Playoff Football continues in Pinellas County in Class 2A District 6 as the Indian Rocks Christian Golden Eagles took on the First Baptist Academy Lions.
The Golden Eagles would advance their winning streak to nine after a 28-14 win over the Lions at Eagles Nest Stadium.
For Coach Mark Buchanan, getting a win over the Lions means a great deal to the team but most of all, for the school.
“This win tonight is not just for the team its for the school, the students, parents and all the people that make the season possible,” said Buchanan. “You don’t get to this time of year and not expect a team to bring their A game, especially with a school like First Baptist. They did beat us last year and we knew they were going to be really well coached up front."
The Lions would startle the Golden Eagles in the first when Dylan Cibelli took the ball 9 yards for a rushing touchdown: Kicker Howard Murrell would get the PAT making 7-0. But the Golden Eagles wouldn’t let their celebration last. Damian King would get a 12 yard run touchdown and kicker Clark Sullivan would get the PAT and it would be tied at seven.
Cibelli chipped in with a big 38-yard run for the Lions and would eventually take it in for a 10-yard touchdown - his second touchdown of the night. Murrell would get the PAT making it 14-7 in the first.
At the start of the second quarter, Damian King and the rest of the Eagles offense, wanted to put pressure on the Lions defense before the end of the second quarter. King would get a 30-yard touchdown pass from QB Ross Johnson. Sullivan’s PAT and King’s second touchdown would tie the game at 14 at the end of the first half.
Heading into the second half, King said his team was ready to finish the game and prove that repeat from last season was not going to happen.
“At half time coach gave us a motivational speech and kept telling us to keep rushing the ball and make it 1 and 0 at every down,” said King.
A pass interference penalty against the Golden Eagles during the start of the third quarter would allow Cibelli to take the ball to the 25-yard line for a potential Lions touchdown, but King would get his second interception of the night on a pass from QB Tyler Dean. Theo Anderson would take it for an 82 yard touchdown making it 21-14.
The Golden Eagles would hold off the lions in the fourth quarter and after a short punt, the Golden Eagles would start at the 33-yard line. Damian King would get 27 yards before getting his third touchdown of the night making it a final score of 28-14.
According to Buchanan, having the driving power of Damian King, Theo Anderson, Zeke McGaughy and the rest of the Golden Eagles will make this season one for the record books.
“They have been doing that all year and I didn’t expect anything of them less tonight,” said Buchanan. “With a lot of the play action that Damian did, he is definitely going to be a big asset going into the next game. We are not going to change anything and keep doing what we are doing."
The Indian Rocks Christian Golden Eagles will be facing off against the Champagnat Catholic Lions on Friday November 29.