DANVILLE — It was a game that had just about everything, including a win for the Danville Blue Devils, 26-14 over the Lucas Cubs.
After Lucas marched down the field on 18 plays, burning 9:44 off the clock and capping a 63-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run, it was obvious the Cubs were a team that would focus on the ground; not a single pass left the quarterback’s hand during that drive.
“That’s who they are, that is their identity,” Danville head coach Matt Blum said of the Lucas rushing attack.
That drive marked the only points in the first half, with the Cubs enjoying a 7-0 edge at intermission.
The realization that football was just a game hit home when with 1:59 remaining in the first half. Middle linebacker Jacob Byers had to be taken from the field by emergency medical personnel and transported to the hospital. Byers was a part of a swarming defense that forced a 16-yard Cub loss, bringing the crowd to its feet.
That crowd soon fell silent as Byers failed to get back to his feet after the play. As both teams knelt on their respective sidelines, the eerie sound of the siren could be heard heading for the stadium.
While results are preliminary, Blum gave some encouraging news following the game.
“He’s doing OK. He’s over at KCH (Knox Community Hospital) waiting on some tests,” Blum said. “There was pain in his lower back but he never lost the feeling in his extremities. Everything came back positive so far, that’s all I know.”
The first play from scrimmage in the third quarter, the Blue Devils lost the ball on a fumble, but then the Cubs (1-2) returned the favor by coughing the ball up just moments later, which Owen Gronberg pounced on to return the ball to the home team.
Cyren Wallace then took the ball and scampered 59 yards to put the Devils on the board, followed by a successful two-point conversion for an 8-7 Danville lead.
The Cubs regained the lead with a 1-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter.
Back came Danville.
Quarterback Nolan Ridgeway connected on a pass to Carson Proper, setting up a Briggs Wallace rouchdown run. But a failed PAT left the game tied at 14-14 heading to the final 12 minutes.
The Blue Devils (2-1) clinched the win after Cyren Wallace raced 57 yards to paydirt, followed by a rushing touchdown by Christopher Mosher.
Blum believes that his team may be in the process of turning the corner after last week’s loss to Utica.
“Our players found out who they really are, they had to come to the realization that it was on them to make this thing happen,” he said. The coach believes that the defense found their role following the first Lucas touchdown.
“They finally put their foot down and decided whom they wanted to be, which is ground and pound. I am really proud of their effort, we played hard, we played really hard, and that is all I can ask.”
Next Friday, the Devils take their show on the road to face Mount Gilead.
Lucas travels to Vanlue next week.