FOOTBALL VS. EZEKIEL KNIGHTS

Lightning Football hits the road again to battle the Ezekiel Knights at Hohenberg Field in Wetumpka, AL.

BROADCAST TEAM:
Matt Holmes – Play by Play
Scott Stafford – Producer, Color Commentary
Wesley Holmes – Camera
Kirk Stallings – Asst. Producer

Good evening, Evangel Faithful, and welcome to Friday Night Football under the lights here at Hoenberg Field in Watumpka, Alabama, about 20 miles northnortheast of Montgomery. And tonight we got a big matchup as our Evangel take on our first conference game against Ezekiel Academy. The Knights on what looks like to be a very competitive matchup between these two squads. Up here high at top the stadium. I have with me Wesley Holmes on camera. Kurt Stallings, assistant producer and working the live stream and my color analyst, Scott Stafford. Scott, how are you tonight, buddy? I’m doing great, man. It’s uh good to be back. Good to be under the lights here at uh Wumpka, Alabama and um ready to see the Lightning hopefully get back on track tonight. Yeah. Yeah. So the Lightning we come in with a record of 1 and three against Ezekiel’s two and two. So yeah, the big story line tonight is Eli Black. He is back in the game. The news is he’ll be in starting at quarterback and may not be in on defense. But uh we got to get something going. A lot of the things we talked about last week is where is the dog in our fight? Yep. Yeah, that’s going to be the key tonight. You know, as you mentioned, we’re starting conference play. You know, Lightning won and three, but they still have a lot of goals ahead of them that they can achieve, including uh tonight beating a a long long time rival honestly with Ezekiel. You know, they haven’t has the rivalry hasn’t been as much as as it was in the past and in maybe the more recent years, but uh still a very important game in this conference. And the Lightning look to go 1 and0 if they can get a win here tonight. Yeah. So, so looking at the game against the Freedom Cowboys, they play very similar. Their score was 38 to nothing. Our score of course was 38-8. Uh so they struggled against the big rushing games the Cowboys had. Uh so hopefully we can take that same rushing game to them. Some of the key players for them on their side of the ball is number seven. That’s senior Noah Sawer. He’s their top back and he averages about 100 yards a game and their uh quarterback just a junior number three Parker Preston. Um they don’t do a lot of passing. He’s 9 and 38 on the year, but he can hurt you with his legs. Yeah, this is going to be one of those games it comes down to who’s going to be the toughest in the trenches, right? Um, you know, we’re we’ve got a banged up quarterback and uh we’re probably going to lean on the run a little bit tonight with young sophomore Isaac Griffith and you know, probably not going to see Eli running it a lot, but uh, you know, he’s going to have to distribute the ball to his skilled position players and and uh get out of the way hopefully and try to stay healthy. Yeah. And then so on the other side is going to be having to trying to stop their running game because as you said they’re not going to throw it a lot. But I’m sure they’ve watched the film and seen that we’ve been exposed a little bit in the back end of our defense by some of our opponents earlier this season. So u but it all starts up front. If we can if we can, you know, play with a little more physicality, a little more toughness in the trenches this week, establish the line of scrimmage on offense and get some push and then on defense, you know, just uh you know, hit the guys in the mouth. I mean, figuratively speaking, of course, but you know, take the fight to them and and uh try to impose our will on defense and and get some stops. Yeah, like you said, Caleb Woods, Nibbons, Lden, those front line guys, got to establish the line. And then our linebackers, big Max Watson, our leading tackler, uh, on the team this year. They’re really going to have to be play it tough up the middle and make them try to use their legs. So, our quarterbacks can contain that run for hopefully some short yardage. But the film we’ve seen on their passing, they’re very much nickel and dime short screen passes, but they’re not afraid to do a post route over the middle. Uh, so they they’re definitely going to mix it up on us. But like I said, I think if we can control the tempo of the game early, that’s going to be in our favor. Yep. So, we’re about 10 and a half minutes away from kickoff. We should have the coin toss here momentarily. Um, I want to, as you mentioned, we got Kirk Stallings’s assistant producing running the live stream tonight and, uh, Wesley Holmes on the camera. Matt Holmes is your playby-play announcer. I’m Scott Stafford, your color commentator and producer for tonight’s game. We’ve got a number of uh sponsors that you will be hearing from throughout the night. We appreciate all of them and helping us produce this live stream tonight. Uh welcome if you’re joining us from the Ezekiel side. I think we might have some Ezekiel fans uh joining us tonight. We appreciate y’all tuning in. Um and everybody else. So, we will take a break right now as we wait for the captains to come to midfield and and have the coin toss and everything and listen to a word from our sponsors. We will be right back. You’re watching Evangel Lightning Football. From minor bumps to unexpected injuries, Southern Immediate Care is here with expert care when it matters most. If you aren’t feeling well, visit Southern Immediate Care in Helina from 8 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., 7 days a week at 225 Helena Marketplace. Noble Bank and Trust provides banking and financial services to meet a wide range of business and personal needs. Noble Bank and Trust. Welcome to personal banking. 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I don’t even see their team hadn’t come out quite yet. Yeah, they haven’t come out from the the fieldhouse over there. But here they come. Yeah, as they make their way out the kind of the last three matchups that that we’ve had with Ezekiel over the last two years, a lot of points have been put on the board by both teams. So, both coaches know how to get the offenses uh on attack. And I did want to mention uh the Ezekiel, they’re coached by I have two different names. Max Prep says one. Their school website says another. So, I have coach Hunter Wilson and coach David Lawrence. So, I’m not I don’t know if you know who the head coach is. Hunter Wilson. Hunter Wilson is the head coach. Okay. Very good. David Lawrence was um actually two years ago if I’m not mistaken. Uh they had the the name of last year’s coach escapes me, but um Okay. But yeah, all great guys. Um they they’ve they have had some some turnover at the head coaching position. Hunter was involved last year and the last couple of years, but he stepped away. He’s a he’s a young coach. He’s got a young family and everything and um but he has taken back over the reigns this year. All right. So, as we look down at the captains for Ezekiel, they have number three Parker Weston. He is their quarterback. So, we got to watch him on the field. Number one, Terrence Sankia Jr. And that is number 12, Landon Ethridge. He is the middle linebacker for the Ezekiel Knights. And uh he can cause a lot of trouble on the pass rush. So they got two three great captains out there as they meet to shake hands in the middle and wait for the coin toss. So, they’re going over the instructions at midfield as Ezekiel comes out of their locker room getting ready to bust through their flag. And one of the things I noticed tonight was a lot more energy from the team as they were out there during pregame. Yeah, pretty good crowd here at um Hoenberg Stadium. That’s what I was trying to think of earlier. Um, you know, we played here, I guess, four years ago, and then LA, two years ago when we were here, we played at the, uh, Wumpka High School’s field. This is the old Wumpka High School stadium. They’ve got a nice new facility not too far from here. And, uh, we got to play on that on that turf a couple years ago. All right. As they separate, we’ll see who looks like Ezekiel is going to receive. So, we’ll be kicking off to the Knights and we were just here Monday night with our JB who had a big win. Uh, I believe 36 to nothing. We were down here for that. Just some impressive talent to look forward to as as we move into the future. Yeah, Evangel’s a young football team. You know, that’s that’s probably contributed to some of their struggles this year early on. Um, seven seniors, seven juniors, and then what, 12 or 13 sophomores, something like that. And uh so it um many of those start those sophomores. That’s right. So the captains heading back to their squads uh for the breakout to run through their banners. I’m assuming we’ll have the the prayer and national anthem in just a moment. But here comes your Evangel. Like I said, a lot of energy tonight as they bust through the banner, ready to play to hopefully get back on track and bring that excitement back to Evangel. Yeah, the team looked really loose in warm-ups. Um, which is a good sign. You know, uh, you always wondered about the psyche of a young team that struggled this much early in the season, but they look like they’re they’re fired up and ready to play tonight. So, at this point, I would expect to have the prayer and anthem. Yep. Can’t wait. All right. So, the the refs huddle up. Here we go. Yep. Fatherful night football. God, I pray that you be with all the players, all the coaches, all the cheerleaders, the referees. God, I pray that you would pray for protection. I pray for God above all glory. Amen. All right, second week in a row that Evangel is going to kick to start the game, but I believe um last week um Freedom chose to receive. They won the opening toss and chose to receive. So, Evangel will get to go on defense first and as we said, a chance to make a statement here in the early going early on. Yeah, we uh we’ve noticed a lot of good things even even though we’ve had that struggles and people are stepping up. Uh number seven for us, David Johnson has made quite an impact uh coming in at corner. So, I would like to see him continue that trend. Um cuz we’re we’re going to need it against a team that’s heavy on the rush as Nick Sanders and the rest of the team run out to get ready for the kickoff, the opening kickoff of tonight’s game. Again, we’re here in Watumpka, Alabama, playing the Ezekiel Knights. And deep to receive is number one, their captain, Terrence Sanki. He is a junior, 510, 170 lbs. So, uh I’m going to if I if I were a betting man, but I’m not, I’m going to bet pooch kick right here. Uh because I think we’ve done that 10 out of the last 11 kicks. Yeah. And Coach Smith likes to do that on a 100 yard field, you know, because it’s a wider area to cover 53 yards instead of 40. So he tends to do some directional kicking, pooch kicking, and squib kicking. And it’s going to be an onside. The guy drops low, immediately gets it. So they’re going to take over about the 48 yd line. It’s going to be first and 10 Ezekiel Knights as they are led out there by number three Parker Weston as Caleb Woods trots on to the field with the rest of the defense to get something started. Yeah, looks like the Lightning will come out with big Caleb Woods at noseguard, Jackson Lowden, and I didn’t see who’s on the other side at defensive end. Usually Nibbons, but I can’t see that far. It is Jack Nibbons. All right, so they got two wide outs to the far side. One to the near as in the shotgun formation as the chains get set. There’s the snap. He’s dropping back pass. Little wheel route out to the side. And there he is. Number seven. That’s David Johnson. We mentioned him early on for a short gain. So that’s going to bring up I believe I don’t even know if it was a gain. I believe it’s going to be second 10. Yeah, great job there by David Johnson. Kind of playing, you know, a little bit out of position with the the corner responsibility. Actually, is he playing linebacker? It looked like he was set up linebacker. I think he’s at linebacker tonight. So, Coach Smith and Coach Klay Romano making some adjustments on the defense to try to put the guys in the best position to make plays and great job there. He’s got the the slot guy there coming out coming out in the into the flats or the running back and was in good position to make the tackle. All right, so they’re lined up in the same set. There’s the snap. It’s going to be a direct run with Preston trying to break it outside. Lowden right there and pushed out of bounds hard by Max Watson. And that is number two Trey Hope. So that’s going to bring up third and about six. Yeah, nice job up front. They are, you know, doing what we asked is just attacking at the at the point of uh at the point of contact there. Jack Jackson Lden did a good job of maintaining his position, maintaining the edge there and uh not letting the guy get the corner. Yeah. Now and it knows for Woods is 54. Wyatt Chandler, a senior. There’s the snap. Looking for that screen pass we saw earlier. Going to be way overthrown. Incomplete. Brings up a fourth and long for Ezekiel. We’ll see. Looks like they’re bringing out their punt team. Interesting. So, Ezekiel is choosing to try to spread Evangel out here in the early going. Hit the perimeter with two wide passes in the first drive. Thankfully that was a little over the head as there was a blocker out there. Yeah, nobody deep for Evangel. Looks like we’re putting the rush on right here. So there’s the snap. And is that Hope gets a big hand on it and we’re going to pick it up. There goes Ben Davis. Nobody in front of him. Hang on to the ball, Ben. And that’s going to be a touchdown Lightning. Wow. Ben, I’m sorry. Trey Hope just came unimpeded to to the kicker. and got all ball. Ben Davis, right place, right time. Yes, I’d like to see that ball tucked in a little more, but hey, I’ll take six any way we can get it. We can coach that up later. So, a big start for our Lightning here as we get ready for the two-point conversion as we see Eli in the game for the first time. I think this is a good start for Eli to come in when it’s not a high pressure situation. We certainly want the two points. as Isaac Griffith hustles off the side to the sideline. And Eli Black’s the the third of the black kids to come through the program. And I believe last week was the first game that one of them’s missed due to an injury. I could be mistaken, but I’m pretty sure about that. All right, so we got three wide outs to the far side. We bring a man in motion. There’s the snap, and Eli’s going to try to take it up the middle. Nowhere to go. Right call. Just try to take it down. don’t want to hurt himself, but that’s uh going to be no good as the Lightning start out six to nothing on top here early in the game. Yeah, Lightning have struggled all year on two-point conversions and one failed attempt here in the early going tonight. All right, so Nick Sanders back on the field again early for the Lightning as we prepare for the kickoff. And the first one just didn’t have a lot of bounces right away. So maybe this next one might have a couple of bad hops in there. All right. So, we spread across this 53 yard field preparing for kickoff. And there’s the pooch to the far side. Nobody’s there if it drops and takes a backspin, but it will go out of bounds at about the 30 yd line as a flag comes out. So, I believe they’ll take over at the 35. Yep. And that’s, you know, that’s actually better than the onside kick if you don’t get it right. I I agree. Just kick it out of bounds. You know, it’s so dangerous kicking it deep on a on a 53 yard wide field with an eight-man football. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, if you’re new to eight, if you’re new to eightman uh football, and I know we have some people out there that are, we typically play on an 80 yard field, but there’s occasions where we’re out here and it makes a difference having that wider field as they come out in their traditional two wide outs to the far side, one to the near. Preston in at quarterback. There’s the snap’s going to be a handoff up the middle. really know where to go, but he breaks outside and Watson trying to track him down, but he’s taken down by number 15 James Wolf for about a 13 14 yd gain. Yeah, that was all who was that running it? Was that Park? That wasn’t That’s uh number seven. Should be Noah Sawyer. Noah Sawyer. That was all Sawyer on that play. Yeah, the Lightning did a good job shutting down, you know, the hole that he was trying to run in and he cut it back and I thought 56 for the Lightning. Whit Bourne might have had a chance, but he let him get outside. So, that’s their first first down of the night as they break the huddle. Whit Bourne, a senior, but it’s his first year playing football for the Lightning. Oh, is that right? I didn’t know that about Whit. Yep. All right, so he’s dropping back to pass. Looks over the middle to number one. He makes the grab. gets out of the first tackle as Max Watson brings him down, but not before a first down. Looks like there’s a fumble, but I think the refs are saying he was No, it is a turnover for the Lightning. Wow. Let’s look at the replay. Yeah, a little loose handling of the ball there. Looks like the the turf monster got him there. That might have been I don’t think an Evangel player hit him. Mm-m. Well, a big turnover right here for Evangel as Eli Black jogs into the huddle to deliver the play from the sideline. So, two drives, two turnovers so far for the Lightning. One was, I guess, a blocked punt turnover on downs, but good job by the defense so far. Yeah. So, Ben Davis and Trey Hope split to the near side. Drop fumble. Eli’s going to try to scramble outside. Fakes to the pass. He’s trying to get up field for about a five yd gain. So, a little bit of a busted play opening there for the Lightning. Yeah, good job by Eli to just get what you can. And you can see the athleticism that we were missing there. Of course, Trey Hope came in and did a nice job last week at quarterback. He just doesn’t quite have the experience that Eli has and uh the athleticism there got him about six yards on first down. It’s going to bring up second and a short four actually three. Yeah. So Trey Hope goes to the sideline and Cruz Romano in as they have a a tight set right here. It’s a new formation I haven’t seen for the Lightning. There’s snaps. Going to be a handoff up the middle. It’s going to be a first down as Isaac Griffith grinds it out for about an eight yd gain. Yep. Max Watson was in the back field and they ran a little counter play to Griffith there. Well-designed play. All right, so that brings up first and 10 right at midfield for the Lightning as we have a little nice pace going here for the offense. They break the huddle as Davis and Hope go to the far side. Looks like they’re bringing somebody up. There’s the snap. Another inside handoff. Hit immediately by number 12. That’s Landon Ethridge. We talked about him earlier. He is dangerous. Yeah, a little run blitz there. He shot the gap and Eli McDonald did what he could to try to push him out of the way, but he ran right into Griffith in the back field. So Griffith pops out. Nick Sanders in for the Evangel Lightning. It’s going to be a second and 14. So they break the huddle with Hope going to the far side and Davis here to the near side. Two tight ends this time. Mhm. And he rolls out to his right. He’s looking to pass and he’s going to find Hope. Wide open down the field. as he’s marching down the sideline. He’s got somebody trying to catch him. I don’t think he can do it. Touchdown Lightning. Welldesigned play. You had Ben Davis running in the flats. It looks like that looked like that was who he was going to throw it to, but instead he throws it to Hope on a little flag route there as he faked the end cut and then cut it back to the outside. Yeah. So, right now doesn’t look like Eli has missed a beat. uh finding his guy, lays it right into the basket as we have our second two-point attempt for the game and still 706 left in this first period. Yeah, and I like the way Coach Smith, who was calling the plays this year, by the way, you know, gets Eli out on the perimeter and running the first couple of pass plays here and uh you know, trying to protect him, make sure he doesn’t get hit. Yeah. So, Watson and Griffith flanking Eli in the shotgun formation. Another drop snap. Eli falls on it. smart thing to do. That’s the second time tonight we’ve had that. But as we come out of that, it’s 12 to nothing. Your Evangel Lightning on top, but in eightman football, things can change very quickly. Yeah. And Ezekiel’s not doing, you know, too bad on offense. They just had the the turnover and um and overshot one of their passes or else, you know, they could could have been moving the ball a little more effectively on those first couple of drives. But this is what you wanted to see, you know, come out fast, uh, make a statement here in the early going. They just got to maintain the intensity and the momentum. And that’s one of the things you worry about with a young team. You know, Ezekiel’s on the other side is young, too. I think I only counted about six or seven seniors for them as well. So, two young teams here. Coach Hunter Smith, coach Tim Smith, both kind of rebuilding their programs this year. All right, so Nick Sanders back to kick for the third time tonight for the Lightning as their deep man scoots up a little bit. So another pooch real high this time. He calls for the fair catch and they’re going to take over. It looks like about the 41 uh on their own side. Yep. Smart play there by 24 Nathan Andrews to fair catch that one. You know, we’ve seen Evangel get some of those because they didn’t fair catch it. Yeah. Or just let it drop sometimes. I’m sure coach Hunter Smith has seen that on film a few times. And yes, he has coached his guys well. All right, so they break the huddle. Caleb Lewis Woods back in at nose guard for the Lightning. It’s going to be a hand off to Sawer up the middle. Nowhere really to go as Johnson and Max Watson are there and in comes the flag for about a two two and a half yardd gain. Yeah, probably going to be a hold. No personal foul face mask on the defense. Okay. Somebody swiping at the runner there and grabbed the face mask. So that’s going to give a first down to the Knights. Looks like they counted off some extra yards, but that’s just that’s just me from way back here. Well, we’re on a 100 yard field, so it’s the 15 yard variety instead of the 10 yard on a eight uh 80 yard field. All right, so the Knights back at it. First and 10 from the 40. He’s looking to pass a little screen pass over to number one. That’s Terrence Sanki. gets around but Johnson there to take him down but not after about a sevenyd gain for the night. So it’s going to bring up second and short. Yeah, Alex Martin in good position. Got to wrap him up. So yeah, one of the things we saw on film, they’ll they’ll do these short passes, little short kind of screen looking passes, and then they’ll do a fake pass and the quarterback will go around to the other side. So we got to make sure we’re staying at home, spreading out again. There’s dropping back to pass. The early whistle. False start on the offense. Okay. Thrown by the line. Very hurtful penalty on the Knights. That’s going to take him back to about second and seven. So, the Knights going to try to go back at it again. Little bit slower pace for the Knights as they come out in the same set. Two wide outs to the near side, one to the far side as we’re looking under six minutes in this first period. He’s looking to pass. He’s looking to go deep to Terrence and it’s going to be picked off by is that number three Ben Davis or it is Ben Davis with a pick as the Lightning will take over on their own five yd line. Yeah, some hand fighting going on out there but uh both sides were getting at it. So no penalty flag thrown and you can see Ben had a position on the offensive player and went up and got the ball. So, we’re taking over deep in our territory is where our lines got to make sure they they stay tough in the print the trenches as we push their guys back. And I like what I’m seeing so far from the defensive line for Evangel. They are getting a push up front. Uh but they’ve got to that that number seven Noah Sawer is a good running back. They’ve really got to wrap him up. All right, so we’re going to be taking the snap on the goal line as we hand off to Griffith up the middle. There’s a little bit of a hole as he’s hit hard by number one Terrence Seni for about two or three yardd gain. It’s going to bring up second down. Yeah. On the other side for Ezekiel, penetration again from the defense. So, Lightning have got to shore up some things on the offensive line because the Knights are are shooting the gaps and getting in the back field quickly. Yes, they are. Yeah, it’s tough when their down linemen are in that standing athletic position as we spread out a receiver to the wide side or the far side and the near side. Black looks to pass. It’s going to be a little stop route. Throws it over the head of Hope. So, it’s going to bring up third and seven. Yeah, you just wonder how much that that AC strain. I mean, it’s not as throwing shoulder, but you know, it still kind of keeps you off balance a little bit. Maybe we’re just setting up here for a stop and go as we come out in the same set. Davis to the near side. Trey Hope not spread too far out. a little closer to the edge as big number 12 steps up in the gap. He’s bringing the blitz looking to pass as he’s going to throw deep to Davis. He’s got to step on number two and there he goes. He’s just got to outrun him. He’s going to the middle of the field as number four Donovan Gentry tracks him down. But it’s going to be a big gain down to about the 37 yd line for the Lightning. And Ben Davis, you know, he he showed out last year as a as a sophomore if I’m not mistaken. Yes, he was a sophomore last year and with with Will Welch and and Kate Joiner, you know, the two primary receivers for Evangel last year, he he made the most of his chances. Yes. And now he’s become the featured receiver for for the Lightning. He gets a a interception just a minute ago and now he’s got a big play on offense. One of the things that he he not only is he great at, but he just runs great routes. And that just so helpful the quarterback as we hand it off to Griffith up the middle and there’s nobody there to stop him. He’s at the 20, the 15, the 10, the five. Touchdown Lightning. And that’s where you can get bitten sometime with those run blitzes is they ran up field too much that time and ran right by Griffith. Yeah, they just overpursued that blitz and there was nobody in the secondary to stop and or catch Isaac. Um that’s only like his what second maybe third touchdown of the season. Second touchdown of the season. So great job number 22 again a young guy sophomore Isaac Griffith as we’re attempting our third two-point attempt for the Lightning. Yeah, the Lightning have had a tradition of having really good running backs, a really all good skill position really, but uh a lot of the future is bright with Griffith. Yeah, Eli rolls out trying to get it to Davis. No, that’s Johnson. Did he get in? It was Davis. Yeah, it was Davis. Okay, so yeah, successful two-point conversion. Nice roll up pass. Great hands again by Davis to reach down and grab that ball. Yeah, the defender kind of gave him a little rub and as he got into his route there and Davis did a good job to get off of that and perfect pass from Eli to lay it out there to him. All right. I did not see this coming to be honest. No. Uh-uh. I mean, just a lot of Again, I think it’s just the guys that I know this week they really focused on physicality, physicality, physicality. And uh I think uh obviously we’re seeing a big difference of that here, especially with I think our linebackers and front line D uh not getting pushed off off the ball and making contact closer to the line of scrimmage. We haven’t scored 20 points in the first quarter this year, I don’t believe, or in any quarter. Mhm. All right. So, Sanders, actually, I think we might have, was it the Rendle Parrot or or game number two? The Patriots. There’s the little pooch kick. No fair catch. It’s going to drop. We’re there. Did he get the ball in bounds? No, they’re going to say it went out of bounds before he touched it. It’s so far away. It was a great hustle. I can’t as the Yeah. So, the Knights are going to take over at about the 31 yd line. So, now if you’re coach Hunter Smith, you know, big challenge for them, you know, 20point hole here in the early going, getting his guys to to write the ship here. Yeah. So, it’s going to be first and 10 at the 36 yd line for the Knights. So, it’s going to be a handoff up the middle. He’s going to try to bounce it outside. Louden gets his hands on him, but then taken down by number seven. That’s David Johnson, but not after a big gain. So, it’s going to be about second and three for the Knights. Yeah, I want to see Lden right there just get up field a little bit more and cut him back inside because he, you know, just a stretch play and that’s got to be the defensive end turning him back in there. If he turns him back in, it’s probably a two or three yardd gain instead of a sevenyard gain. And that was run by number seven Noah Sawyer, a senior. He’s got 412 yards on the year, so he can be dangerous as well as they come in their typical shotgun formation. There’s the snap looking for that screen pass early. We got Watson there in the middle and Venible with a hard taked down. It’s going to be third and short for the Knights. Yeah, Venable 5’8, 149 lb junior, but he plays with a lot of heart and he’s made an impact here. Another newcomer to the Lightning program. We We’ve said that a lot this year. Yes, we have. again right there. Caleb Woods is the only guy out there on defense right now that was a starter last year. Wow. So, third and short. There’s going to be a flag. Might be illegal motion. Another false start. So, another tough penalty for the Knights just kind of shooting themselves in the foot. They had one on the last drive. They had a second short and then a false start. So, that’s going to make it about a third and six for the Knights. So, a big third down for our defense to really come through right here. I think they only moved the ball back four yards instead of five. The the the guy that’s holding the down markers got got it on the Yes, he does. on the 40, but the ball is spotted at about the 41. Yep. All right. And so it’s going to be a quarterback draw as Johnson comes up hard looking to take him down. Great job containing him for about a three or four yd loss. It’s going to bring up fourth and eight for the Knights. Yeah. And Jackson Lowden made that play right there. Yes. You know, they ran it right at him. He’s He sealed the edge. Didn’t let him cut it back inside or or got him to cut it back inside where Lden was. Uh I’m sorry, where um David Johnson was right there. All right. So Preston staying in looks like they’re going to be going for it here as they’re in their own territory. It looks like at about the 37 yd line. So it’s fourth and nine. See if they try to draw us off. Although I don’t know if that would do much for them, but no. Here they are. Got two wide outs to the near side, one to the far side. They’re looking to pass. He’s flushed out of the pocket early. Taken down hard. I didn’t see what number that was. I believe that was Nibbons. No, it wasn’t. It was 56. Whit Bourne coming off the corner. That’s another turnover on downs for the Evangel. And things were just clicking early on as we’re below two minutes in this first period. Yeah, Witbornne and Hope, Trey Hope are two seniors that this is their first year playing football for Light. They’re baseball players. They’re good athletes, but um just chose to come out this year for their first year of Lightning football and making an impact. The only problem with that is, you know, the experience level. You know, you’re starting to see them grow up and mature and and really contribute. Yes. So, Max Watson, he’s spread out to the far side. Don’t see that too or to the near side too often. But they got a number one or not number one, number seven for them. That’s their running back. Uh Noah Sawyer. Big sack on Eli Black. Yeah, he’s uh very fast off the edge there. And Isaac Griffith had no shot. All right. So, that’s going to 510 about second and third or 23 for the Lightning as Eli gets the call from the sideline. Yeah, Eli’s got to see that and step up in the pocket and not uh not try to get to the outside because your running I mean your running back’s beat. Showing blitz again. Low snap to Eli. He’s trying to step up through the pocket. Does he make it out of there again? They’re just getting really good pressure on Eli. It’s going to be third and long for the Lightning. Yeah, the Knights are dialing up some blitzes. They brought uh five that time and it was the fifth guy coming that finally grabbed his jersey before the rest of the defense could get there to bring him down. Yeah. So, it’s third and 25 for the Lightning. after another loss. Lightning have receivers two out to the far side. Believe that’s Griffith flanking Eli looking to pass. They’re going to let it go for a little screen pass over the middle to Griffith. Kind of tripped up. He made some good yardage, but it’s still going to be fourth and about 15. And we’re in their territory. So I would not be surprised if we go for it right here. Yeah, that was a touchdown saving tackle. Yes. Yes, it was. Well, I don’t know. He might not have got to the outside. I believe there’s a timeout on the field. All right, first quarter. Yep. End of the first quarter. So, quarter one in the books. Lightning up 20 to nothing. We’ll be right back. You’re watching Lightning Football. [Music] Located in the 1022 Tower right next to Shelby Baptist Hospital, Dermatologist of Birmingham has been serving all ages in the Shelby Children and Bib counties area for almost 20 years. Discover healthier, more radiant skin with Dermatologists of Birmingham, your trusted experts for comprehensive medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology care in Alabama. Visit their website to book an appointment today. Visit Helina Hollow Entertainment Farm and Pumpkin Patch in Helena, Alabama for a day well spent. With everything from zip lines and 100 foot slides to live llamas and kangaroos, Helina Hollow has some form of fun for everyone in the family. Helina Hollow is open throughout the year for seasonal events including the patch, supper with Santa, princess brunch, Mother’s Day rodeo, and offers three event venues for birthday parties and other celebrations. Come see Helina Hollow where the good times grow. All right, we are back as we start the second quarter. We’ve seen some adjustments at least early on for the Lightning offense as the Knights have been showing blitz and we had a nice little screen play over the middle. We’re on the Knights 35. It’s fourth and 15 as we have the two uh running backs flanking Eli in the back field. And yeah, they’re going to get them. They were in the neutral all sides on the defense. So in high school football, you don’t have to make contact. If you can just if you get into the neutral zone, you’re off sides. So, I want to mention real quick our first quarter period sponsors were Keystone Surfaces and Crimson Septic and Construction. Yeah. And just what a genius play coming out of the end of the quarter. You’re going in for your first play. You’re not thinking they’re going to uh do a hard count. So, great coaching right there uh with the Lightning coaching staff. We come out in the same formation. It’s now fourth and 10 from the Knights 30 yd line. So there’s the snap. Good snap to Eli. Good blocking. I think that ball is right in the hands of Trey Hope. And he makes one man makes two guys miss and he’s going to walk into the end zone for touchdown Lightning. Trey Hope doing a little Ryan Williams impression there. Yes, he did. So that play only took about 18 seconds for us to get into the end zone. Wow. Yeah, the the the passing game is so much more dynamic when you’ve got two effective receivers, you know, not not that Evangel doesn’t have other receivers, but Trey Hope with his experience and athleticism uh or mainly his athleticism, he doesn’t really have that much experience, but uh Ben Davis has a lot of talent, experience as well. Yeah, young Saw Welch in at quarterback. Toss pitch as we’re going to try to hit the edge. He’s going to try to lower his shoulder and gets knocked out. No good on the two-point conversion as he was hit hard. I didn’t see who that was for us. Is that Davis? Ben Davis trying to hit the edge uh on there, but that’s going to make the Lightning 26 to nothing as we just started this second quarter with 1142 left to go in this first half. So the Lightning are 26 to nothing. So that’s four touchdowns. My ma my math correct there. So they’re one for four on two-point conversions. Yeah. And as we get more into conference play, those two-point conversions are going to be very important to make sure we start executing those. All right, so Sawyer Welch back on the field now for the kickoff team. I’m trying to see if who he might be replacing out there. Is Trey Hope usually on the Maybe. I’m not sure. Well, he’s out there on the far edge to contain that. And he has good hands, too. So, maybe they try to It doesn’t look like he’s going to do a onside to the far side. So, here comes Nick Sanders. Another pooch punt. He’s not fair catching it. He went straight down. So dangerous play right there. That’s number 21, Jack Dalling, the sophomore. Uh with the catch, it goes straight down to his knees as they’re going to take over it looks like on about the 50 55 the 45 yd line. Uh 39. No, 39. Okay. Chain games confusing me down there. Yeah. Yeah. And again, we don’t have the the yard numbers on the field, so we have to look all the way to the other sideline. And they’re kind of hard to see from our uh perspective up here. All right. So, the Knights take over at first down in their typical shotgun formation. There’s a snap, the little screen pass. Not really a lot of plays to go as Max Watson, Caleb Woods, and David Johnson all right there to take him down. Looks like it’s going to be about a oneyd loss. So, it’s going to bring up second and 11. Yeah, the the timing was a little disrupted because the the pass was off the mark, but you know, it’s really hard to run that kind of play into the boundary there like they did and because the Lightning, you know, don’t have as far to run. The interior lineman and linebackers don’t have as far to run over there to catch up. All right, so they break the huddle. That’s at second and 11. Alex Martin goes over to the far side to cover the receiver. Looking to pass. He throws over the middle. Martin trying to strip that ball out. It’s going to be about a six-yd gain. So that brings up about third and five for the Knights. Nice pass there by the quarterback Parker Weston. Weston, right? Yes. And um good coverage by Martin. and Caleb Woods going to the sideline and coming in as senior Wyatt Chandler. So Noya Sawyer lining up a little bit behind the quarterback. There’s a snap straight draw up the middle. Hit immediately bounced off of Venable trying to bring him down. still not taking him down as Max Watson comes in, possibly saves a touchdown, but that’s going to bring up a first down as they cross midfield. Yeah, it was actually David Johnson that got basically run over there and Oh, it was David who came back and uh took him out. Wow. Toughness from the quarterback, Parker Weston. Yes. And that’s what you want to see if you’re Hunter Smith. You know, who’s going to step up here? Who’s going to make a play? Who’s going to say we’re going to put this team on their back and and say follow me, right? All right. So, first down for the Knights. One of their biggest gains of the evening. Going to be a handoff. Nowhere to go. Venable comes in a little late. Looks like that was Chandler for the Lightning. Yeah. Number 54, Wyatt Chandler. It’s a big tackle for a loss bringing up about second and 12. Yeah, Chandler in the two gap there and he just ran. Nobody blocked him. Yeah, Wyatt Chandler, the senior. You might want to block him. Yeah, his older brother, Zack Chandler, was a defensive end force for the Lightning few years ago. One of those championship teams. Fantastic. All right, there’s the snap. They’re looking to pass. He’s trying to throw it deep. The ball’s way up in the air. Venables going to knock it down. No flag. Great defense. Ben Davis. Oh, was that No, I’m sorry. You’re right. It was Venable. It’s 13, not three. Yeah. And I can’t tell if that’s Kase or Carson. I apologize. Is Kase involable? Yeah. So, Kase, great coverage. I mean, he was on him the whole time. Very fortunate it was just broken up for the night which is going to bring up third and 12. Yeah, the Lightning basically have three DBs in the game with Venable Martin and Ben Davis, which is smart since they’re spreading us out a lot. So again, he’s looking to pass over the middle to number four. That was Donovan Gentry kind of off the mark there. So, it’s going to bring up fourth and long. Be interesting to see what they call here. And I know they’ve crossed midfield. Yeah, you’re in plus territory down by four scores. Probably going to go for it here. So, the Lightning defense holding strong right now after a big opening game of the series. as Noah Sawyer six behind the quarterback. Going to be a playaction pass. Looking to go deep. Chandler trying to chase him down. Louden trying to chase him down. Venable right there to hit him hard. They’re going to gain about seven yardds, but that’s not enough to get to the line of gain. So, the Lightning take over. It’s going to be first and 10. It looks like the 30 38 39 yd line. Good job by the defense to cover really well in the back end and good pursuit by the linebackers to get him down before. But you see the toughness there of Parker West. Oh yes. 510 180 lbs. And he’s a tough dude to bring down. Yes. As Lightning start over or start back again with 823 to go in this second period. Things are going well right now for the Lightning as we have two white outs to the near side and we’re not really taking full advantage of the wide field as Romano goes in motion. Low snap trying to get it to Isaac up the middle. Great job just getting back to the line of scrimmage. Yeah, and the Lightninger we we saw it a little while ago. They ran a a screen play. That’s what we’re going to have to do to try to slow down the the speed rush of this Knights defense. They get up field really, really fast and really disruptive in the back field. So, we’ve got to get the ball out on the perimeter, run some screen passes, and try to get them off balance a little bit. Yeah. So, that brings up second and nine. That’s Griffith again flanking black. And they’re going to call another flag. back. I believe it’s going to be on the defense again. False start. False start. So, somebody on the Lightning moved as that’s going to push us back behind the chains going to make it about second and 14. Oh, I think they’re going to get Trey Hope. He had a little flinch there. Okay. All right. So Romano in the game. He’s to the near side with hope. Low snap. Eli takes it. There’s that screen pass we were talking about as Griffin. I think he was expecting to get hit right away. There was nobody around him. We’re going to gain about four yards. Um but the play was right there. I I I don’t know really what happened. Yeah, he just didn’t really do a good job of following his blockers there. There was two blockers. There was the two linebackers were there. One of the linebackers had two blockers on him. If he bounced it back to the far side, he would have been a lot better position to get a longer run out of that. All right, so that brings up third and 11 for the Lightning as the clock rolls down here. 637 638. Ben Davis to the far side. Trey Hope to the near side. Double tight ends. And Eli’s going to take the ball up the middle. He’s got running room. There’s nobody there. He’s down. He’s going to the 30, to the 20, to the 10. He’s taking off. He’s in the end zone. Touchdown, Lightning. No flags on the play. Just making sure there. I thought I heard somebody say it might have been a hold. Yeah, maybe a fan wishful thinking there. There’s a lot of extra referees in the stands at every football game I go to. Yeah. And there you see what how dynamic the offense can be with Eli Black in the lineup. All right, so Sawyer Welch back in at quarterback for this two-point attempt. Are we under a hot clock? Why are they running the clock? Yeah, but not in the first half. All right, there’s a fake pitch. Welch looking to throw. He’s wide open. Oh, that Yeah, that is Sawer Welch. My bad. Yep. So to Griffith. I thought that was going to Watson deep in the back of the end zone. So just overthrows Isaac Griffith as the Lightning rolling strong here. 32 to nothing over the Ezekiel Knights. Yeah, if he throws it to Watson, he’s got the conversion. Yep. So we are under a hot clock apparently. Yeah. and a hot clock. For those who are new to the game, once a team is up 30 points, the clock does not stop unless there is a timeout called. Uh, but I’ve never seen one occur in the first half. And I believe the coach is talking to the ref about it down there as we’re taking our time. Allows the clock to keep on rolling. There’s an official. Yeah, there’s an official in the evangel huddle, too. Where’s the white hat? He was with Okay, he’s over there with our team. I see him. So, about a minute’s rolled off the clock since that twopoint attempt as Nick Sanders leads a team on the field. Saw your Welch still out there on the far side. Clock now below four minutes left to go in the first half. [Music] So Nick Sanders a pooch as a fair catch look like at about the 32 yd line. Let my middle-aged eyes try to figure out who caught that ball. Still can’t see the number. 22. It’s hard to see those dark numbers on the black jerseys. 26. 26. So that’s Zeke Mills. Uh he’s a senior for the Ezekiel Knights as they take over. First and 10. Looks like they’re going to be on the 34. The usual suspects out there still for the Lightning. Actually, I think Cruz Romano’s out there now. I think he’s going to take Johnson. Nonsens and Bourne are the defensive ends for the start of this series. All right, so there’s a handoff and he’s right there. Oh, but he gets around it. Taken down by Romano and Watson. had a chance for a big loss in the back field, but number seven, that’s Noah Sawyer, just musling down the field. It’s gonna make it second and about four. Yeah. Nven almost had him in the back field. Whitour had him for a short for a short gain. Mhm. All right. So Weston gets the call from the sideline, jogs over as the clock continues to roll. The Lightning up 32 to zero. So they got two wide outs to the far side, one to the near. as they bring up Sawyer. He’s going to split out. They’re looking to pass Nons there. And who’s off the edge? That’s number 56, Whit Bourne for a huge loss. Yeah, Lightning brought four rushers that time. You know, that’s something we haven’t really seen a lot in other games that um I thought Coach Romano might dial up some more of that uh in the early going, but good to see that. That time the offensive line is outnumbered and nowhere for the quarterback to go. Yeah. So, that’s going to bring up third and about 18 for the Ezekiel Knights as it’s a minute 42 as the clock continues to roll. And the Knights just not having an answer yet for our own very uh our own Evangel. There’s the snap. Looking to pass over the middle. He hangs on to the ball and the ball comes out and he gra I think he grabbed it right back up. I couldn’t see who made the catch. Heads up play by number 50 that actually fell on it for Ezekiel. Right. Yeah, that’s Daniel Gra. He’s a freshman. Big freshman. 6 foot 200 lb. So that was number one, Terrence Sanki, the cap, one of the captains for the Knights tonight as it’s going to be fourth and 15 and they’re looking to punt. Nobody deep for the Lightning as of yet as we’re coming up on 45 seconds left in this first half. Looks like the Lightning are going to play this one safe. I don’t see a a rush coming here. They just got three guys on the line and I think they’re going to wait and get a timeout here. Yeah. And the clock will continue. Nope, they actually stopped the clock on that. Yeah, stopped on a timeout. Okay, so we’ll take a break and give you a word from our sponsors. Be right back. Veritoss Financial Partners, your partner in financial clarity. With decades of experience, they offer one coordinated plan for your investments, tax smart planning, business, and legacy. At Veraritoss, it all starts with a conversation and ends with a strategy tailored just for you. Veraritoss Financial Partners, your partner in financial clarity. Contact them at 2055981781. With over 20 years of experience, Keystone Surfaces can make your natural stone dreams come true. They have accessible pricing, and the staff is always working to make sure their clients are 100% happy with the final product. They work with granite, marble, quartz, quartzite, onyx, and soap stone. If you’re looking for exceptional quality for your next kitchen or bath project, give them a call today. And we’re back from the timeout. Here’s the snap. It’s going to be a nice little low punt as Ben Davis is trying to attack it. He’s going to kind of mishandle it and he falls on it and I believe the clock’s going to continue to roll out and that’s going to take us to halftime as your evangel. Yeah. Yeah. So, both teams uh going to be heading to their respective areas to discuss the first half. Uh on this first half, all I can say is I saw a lot of good things. Absolutely. You know, we talked about it. It’ll be one in the trenches, but I think the skill position players have really showed up because there hadn’t been a lot, you know, they’ve they’ve got a lot of penetration on our offensive line. Um but our defensive line has played really well, very well. And like you said, we’ve seen different things from coach Romano closing those gaps. There’s a Lightning player that’s being helped off the field. I can’t see the number. I think it was Ben. He may have he may have gotten hit kind of hard after he dove on that ball. Yeah, it’s Ben Davis. That’s not good. Well, the Evangel color guard looks like they’re getting ready to perform. Or is it the cheerleaders? I’m not sure. They’re down to the the far side of the field. Okay, Wes, can you zoom in? Let’s go. And now for the Evangel color guard. All right. Great job by our cheerleaders and color guards. I’m so excited they have the the opportunity to showcase their talent and the effort that they’ve put in week in and week out and especially coming to these away games. But uh we still got about 15 minutes before the second half kicks off. So we’re going to let you hear a few words from our sponsors. You are watching Evangel Lightning Football. Looking to buy, sell, or invest in real estate? Call Mandy Welch with Exit Realy Kahaba and trust the experience that counts. 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If you aren’t feeling well, visit Southern Immediate Care in Helina from 8 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 7 days a week at 225 Helina Marketplace. [Music] Located in the 1022 tower right next to Shelby Baptist Hospital, Dermatologist of Birmingham has been serving all ages in the Shelby Children and Bib counties area for almost 20 years. Discover healthier, more radiant skin with Dermatologists of Birmingham. your trusted experts for comprehensive medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology care in Alabama. Visit their website to book an appointment today. Visit Helina Hollow Entertainment Farm and Pumpkin Patch in Helena, Alabama for a day well spent. With everything from zip lines and 100 foot slides to live llamas and kangaroos, Helina Hollow has some form of fun for everyone in the family. Helina Hollow is open throughout the year for seasonal events, including the patch, supper with Santa, princess brunch, Mother’s Day rodeo, and offers three event venues for birthday parties and other celebrations. Come see Helina Hollow, where the good times grow. With over 20 years of experience, Keystone Surfaces can make your natural stone dreams come true. They have accessible pricing, and the staff is always working to make sure their clients are 100% happy with the final product. They work with granite, marble, quartz, quartzite, onyx, and soap stone. If you’re looking for exceptional quality for your next kitchen or bath project, give them a call today. Looking to buy, sell, or invest in real estate? Call Mandy Welch with Exit Realy Kahaba and trust the experience that counts. With over 17 years in this business, Mandy Welch with Exit Realy Kahaba has sold homes, flipped homes, and helped countless families and investors achieve their real estate dreams. Whether it’s your first home, your forever home, or your next big investment, she’s got you covered. Call Mandy Welch at Exit Realy Kahaba today because your next move deserves to be the right move. There’s no one-sizefits-all when it comes to planning for your future. Chandler Financial Group understands that your financial goals are unique and your needs are going to change at various stages of your life. With over 28 years of experience in financial services, they can help you tailor a financial plan that meets your unique needs. Call Chandler Financial Group today at 205-620-9499 to schedule your free initial consultation. Securities and investment advisory services offered through Mosaic Wealth, Inc., member FINRA, SIPC. Mosaic Wealth is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products, or services referenced here are independent of Mosaic Wealth. At Davis Orthopedics, we understand the toll that athletics can take on our bodies. Our sports medicine services utilize cutting edge surgical techniques and rehabilitation to help patients recover from injuries and surgery and get back on the field. Appointments are available online at mattavisortho.com. Matt Davis Orthopedics is a proud supporter of Evangel Lightning Athletics. Team Massie Properties has 44 years of real estate knowledge and experience serving the real estate needs of Shelby, Jefferson, Chilton, and surrounding counties. Offering aggressive marketing strategies to position your property for the sale in an everchanging real estate market. Commercial, residential, investment, land, and farm real estate services. Call or text Matt Massie for all of your real estate needs. Let’s go. Lightning windows 205 is a local residential home window replacement company. We replace your old windows with high quality Americanmade energyefficient vinyl windows that have easy open and easy clean features. Our windows are tinted, filled with low argon gas, and come with a lifetime warranty. Tad Samples is your owner, salesperson, and installer, so you only have to deal with one person. Please call today for your free estimate. Enhanced Dental is redefining the dental experience by helping you achieve and maintain comprehensive dental wellness. Dr. Morris and his staff are highly skilled and trained in several areas of dentistry, including preventative and general dentistry, root canals, dental implants, and cosmetic dentistry. They pride themselves on providing painless dentistry with a focus on aesthetics and helping you maintain a healthy smile for life. Contact Enhanced Dentl today to schedule your appointment and experience extraordinary dental care. Strike lightning. My favorite part about media club is broadcasting the games. We learn how to do the audio video setup and producing a broadcast is a lot of fun. got to make the graphics for social media posts and learn how to update the ECS athletics website. And we love Mr. Scott’s birthday cake. Locally owned and operated by the Bates family, Clanton Tractor and Equipment has been a K Cabota tractor dealer since 1988. Located in Clanton on Highway 31 just south of historic downtown Clanton. From minor bumps to unexpected injuries, Southern Immediate Care is here with expert care when it matters most. If you aren’t feeling well, visit Southern Immediate Care in Helina from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 7 days a week at 225 Helina Marketplace. [Music] [Music] [Music] When lightning strikes, call Great Doris State farm, your local neighborhood agent. With over 20 years of service, Craig and his team are ready to help you navigate life storms. They provide customized planning and risk management to protect your property, provide financial relief and loss, and realize long-term investment goals. Contact them today at craigdoris.com. Are you wanting to buy or sell recreational land or a farm? Call William O’Neal with Basecamp Country Real Estate at 205-470-7812 or email William. O’Neal at basecampcountcountry.com. Basecamp Country Real Estate. It’s more than dirt. It’s a lifestyle. [Music] [Music] Located in the 1022 Tower right next to Shelby Baptist Hospital, Dermatologists of Birmingham has been serving all ages in the Shelby, Children, and Bib counties area for almost 20 years. Discover healthier, more radiant skin with Dermatologists of Birmingham, your trusted experts for comprehensive medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology care in Alabama. Visit their website to book an appointment today. Visit Helina Hollow Entertainment Farm and Pumpkin Patch in Helena, Alabama for a day well spent. 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Good news, Ben uh or not Ben, but yeah, Ben Davis looks like he’s all right. He was out with the team stretching and jogging uh as they were doing some of their uh warm-ups before the second half kicks off. Yeah, and you know, I think we haven’t gotten Ezekiel’s best shot yet. I mean, I know we’re under um a hot clock at least to start this second half, but you know, they kind of shot themselves in the foot with two turnovers, the block punt, they got returned for a touchdown. Um so, I expect them to correct a few things at half and uh hopefully from from our perspective, the Lightning can keep the foot on the gas here in the second half. Yeah, because we we get this ball here in the first half kind of like we did last week. So hopefully we can keep that pedal to the metal. Uh with our offense being led by Eli Black with that injured shoulder. Uh hasn’t really slowed him down too much. Uh we’ve had a couple of you know misfumbled um uh or some mishaps with our fumbles. So uh they usually get that worked out pretty good. But Eli’s legs are certainly working. Uh tonight we’ve seen some breakout runs from him uh and really some some different um formations that our offense is coming out in. We’ve seen Max Watson spread wide out. We see Max Watson flank back there as a running back next to Isaac Griffith and Eli Black. Uh as we hear the whistle for from the referees for both teams to hit the field to start this second half for the Evangel Lightning as we’re here in Watumpka, Alabama facing the Ezekiel Knights. All right. So, I’m trying to read the numbers out there. We have number seven David Johnson on the front line along with Zack Davis, a sophomore. Number 56 Whit Bourne and Jackson Lden. And then the next line of defense, we have Ben Davis, Max Watson, and Cruz Romano. And to receive deep, I’m guessing that’s Trey Hope, but the referee is blocking my sight as we see the Ezekiel Knights going to kick off for the first time tonight. Let’s see who their kicker is. And that’s Trey Hope deep for our Evangel Lightning. And so that’s number 33 for them. I don’t have a a number or a name for him, but here comes the kick. And Steven G. Steven G as we pick it up as that’s Cruzmano. He missed gets a guy to miss one tackle. He’s taken up the sideline, but pushed out of bounds. Looks like right at the 40 yd line. Uh almost had some sunlight coming. Trying to see who pushed him out of bounds. Looks like number 24 for the Knights. That’s Nathan Andrews as our offense comes out again. Yep. Excellent field position. Looks like we got all the starters out there. Clock is running as we’re under a hot clock. So, I imagine we’re going to see a heavy dose of Ben Dav, not Ben Davis, Isaac Griffith, number 22, the sophomore, running the football. Maybe some design QB runs here. A lot of movement down there. Usually that’s going to go towards the offense when both sides are moving. So false start. Yeah, hard count there and Lightning not all on the same page. Just a mental error. You don’t want to see that first first play in the first drive of the second half. Yeah. So that’s going to bring up first and 15 for the Lightning. As with that hot clock, we’re already almost at 10 minutes. So Trey Hope and Romano, Cruz Romano to the far side. Low snap like you said, a hand off to Griffith up the middle. He had a little room, but they were really nowhere to go once he got past that front line. So, that’s going to bring up second and about 13. Yeah, in the past, I don’t think they’ve started the hot clock until the second half. So, I’m really confused. I guess maybe a rule change this year, but um we’ll it’ll be interesting if Ezekiel can get it back under 30 points if they’ll go back to a standard clock. Need to get the clarification from coach Smith on that this week. Yeah. So, second and about 1314 as we have two tight ends and two running backs flanking Eli. And it’s going to be a hand off to Griffith. He makes a move to the inside. Hard tackle after about an eight yd gain. And Knights have a guy down. Look like he may have twisted an ankle or a knee. There’s going to be a a official timeout. as they come out and take a look at that young man. Yes, the guy that made the tackle just kind of came down awkward as he spun around Griffith to bring him down. So, while they’re checking on him, we’ll take a break and be right back. You’re watching Lightning Football. Are you wanting to buy or sell recreational land or a farm? Call William O’Neal with Basecamp Country Real Estate at 205-470-7812 or email William. O’Neal at basecampcountcountry.com. Basecampountry Real Estate. It’s more than dirt. It’s a lifestyle. [Music] Is that number seven? It is. I’m sorry. Well, we’re back. That’s uh number seven for them. That’s Noah Sawyer, their tough running back. I’m glad to see him walking out on his own power. So, hopefully he can get back out there for the Ezekiel Knights as it’s going to be third and about seven for the Lightning. So, a big uh kind of third down here to start the Lightning off here in the second half. Eli alone in the back field. Low snap again and he picks it up. He’s trying to hit the edge. He’s going to try to throw deep to Hope. Hope goes up and makes a grab. Did he get his feet in bounds? They say no. So, an incomplete pass. Trey disagrees with the call, but I would have too, but great hands. Uh, and great job by Eli kind of keeping his composure there. Yeah, hard to tell from our angle. the Ezekiel defender was kind of blocking our line of sight, but you know, great job just by Eli Black to pick the ball up without his, you know, having his knee on the ground there. All right, so that’s going to make it fourth and seven for Evangel. And it does look like they’re bringing out the punt team. Saw your Welch in the game, Cruz Romano, Jackson Lden as Trey Hope’s going to line up in the punter position. Got to watch the clock here. They have a man deep. That is number seven, I believe. So, Noah Sawer back in the game as Trey has a high spiraling punt. Hits it about the 25. Oh, he touched that ball. I think he did. Yes, he did. Yes. And Lightning get a big turnover. I think that’s on the five yd line. So, a tough break for the Knights right there. I’m surprised he didn’t call for a fair catch as as high as I was. Great punt by Trey Hope. Yeah, when he decided to let it hit the ground, he should have just let it go and got out of the way. And I didn’t see who recovered it for us. Yeah, I couldn’t tell. But great job, great hustle by the Lightning as we have uh another opportunity here as Saw Welch comes into the game kind of giving Eli a break with this score. I think we’re going to come in the double wing. It’s a pretty common formation we come out when we’re certainly inside the red zone or definitely inside the 10. Going to be a fake toss pitch inside handoff to Griffith. He’s trying to moto through. Great job. I believe that’s number 12 for them. That’s uh Landon Ethridge. Um great pursuit inside there and just held on to Isaac for just your life which brings up second and goal. Yeah, another run blitz there. They kind of stunted to the boundary side, shot the gap, and just a missed assignment by the the Lightning offensive line. Yeah, as Welch stays in the game at quarterback, another one of our very talented sophomores again in the double wing with Davis and Griffith. Going to be an inside pitch to Griffith. knocked down immediately. Maybe got back to the line of scrimmage. I didn’t see who hit him. I think is that number 12 again? Yeah, number 12. That big Landon Ethridge. He’s a senior, 5’11, 206 pounds. So certainly a force to be reckoned with. Yeah, I like that the Lightning are staying on the ground here. I mean, I know it’s a hot clock. They’re just trying to to run the clock and everything, but one weak area for us tonight, you know, has probably been uh the run game and uh haven’t really been able to establish that. So, that needs some work. This is a good chance to get some good reps in. So, Welch again right up under the center. It’s going to be a toss and then a reverse inside handoff to Griffith. He’s trying to break some tackles, but it’s going to come down to about the five and a half yardd line. So, it’s going to be about fourth and five or six to the goal line. And Serge Welsh with the the long jog over to the sideline to get the play from Coach Smith as we’re rolling. Already we’re under five minutes here into the second half. That hot clock makes a big difference. So Welch with the the play from coach Smith jogs about 50 yards back to the huddle. Yeah, the Evangel quarterbacks get their conditioning in just running to and from the sideline to get the play. All right, so they break the huddle again in the double wing. Welch is going to again line up right up under center. Griffith in motion. Welch looking to pass. He’s got a man. That’s Watson wide open in the end zone. Touchdown Lightning. Yeah. Man out there for Ezekiel. He just kind of pushed him and then let him go. Not really sure if that wasn’t his man. They were in manto man or what? But uh he fell for the pitch and just over pursued and just never had a chance to get back over there. As Welch stays in for the two-point conversion here, 38 to nothing. Your Evangel Lightning on top as the clock rolls down 3:45. So Welch trying to sneak up under there. As small as he is, I think he hit through the line. He may have gotten in. Oh, they say no. But I think he got real close. I just think he got below their line of sight. I think so, too. Not the biggest guy. In fact, he’s probably the smallest guy out there. But tough guy, hard worker in the weight room. Mhm. And uh probably has the biggest heart on the team. Yeah. and great football IQ out there for such a young guy. Yeah. So, the clock continues to roll as we wait for the Evangel kickoff team. Nick Sanders going to have to ice his foot after this game. All right. So, there’s the whistle from the ref. We’re ready to kick this ball downfield. Kind of a deeper pooch. It’s going to hit the ground. Little golf bounce as Romano’s right there to take him out of bounds. It looks like at about the 34 35 yd line. Looks like coach Wilson is staying with the starters down 38 to nothing. Wants to see those guys make some improvement. And again, again, they haven’t played really that bad tonight on offense. It’s just been costly mistakes. this not allowed them to get any consistency with any of their drives and really even sniff the end zone. All right, so we have a man splitting out. It’s kind of a screen and Romano almost right in there for a pick six. I think he was just surprised that the ball was on him that quick. Yeah, for an incomplete pass going to make up second and 10. Ben Davis is talking to him say, “Why didn’t you intercept that? All right. So, that is the end of the third period and we’re going to swap sides. They don’t get much faster than that. No, they don’t. You didn’t even get to finish your nachos from halftime. So, it is 38 to nothing. your Evangel as we end this third quarter. We’re going to take a quick break for to hear a word from our sponsors. You’re watching Evangel Lightning football. Enhanced Dentl is redefining the dental experience by helping you achieve and maintain comprehensive dental wellness. Dr. Dr. Morris and his staff are highly skilled and trained in several areas of dentistry, including preventative and general dentistry, root canals, dental implants, and cosmetic dentistry. 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Yeah, Parker Weston threw a floater up there and you can see Max Watson hadn’t done a lot of pass coverage. So that’s going to be a big first down almost to midfield. It’s at the 48 yd line. They’re going to take over first and 10 from there as they hustle up to the line trying to make something happen for the Knights. And another drop back to pass looking deep over the middle. That ball’s hanging up in the air as Ben Davis comes down with it. He’s trying to hit the edge hard. He’s got a couple of blockers in front of him and hit hard right at the 45 yd line by number three the quarterback trying to get a little payback juice as threeon-ree crime as your Evangel take over again for the third or fourth turnover of the night. Ben Davis’s second pick of the night and just kind of playing center field on that one and went up and got it the highest point. You know, he’s a been a receiver for the Lightning for a couple of years now and he turned into a receiver on that one. Well done. All right, so we got a few new guys in there. Let’s see. Number 16, that’s Jackson Morris, a sophomore, Case Inventable, number 13. Number six, Grayson Holmes, a junior. And while they’re huddling up, I’m trying to see. Number 64, that’s Connor Lumen. He’s a junior. So Venible and Morris are the wings. Holmes playing the tight end as Venimal hits the outside hard. There’s nobody there. Can he outrun? There’s going to be a flag on the play. Possibly hold him, but he’s heading hard. Taken down at the 20 yd line. Great speed by number 13. That’s Case inventable. But I believe yes, this is going to be a holding call. And that’s coming all the way back. Yeah, actually two flags thrown. So confirmation there from the officials and the big run by Case Benal is nullified. Yeah, but great the off new younger offensive line in there. Great job on uh blocking the guys in front of him. gave him plenty of room to hit the outside as Serge Welch gets the call from the sideline and that’s going to make it look like about first and 18. Yeah. Coach Hunter Smith is also subbing in some of his reserves and getting the starters out. Yeah. So number 11 Jaylen Sanki a senior. I saw him go in as we come back out in the double wing set in Venable and Morris. Apologies. I’ve been saying Hunter Smith for the last I don’t know two quarters. It’s Hunter Wilson. It’s a toss pitch as they try to get up field. Morris taken down hard for a loss. I’m trying to see who that number is. Just turn your shoulders. Anyway, just great job by that corner coming up making a good hard hit. Oh, that’s actually the quarterback. That’s Preston Weston or Parker Weston as number 62 for them. That’s Logan Pharaoh, a sophomore, comes in for the Knights. Going to make it a second and about 22 for the Lightning. So, let’s see what our call is here to make up some of that yardage we’ve lost. So, first down, Venable went to the far side and more second down came around to the near side. Let’s see what they got cooked up now as Welch lines up directly under center as Welch is trying to kind of keep it around the end. Great blocking by Venville. Welch turns it up the middle. Hit hard. Great run about a 10yd gain. That’s going to bring up third and 12. Welch kind of disappears behind that line and scoots to the outside and then does the rest himself by making a nice cut back. All right, so it’s third and 12 as the clock rolls on at uh 7 minutes 15 seconds. Holmes again lined up at the tight end position. The toss pitch to Venible. He’s got some room and he’s pushed out of bounds at about the 40 49 yd line. It’s going to bring up fourth and four. We’ll see. Coach Smith probably going to go for it here. No need to run because you Well, I say that looks like he is going to run on the the punt team. Little mismatch blocking. Uh Evangel’s number six Holmes going to go to number 11 Jaylen Zeni. About a 110lb difference blocking right there. As we line up in the the punt formation, they have number 21 deep for them. That’s Jack Dalling. Nice deep punt by Trey Hope going down to the 10. It rolls out of bounds at the 11 yd line. So great punt by the Evangel Lightning as the Ezekiel Knights will take over on their their own 11 yd line. And we’ll see if the defense brings in their subs for the Lightning. It looks like they will. Coach Smith usually likes to see what the other team is going to do. Looks like the Knights do have some reserves in on offense. So there is a timeout on the field of Evangel Lightning. So we’re going to take a quick break with you. You’re watching Evangel Lightning football. When lightning strikes, call Craig Doris State Farm, your local neighborhood agent. With over 20 years of service, Craig and his team are ready to help you navigate life storms. They provide customized planning and risk management to protect your property, provide financial relief and loss, and realize long-term investment goals. Contact them today at cradoris.com. [Music] [Music] [Music] All right, so we’re back. Zack Curtis, number 11 in the game for your Lightning. It’s a high snap. He’s going to try to run it up the middle. Taken down hard. I can’t see the number. Zack Davis. Zack Davis, as my colleagues are letting me know. I still want to get his number. 24. Davis. Sophomore. 58 167. Saw your Welch in the game. Is that 57? I don’t recognize. I don’t have him on my roster. on the end over here. No, that’s 53. That’s Nson still in. Nice hard hit right up the middle. Saw your Welch. Saw your Welch playing a little linebacker. Yes, he is. All right, John Miller into game for your Lightning as the clock rolls down. We’re under five minutes at four and a half minutes. Little confusion on the Lightning defense. Jackson Morris gets over here to the near side for coverage. It’s a third and about five. They’re looking to pass. Here comes Nons hard turn around number 13 for the Lightning right there. Case in Venable almost had a pick. Slipped down. That’s going to bring up fourth and about six. And we’ll see what the Knights do deep in their own territory. It looks like they’re in the punt formation. And we’re sending looks like Morris for the Lightning. Number 16 Jackson Morris deep. There’s the snap. Nice high punt. Get out of the way. And number 24. Just surprised Zack Davis picks it up. He’s trying to take it somewhere and he’s taken down hard at about the 26 yd line. Uh I think he was just as surprised as anybody else that it fell right in his hands. That’s going to bring up first down for the Lightning with uh 3 minutes and about 15 seconds to go. Yeah, I think that play kind of summarizes this game, doesn’t it? I mean, it’s kind of like the balls bounced our way all night. Yes, that’s a great way to put it. We also have number 26, Jackson Bugeois, the sophomore in the game. As we come back out in the wing formation, Welch again right up under center and it’s going to be a toss pitch to the outside. Good downfield blocking as he tries to get to the edge and he’s taken down after about a five sixyd gain. That’s Rigs Black. 21 Rigs Black for your Evangel the fourth the fourth of the the Black family young men to come through Evangel. He was He’s just a sophomore. No, I’m sorry. He’s a freshman. So, Welch back in the game for the Lightning along with number 11 Zack Curtis, the junior. All right, Welch under center again in this double wing set. Toss to number seven, Zack Curtis. He’s trying to hit the edge. Nice pursuit. Tackled hard after about a one-yd gain. That’s going to bring up third and 10 for the Lightning as the clock is now below two minutes. That we’re going that way. So, it’s first down. Oh, first down. Yeah. Oh, we did get the first down. Yeah, the chain sty been a confusing me some. So, I’m going to blame them and not my bad eyesight. That’s what I always do. All right, so we break the huddle with a minute 23 to go in this game. Zack Curtis and Rigs Black in the wing position. So, it’s a fake pitch of Sawer Welch trying to get outside. Great stiff arm staying on his feet. They’re going to blow the whistle. Wells refusing to go down. Good downfield blocking by number six Grayson Holmes. I love it. It’s just fun to watch these guys as we’re now below a minute. We’ll see if we get one more playoff or if we just down it right here to make sure everybody stays safe as the Rocky theme music. Yep. Blares over the loudspeakers. Well, a much better performance from the Lightning tonight. Definitely helps to have Eli Black back in the lineup. Um, you know, it doesn’t get any easier. No, sir. The uh schedule coming up if my app will load here. Yeah. And Saw just taking a knee. I know the Lightning are back home next week. Yes. Is it uh East Central? I You know what? I didn’t print the schedule out this week. So, as the clock rolls down, great turning point here for your Evangel Lightning as they top the Ezekiel Knights 38 to nothing. And again, you know, the Knights just couldn’t get it couldn’t get it going. They had some unfortunate events happen like you said, the block punt, some interceptions, turnover on downs. Um, but not to take away from the Lightning and their just great return from a very tough loss last week. Really almost a lackluster loss. So, the energy has returned. A lot of new formations in there for our defense and our offense. Uh, so great game all around. The the drive home will be a lot more pleasant this time around uh heading back north. But, uh, great game. Glad to see no injuries out there. Glad Eli Black is back. So, who who do we who do we have next week, Scott? Lighthouse. So, Lighthouse at home. At home. Yep. Lighthouse. And everybody must be on Max Preps tonight because it’s having some issues. Everybody’s getting score updates and everything. So, yeah, but like you said, this is the first of a four game, four conference game stretch. Lighthouse next week. uh Southern Christian, who is probably my my pick to win the conference this year, you know, um and then East Central after that. So, fortunately, both White House and Southern Christian come to Evangel the next two weeks. So, that’ll be a little bit in our favor. Yes. But, um Southern Christian is going to be a force to reckon with this year with the the Scott brothers, Jagger, Jagger and Jed Scott. So, we will have but we’ll have our hands full next week with Lighthouse. We’ll be back on the air hopefully to get get you a Coach Smith show next week. I had to go out of town unexpectedly this week, so we didn’t have a Coach Smith show, but um try to get that next week and maybe go on the air about 6:20, 6:30. And uh but hey, if you’re in the uh Shelby County area, we’d much rather you come out and see us and support the Lightning in person than than uh and listening to us clowns. But um we will have it on the air for you if you can’t make it out. And until then, we will sign off. Our time is up. We thank you for yours. You’ve been watching Evangel Lightning Football on the ECS Athletics Broadcast Network. Good night, everyone. Straight lightning.