IAC football is on the rise. Bullis sends players off to Ohio State and Penn State regularly. EHS has established a trail from Alexandria to Power Five programs. Georgetown Prep has populated college rosters for years. SSSA and StA have hit a rough patch (although NEVER assume that the boys from Mt. St. Albans will just roll over next week).
Today, the Bears established (from an alumni longer term perspective, the correct word would be “reestablish”) that they must be respected. It was homecoming, so some retrospective views are apt here. Landon battled a highly touted EHS team (once ranked by the WaPo) and came out on top.
It was also Senior Day and pregame the 14 members of the Class of 2017 AND THEIR PARENTS (plus a dog and a grandmother) were introduced. The ceremony recognized the leadership which these boys have exhibited over the eight games (7-1) of this season. The time which all of those parents devoted to their sons and the team was emphasized during this presentation. Thinking back on this game, all five of the captains (Joey Epstein, John Geppert, Mo Sillah, Mac Hollensteiner and Alex Hagerup) made key contributions to this win.
Landon Football Seniors and parents
In the report of the Prep game, the Duke of Wellington’s observation about Waterloo was cited because the lessons of the athletic fields were said the contribute to character development. That was an appropriate analogy then and equally now. There several moments in this contest where either team could have wilted, but they did not give up. The players showed character. The Bears won on a dramatic play, but that did not diminish the Maroon.
Landon won the toss and opted to defer. That was a significant statement of the coaches’ confidence in the Bears’ D. EHS had scored 114 points against 4 IAC teams and racked up a 33-0 win over Landon in 2016. Several of the Maroon college bound players are major offensive threats.
Davis Walker kicked a tough back. The home team stopped “the High School” three-and out plus Archie Ross registered a TFL on a pass play. The visitors 240# punter (and a major lax recruit) booted the ball to Tyler Smith who returned it 7 yards.
The Home O moved the line of scrimmage 58 yards in 6 plays. The moving was 100% running with the Bears line (Alec, Josh Chapman, Greg Johnson, Tommy Kenary and Tommy Baldwin) gashed the Maroon line. John G, Jelani Machen, Joey and Zayd Delane ran with power and balance. Jelani M had the last two carries (+5 and +15) to score @7:50. The PAT team, LS Austen Schnider, holder Tommy B and PK Davis Walker, converted (critically they were 3 for 3 for the day [Famous Landon English teacher would mark the margin with a note “good foreshadowing—hint, hint] Bears 7 Maroon 0
Walker’s end zone kick started the Alexandria team 80 yards away from the Landon goal line. They earned their 1st 1st down, but suffered a setback when Mo tackled for a loss to make it 4th and 14.
A long Maroon punt put the Bears on their own 10. Run, Run, Pass Complete and Pass Complete (one handed by Chazz Harley) started this series; the prolate spheroid was “matriculated”[1] 30 yards. A fumble, a sack and a penalty slowed the momentum a bit, and the clock flipped over to Q2
END OF 1ST Q BEARS 7 MAROON 0
Two more runs resulted in a 4th and 12; so, the Bear FG team came on the field for a 36 yard attempt, but it missed.
The stout Bear D forced another three-and-out plus a punt.
The ball started at the 35 and three movements of the chains brought the line of gain into EHS territory. There three runs left it as 4th and 4 from the 34. Having had some success with this situation, the coaches had John line up in shotgun formation. The EHS secondary took shallow drops to support their run D. Bad idea; John executed a perfect pooch punt.
Maroon 1st and 10 from their own 3 yard line. Plus one on the first run. A second down pass was batted into the air by Josh Chapman and caught by Jelani M. A simple little pooch punt and the result was Bears’ first and goal at the 1.
Next play—John snuck[2] in for the 1 yard TD @4:24 PAT good Bears 14 Maroon 0
That obviously got the attention of the EHS offense which theretofore had been “marooned”. Their senior tail back, in a display of character, broke through a number of Bear tacklers and beat the usually speedy Landon DBs for an 85 yard TD at 4:07 Bears 14 Maroon 7
A rare Landon turnover gave the Alexandrians a chance to even up the score with 3:40 until half. Some effective EHS runs increased the threat of a tie score. Two incomplete passes, encouraged by the hard-hitting Bear DBs, left the Maroon with a 35 yard FG attempt—no good.
Landon got the ball with 1:21 left until half; they gained 30 yards, but an incomplete pass and a QB sack ended the first 24 minutes
HALFTIME BEARS 14 MAROON 7
The Landon drive was stopped by a fumble. Each team possessed the ball twice with little success and the 3rd Q ended without a score; however, the home team’s last drive continued after the teams reversed ends of the field after the penultimate period.
The Landon D has played exceptionally well all season. The D line included Line: Alex, T Bridgers, JD Desroches, Jelani Cross, Josh Chapman; LBs- Mo, Zayd Delane, Jalen Williams; DBs- Tejon Ford, Jelani M, Archie Russ, Chazz Harley. They mastered the complexities of the Bear defensive schemes. Gang tackling was a hallmark of this unit. The speed and hitting instilled reluctance in their opponents game.
END OF 3RD Q BEARS 14 MAROON 7
This possession which transited the change of period consumed 76 yards. From a 4th and 6, Davis + Tommy B + Austen executed a 30 yard field goal @ 11:11 Bears 17 Maroon 7
Having scored on one long play in 36 minutes, the visitors could have recognized the difficulty of scoring 10 points in eleven and been discouraged. They didn’t. A four play 25 yard possession set up a 3rd and 4 a long 34 yards from a score. The kicker/linebacker/ stud lax midfielder was inserted into the lineup and he used his mass and speed for a 34 yard TD at 9:00. Bears 14 Maroon 15
The Landon O got the ball at the 14 from the kickoff. Fifteen runs moved the ball 51 yards. A penalty set the Bears back for a long third down and a run by John just missed continuing possession.
Maroon ball 75 yards away and 1:50 left. A well-constructed run and pass set of plays resulted in an EHS 30 yard FG at 0:16.0 Bears 17 Maroon 17
Landon took a knee to send it into overtime
END OF REGULATION BEARS 17 MAROON 17
[Overtime rules: each team gets the ball on the 25; untimed periods; if a team has a higher score at the end of each O/T period [each team possesses the ball WINS> very general description of the rules]
After a toss of the coin, the Bears moved the ball to the 10, but three consecutive penalties forced Davis to attempt a 30 yard field goal. Sapp from Austen, good, hold by Tommy B good, kick by Davis, GOOD Bears 20 Maroon 17
EHS possession was harmed by a TFL by Mo (-3) and their kicker made a 33 yard FG
END OF 1ST O/T BEARS 20 MAROON 20
The Alexandrians scored a TD on a brilliant pass, but their PAT hit the upright and bounced back. Maroon 26 Bears 20
Back with the ball with a 6 point deficit and after three plays, the Bears faced a 4th and 18. John started right with a run pass option and there was no doubt when he turned the corner, he scored a TD. Austen to Tommy B to Davis resulted in the PAT
END OF GAME BEARS 27 MAROON 26
IN THE PAST THIRTY OR SO YEARS OF RECOLLECTION THAT WAS THE BEST LANDON WIN AND THE BEST GAME PLAYED. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE BEARS
BEAT STA
LANDON STATISTICS
RUSHING
runner carries yards TD(s)
Geppert 23 98 2
Machen 23 139 1
Epstein 12 56
Delane 8 51
Smith 2 17
Baylor 1 6___________
69 367 3
PASSING
passer attempts completions yards
Geppert 8 3 23
receiver receptions yards
Harley 2 23
Ford 1 2
First downs Landon 23 EHS 11
[1] see Hank Stram, Kansas City Chiefs coach. First Super Bowl
[2] Merriam Webster states that “snuck” rather than “sneaked” is the proper conjugation of this irregular verb.
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