Spartans go crazy in second quarter

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BY RYLY JANE HAMBLETON / Lincoln Journal Star

The clock at Seacrest Field showed that little more than four minutes had run off the clock midway through the second quarter, but Lincoln East made it seem like a lifetime for Lincoln High.

The Class A ninth-ranked Spartans scored five touchdowns in that span — 35 points — on its way to a 56-14 win Friday at Seacrest Field before a crowd of 2,608. East will play host to Creighton Prep in the first round of the state playoffs next Friday.

“I’ve never been involved in anything like that, not that much,” said East coach John Gingery. “We were fortunate to capitalize on some things.”

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With East leading 14-7, Justin Burns returned a Lincoln High punt 39 yards to give the Spartans a short field. Five plays later, Michael Knott scored from the 3-yard line with 8:53 left in the first half.

The East defense held and the Links were back to punt when the snap went over the head of punter Jeremy Phillippi and the Spartans took over at the LHS 4. Scott Sunderman ran up the middle for a score with 7:50 left.

The Links fumbled their first play after the kickoff and Michael Lau tapped it up in the air and then pulled it in and raced 13 yards for another score with 7:43 remaining.

Sam Witherby provided the next two turnovers for the Spartans. He pounced on another Lincoln High fumble two plays later and Sunderman scored with 6:41 left in the half. Witherby then intercepted a pass, which led to yet another Sunderman score, with 4:48 remaining.

Gingery said the close first quarter was good for his Spartans.

“We went down right away and scored, which is good for us,” he said. “But then again, they came right back and put it in the end zone. We attacked this as if it was the toughest team we played all year. That got everybody’s attention.

“It was a tough week of preparation with the rain. But everyone did a good job. Lincoln High came out and did some nice things. I feel for them.”

Matt Palm found Drew Sankey with a 25-yard scoring pass on fourth down to cap the Spartans’  first drive of the game.

Lincoln High responded when Dylan Flinn connected on three passes: A 24-yard screen and a 19-yard gain to Cody McCarthy-Fultz,  then he hit Aaron Smith with a 10-yard scoring toss.

The Spartans took the lead for good when Sam Meginnis intercepted a pass and returned it to the Lincoln High 29. Three plays later, Knott ran in from the 9.

Brice Tyrell capped East’s second-half scoring drive with a 1-yard run, and the Links answered when Flinn found R.J. Richardson on the first play of the fourth quarter with a 9-yard scoring toss.

Ryly Jane Hambleton at 473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.