BYFIELD — For the Lawrence Academy football team, a show of grit and heart was on display on Saturday afternoon at Governor’s Academy.
Junior running back Joshua Arruda fought his way across the goal line from 3 yards out midway through the fourth quarter to give the Spartans their first lead of the game, and the defense was able to hold on in a thrilling 27-20 ISL victory.
“[I’m] proud of the guys. We have been focusing on conditioning and I think it paid off today,’’ said Lawrence Academy coach Paul Zukauskas.
The game was tied at 20 and Lawrence Academy (3-0) was in dire need of a spark to finally get in front. The 6-foot Arruda was the one to finally give it to them. Arruda intercepted a pass and returned it to the Govs’ 25-yard line. Seven plays later, facing a fourth and goal from the 3, Arruda took the handoff and pushed his way into the end zone to give the Spartans the lead, 27-20.
But Governor’s Academy (2-1) wasn’t going down just yet. With less than three minutes to play, the Govs began their drive at their own 38-yard line with no timeouts left. A few penalties and a pass from senior quarterback Jared Dupere to junior Quintan Stott got Governor’s Academy inside the red zone with seven seconds to play. An incomplete pass left barely any time on the clock, and as Dupere heaved a prayer to the end zone as time expired, Spartans senior Thomas Greaney was there to meet it with an interception.
“What I loved about the defense was some of those open-field tackles,’’ said Zukauskas. “It was just a tough, tough effort.’’
Governor’s struck swiftly to get out in front. On the first play of the game Dupere and Stott connected for a 70-yard touchdown. The Govs then took their first play of the second quarter across the goal line as junior Joe Pridgen reeled in a beautiful pass from Dupere from 60 yards out.
Lawrence Academy finally got on the board with 7:29 left in the half when freshman Juan Muse scored on a pass over the middle from junior Brady Martin. Another touchdown on an acrobatic one-handed touchdown catch by senior Joe Luchetti made it 14-13 into the break.
The teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter. Governor’s Academy scored on a Shane Smith 25-yard reception from Dupere, and Muse knotted things up late in the quarter on a 15-yard run.
