On Friday night, the 5-3 Lovejoy Leopards took on the 2-6 Denison Yellow Jackets in a 5A matchup. Lovejoy was coming off a tough loss to Walnut Grove, while Denison was also looking to rebound after a defeat by Anna. Both teams were eager to return to the win column in this late-season contest.
Lovejoy quickly established their momentum in the first quarter, with their offense scoring early to take a 7-0 lead. Their defense held Denison at bay, forcing multiple punts and enabling Lovejoy to extend their advantage to 17-0 by the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, Denison managed to get on the board, narrowing the gap to 17-7. However, Lovejoy responded swiftly, adding thirteen more points to carry a 30-7 lead into halftime.
After the break, Lovejoy kept the pressure on, with their defense consistently preventing Denison from reaching the red zone. This strong defensive performance allowed Lovejoy’s offense to continue piling on points, ultimately sealing the game with a final score of 57-7. Lovejoy’s well-rounded play demonstrated their potential for a deep playoff run, showcasing resilience despite recent setbacks.
Next week, Lovejoy will face Memorial in their final game before the playoffs, while Denison will close out their season with a matchup against Melissa.
STATS
| Category | Denison | Lovejoy |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Downs | 7 | 23 |
| Total Yards | 126 | 493 |
| Passing Yards | 16 | 152 |
| Completion-Attempts | 7-15 | 16-25 |
| Yards Per Pass | 1.07 | 6.08 |
| Interceptions Thrown | 0 | 0 |
| Rushing Yards | 110 | 341 |
| Rushing Attempts | 33 | 36 |
| Yards Per Rush | 3.33 | 9.47 |
| Penalties | 11-70 | 5-55 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Fumbles/Lost | 2-2 | 1-1 |
Denison: Passing
| Player | Comp | Att | Pct | Yds | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ty Rhodes | 6 | 13 | 46.15 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Lucas Womack | 1 | 2 | 50.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Lovejoy: Passing
| Player | Comp | Att | Pct | Yds | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacob Janecek | 15 | 24 | 62.5 | 129 | 2 | 0 |
| Lennon Droupy | 1 | 1 | 100.0 | 23 | 0 | 0 |
Denison: Rushing
| Player | Att | Yards | Yds/Att | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ty Rhodes | 19 | 83 | 4.37 | 1 |
| Roman Henderson | 5 | 17 | 3.4 | 0 |
| Lathyn Bailey | 2 | 7 | 3.5 | 0 |
| Trace Olsen | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Bradley Morris | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 |
| Brandon Douglas | 1 | -2 | -2 | 0 |
| Thomas Rendon | 3 | -2 | -0.67 | 0 |
Lovejoy: Rushing
| Player | Att | Yards | Yds/Att | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Adams | 14 | 113 | 8.07 | 1 |
| Jacob Janecek | 9 | 97 | 10.78 | 3 |
| Jaymez Beaner | 3 | 47 | 15.67 | 0 |
| Daylan McCutcheon | 1 | 47 | 47 | 0 |
| Zach Jones | 5 | 24 | 4.8 | 0 |
| Lennon Droupy | 3 | 15 | 5 | 1 |
| Camden Hagle | 1 | -2 | -2 | 0 |
Denison: Receiving
| Player | Rec | Yards | Yds/Rec | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deryion Vaughn | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Blake Benson | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Brandon Douglas | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Corbyn Johnson | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Thomas Rendon | 3 | -1 | -0.33 | 0 |
Lovejoy: Receiving
| Player | Rec | Yards | Yds/Rec | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylan McCutcheon | 6 | 67 | 11.17 | 1 |
| Zane Kuzenski | 5 | 38 | 7.6 | 0 |
| Jayce Seaber | 1 | 23 | 23 | 0 |
| Coleman Reaugh | 2 | 17 | 8.5 | 1 |
| Jaymez Beaner | 2 | 7 | 3.5 | 0 |
