Cats, Bears move on Gritty St. Marys holds off Lake High school

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Oct 29, 1999 by Ric Anderson Capital-Journal

By RIC ANDERSON

The Capital-Journal

SILVER LAKE --- Years from now, when they sit around in St. Marys and reminisce about the Bears' 14-7 win over Silver Lake on Thursday, they'll remember a goal line stand and a miraculous reception that propelled an upstart team over a state powerhouse.

When they chew it over in Silver Lake, they're likely to remember how they came out of their seats to howl at a fourth-quarter penalty and then watched, in despair, as St. Marys turned the call into the game-winning score.

But one thing will hold true for both sides. They're gonna remember.

They're gonna remember how, with 11:10 left in the fourth quarter, St. Marys declined a penalty to put the Eagles at fourth-and-goal on the Bears' 5, then dropped tailback Colby Kramer for a three-yard loss. They're gonna remember how Bears quarterback Jake Lenherr, on third down on St. Marys' ensuing drive, threw a pass that was tipped by Silver Lake's Josh Whitehead but then was grabbed inches before it hit the turf by sophomore Wade Heim at the Bears' 38.

They're gonna remember how St. Marys, down 7-6 at the time, drove to the Eagles' 13 and how, on fourth-and-nine, the Bears' Andy Terhune missed a 30-yard field goal attempt. And they're gonna remember how Silver Lake was flagged for roughing Terhune --- a call that drew howls from the packed home stands at Silver Lake --- and how fullback Dusty Rezac bulled in from the 6 on the very next play to give St. Marys the lead with 6:18 left.

"I've been waiting for this all four years," said senior lineman Chris Brownell amid shrieks from St. Marys fans who mobbed the team after the victory. "It's been a lot of hard work. A lotta hard work. But we're 8-1 and we're going for more."

St. Marys got its first score with 4:02 left in the third quarter, when Lenherr fired a bullet to Jared Cheek on a quick slant to put St. Marys on the board.

The score set the stage for St. Marys' fourth-quarter stand, the pass, the penalty and the win, which made the Bears the champs of Class 3A's District 3 and propelled them to the playoffs for the first time since ... well, let's just say it's been a while.

"Thirteen-plus years, I think," Johnson said.

Silver Lake head coach C.J. Hamilton said his team had nothing to be ashamed of.

"I told 'em I don't think they disgraced our program," he said. "Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. We didn't do some things we needed to do, and they did some things they needed to do."

St. Marys (8-1) 0 0 6 8 --- 14Silver Lake (7- 2) 0 7 0 0 --- 7 SL --- Kramer 10 run (Barnes kick).

SM --- Cheek 10 pass from Lenherr (kick failed).

SM --- Rezac 6 run (Brunin pass from Lenherr).

GAME IN FIGURES

St. Marys Silver LakeFirst downs 8 9Rushes-yards 41-113 28-70Passing yards 52 150Return yards 10 34Passes 3-12-0 12-25-1Punts 8- 29.2 3-40.6Fumbles-lost 1-0 1-0Penalties-yards 6-40 9-82INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING --- SM: Thomas 19-35, Rezac 14-71, Perry 3-7, Lenherr 5- 0; SL: Kramer 13-17, Lees 3-5, Holthus 7-8, White 1- minus 3, Miller 1-13, Hinterweger 1-0, Koontz 2-20.

PASSING --- SM: Lenherr 3-12-0, 52 yards; SL: Holthus 12-25-1, 150 yards.

RECEIVING --- SM: Brunin 1-14, Cheek 1-10, Heim 1-28; SL: Bouzianis 4-52, Phelps 2-21, Kramer 1- minus 4, Lees 1-9, Koontz 2- 18, Whitehead 1-33, Miller 1-11.

PUNTING --- SM: Mitchell 8-29.2; SL: Kellner 3-40.6.