 28-14, after recovering an onside kick, and got as close as the Rice 31. But a Mike Houston fumble recovery and a 3-yard TD run by Andrew Walker (20 carries, 133 yards) eased the tension for the Crusaders.
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