Running back Kareem Lucas goes for 244 rushing yards and the
defense forces three turnovers.
GILRoy – Though the Clovis Christian Wildcats hung around for a majority of the first half, there was just too much Kareem Lucas to contend with and the defense buckled down when it needed to as the Anchorpoint Christian Warriors opened the home portion of its 2010 season with a 54-26 victory Saturday night in Gilroy.
“We just gave the ball to the big man,” Warriors head coach KC Adams said. “When push came to shove, we just gave it to him.”
Lucas, listed at 6-foot-1, 220 pounds, ransacked the Wildcats’ defense, using speed and raw power to amass 271 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Lucas also caught a 27-yard scoring pass from starting quarterback Jacob Brendle, who intercepted the Crusaders’ initial pass of the game to set up the score three snaps later.
Jordan Suniga ripped off a 42-yard touchdown jaunt and had an interception, one of three turnovers the Warriors forced on the night. Suniga also returned a fumble 65 yards to paydirt.
Despite the Warriors producing points every which way, the game remained close into the second quarter with the home team up 28-20.
“These guys are always tough,” Adams said of the Crusaders. “I’m so glad to be playing a team of our caliber so we can see what kind of team we are.”
But the lead ballooned to 40-26 by the break and expanded further in the second half as the defense tightened its reins and shut out the Wildcats over the final 24 minutes.
“We actually didn’t have a lot of are players today, but we still handled our business,” said linebacker Stefan Perry, who led the defense with 13 tackles, including a sack. “I got to get the quarterback, that’s what I do.”
The Warriors lost the services of Brendle to a stinger midway through the first quarter, causing Adams and company to tweak the game plan slightly.
“We have been having a problem trying to find a quarterback,” Adams said. “We lose him in the first quarter and that’s not nice at all but we adjusted.”
Lucas put the Warriors in front 16-6 in the first with a 42-yard burst to the end zone, ditching a defender at the line of scrimmage and coasting untouched for the score.
Set up by Suniga’s interception, Lucas capped a 37-yard drive with a 23-yard TD run and a 22-6 advantage.
After Suniga’s 42-yard scamper to pylon made it 28-14 at the end of the first, Lucas left a defender grabbing nothing but air on his way down the sideline for a 33-yard touchdown.
“The linemen are the most important thing on offense,” Lucas said. “They helped me out.”
Lucas tacked on two more scores to finalize his six-touchdown evening.
