Big-play LCA takes down defending state champs in stunning fourth-quarter sequence
After blowing a 14-0 halftime lead as penalties and a crucial turnover helped defending Class 2A state champion and 4th District rival Somerset find its rhythm and go in front early in the fourth quarter, Lexington Christian’s Eagles showed they still had a few big plays left in them.
How big? Let’s try two TDS among three massive plays inside three minutes and six seconds, which led to a 28-21 win Friday night.
Kaiya Sheron, Somerset’s senior quarterback and Kentucky commit, helped put the Briar Jumpers in front for the first time, 21-14, on a 27-yard scramble to the end zone with 10:03 left in the fourth quarter.
The Eagles responded immediately. Xavier Brown’s 7-yard TD run capped a 66-yard drive downfield that took less than 90 seconds to tie it at 21-all.
Then, on Somerset’s next offensive play, LCA’s Parker Chaney tracked down a wobbly, under-thrown Sheron pass at midfield — Chaney’s second interception of the game — and returned it into Briar Jumpers territory.
Three plays later, Drew Nieves hit Mason Moore on a 37-yard touchdown pass the wideout snared over his shoulder in the end zone to put LCA back up 28-21 with 6:57 on the clock.
Three key plays, 14 points, three minutes and change. Not bad.
“I feel like I had to step up when our team was facing adversity,” Chaney said. “I’m just proud of my team and how they came back ready to play this week and showed the state that we’re a really good team.”
Moore had 189 yards receiving and two touchdown catches, both long pass plays that have become a signature of his junior year.
“This feels great, but this means nothing compared to the playoffs,” Moore said, making reference to how Somerset has eliminated LCA from the playoffs each of the last two years in games that each came down to the last possession.
LCA won their regular-season tilt last year and its corresponding home-field playoff advantage only to see the Briar Jumpers knock the Eagles off for the district title and roll on to a state championship.
“The playoffs is when it really matters,” Moore said. “Of course, we’ve still got to focus on (the next game). We can’t take any game lightly.”
Last week, LCA suffered a humbling 40-6 defeat to Class 5A power Frederick Douglass, but LCA Coach Doug Charles believes playing against such competition helped his team get ready for this week.
“We had probably our best week of preparation,” Charles said. “Our kids responded. They were dialed into the game plan and I could tell when we went out that we were resilient. Our guys expect to win.”
LCA looked to be the much sharper team at the outset. Nieves hit Moore on a 62-yard pass play on the Eagles’ second series to take the lead 7-0 midway through the first quarter. Moments later after LCA got the ball back, Xavier Brown caught another Nieves bomb and was downed at the Somerset 7-yard line. He bullied his way into the end zone on the next play for a 14-0 lead at 4:55 in the first quarter.
“We came out really hot in the first half,” said Nieves, who finished the game with 318 passing yards. “We got a little slow toward the end of the first half, but … we powered through it.”
Somerset found its footing in the third quarter as a few penalties helped the Briar Jumpers keep their first scoring drive alive. Sheron’s 14-yard pass to Gavin Stevens to cut it to 14-7 at 5:10 in the third.
LCA fumbled on the first play of its next possession and Sheron pounced again with a 6-yard TD run that cut the lead to 14-13 after a botched extra-point play.
Then, after a Mikey Garland sack turned LCA over on downs, Somerset drove 75 yards to take the lead on Sheron’s scramble. However, the Somerset QB took a hard shot to his left leg as he dove into the end zone and appeared hampered the rest of the way. The two-way player took fewer snaps in his normal defensive position thereafter.
LCA had its own injury scare when Brown went down holding his knee in the first half. He got checked out and later returned to the game. He finished with 27 yards and two TDs rushing and 66 yards receiving.
Sheron completed 17 of 30 passes for 220 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions and had 39 yards rushing and two TDs.
Lexington Christian faces district rival Danville next week with a chance to help lock down home-field advantage in the district rounds of the playoffs. Somerset will face Washington County, another district foe.
This story was originally published October 17, 2020 at 3:02 AM.
