Stanton Crumbles Against Rival Paxon in Saddening Loss
Emily Zickuhr | Sept. 24 2023 | Sports
Last week, the rival football game of the season known as the “brain bowl” between the visiting Paxon School for Advanced Studies Eagles and the Stanton College Preparatory School Blue Devils resulted in a 32–8 loss for the home team.
The first quarter started off with Paxon earning a touchdown eight minutes into the game but failing the two-point conversion due to Stanton’s defense. The next seven minutes of the quarter included an Eagles fumble, touchdown and a rushed two-point conversion, resulting in a 14-0 score at the end of first quarter.
The second quarter started off strong for the Blue Devils defense when they prevented a Paxon touchdown. However, the Eagles’ second attempt was successful with a seven-yard touchdown from junior Kenyon Gardner, Paxon’s running back.
While Stanton held on thanks to its defense, the Eagles responded with a 35-yard pass for a touchdown with three minutes left in the quarter. The Blue Devils’ offense gained traction by getting a first down in the final minutes of the half. The half ended, however, with Paxon in possession of the ball, and the Blue Devil’s trailed 26-0.
At the start of the second half, Stanton and Paxon alternated first downs, with Stanton gaining a first, second and third down with six minutes left in the quarter. The rest of the quarter featured a change in possession, with the Eagles getting the ball, though they did not score any points. The third quarter ended with the score unchanged.
Things started to heat up in the fourth quarter as the Eagles earned a touchdown one minute into the quarter and did not make their two-point conversion. This would be the last time in the game Paxon held possession of the ball. The turning point for Stanton came as the Blue Devils claimed possession of the ball until the end of the game.
“The first touchdown of the second half we really showed those guys we could actually move the ball and score,” said junior Deshaun Speigts, Stanton’s linebacker.
In the final minute of the game, a five-yard touchdown and successful two-point conversion by junior K.B. Brown, Stanton’s defense back and running back, ended the highly anticipated game with a score of 32-8.
The Blue Devils varsity football team will compete tonight against the Englewood High Rams in an away game.