October 23, 2008.
A cold Thursday night at Williams Stadium on the Liberty University campus in Lynchburg saw two undefeated 8-0 teams face off, and in the end it was the Disciples who emerged with their undefeated season intact with a 29-13 victory. Playing a disciplined and talented Lynchburg Christian Academy Bulldogs B-Team, the Disciples broke a 13-13 halftime tie as scores by the offense, defense and special teams added up to 16 unanswered second half points. Jonathan Kinker scored the tying and go-ahead touchdowns after two powerful runs. Kyle Robeson added another touchdown run, Ryan Edmonds scored a safety on defense and Manny McClure returned a kickoff for a touchdown. The Disciples ran for 365 yards on the night.
The surprisingly strong turnout of Disciples fans who braved the weather saw one of the best games of the year. The defense played one of its best games, getting stronger as the game went on and dominating the Bulldogs offense in the Second Half, holding it to -2 yards in total offense for the entire Second Half. The Disciples offense displayed great balance, with Manny McClure running for 120 yards on just 10 carries, Jared Simmons running for 113 yards on 14 carries and Kyle Robeson running for 97 yards on 19 carries. The special teams contributed with strong kick coverage and a kickoff return for a touchdown.
The First Quarter began as a defensive standoff, with both defenses forcing punts on the initial drives. On the Bulldogs second drive, however, they opened the scoring with Cody Underwood rushing 31 yards for a touchdown. The extra point kick was no good, but the Bulldogs had a 6-0 lead.
The Disciples offense responded immediately with a 91-yard scoring drive. The key play was a 50-yard run by Manny McClure which featured a devastating downfield block by Adrian Gill that took out two Bulldog defenders. Kyle Robeson finished the drive with a 9-yard run for a touchdown. The Disciples failed to take the lead, however, when the extra point attempt by Andrew Wells struck the left upright and bounced the wrong way and the teams were tied 6-6.
The Bulldogs returned the ensuing kickoff to the 23-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, they ran a trick play with the quarterback throwing a lateral pass to Richard Ferguson, who then threw deep to Andy Rohde for a 77-yard touchdown. The Bulldogs kicked the extra point and led 13-7.
The Disciples turned the ball over on the third play of the next drive, with the Bulldogs recovering a fumble at the Disciples 30-yard line. The Disciples defense responded with a critical stop that changed the momentum of the game. On a 1st and Goal from the 5-yard line, Ron Robeson ripped the ball loose from the Bulldogs runner and Daniel “Sharkbite” Ryan recovered the ball on the 10.
Energized by the defensive stop, the Disciples offense drove 90 yard for the tying touchdown. Jonathan Kinker, who had already converted a critical 4th down, scored the touchdown on a magnificent 2-yard touchdown run. Stopped initially by a wave of Bulldogs defenders at the line of scrimmage, Kinker spun, pushed and drove his way over a number of defenders, carrying them into the endzone for the score. An Andrew Wells extra point tied the score.
The Disciples kickoff team pinned the Bulldogs deep in their territory just before halftime, with Matthew “Mack Truck” Haymon leveling the returner. The Bulldogs offense was unable to move the ball, with Jamie Metzger and Augie Conte teaming up for a sack on the last play, and the teams went into half time with the game tied 13-13.
At half time, Coach Hollis emphasized the importance of teamwork and good technique as the key to beating the Bulldogs, one of the four teams to defeat the Disciples last year.
The Disciples offense began the Second Half with its third strong drive of the game. Using mostly straight ahead power running, the team went 68 yards in 13 plays for the go-ahead touchdown. Jonathan Kinker scored on another impressive power run. The play was stacked up initially at the 5-yard line, but Kinker and the Disciples offensive line drove the Bulldogs defense back 5 yards into the end zone. Andrew Wells converted the extra point kick and the Disciples led 20-13.
The Bulldogs next drive ended at the Disciples 40-yard line, when Jamie Metzger recovered a fumbled snap. The offense drove into Bulldogs territory, but turned the ball over on down at the 34-yard line when they just missed scoring on a 4th down pass into the end zone.
The defense, playing with increased intensity and confidence, pushed the Bulldogs offense backwards on the next drive. Through Bulldogs penalties and a great tackle for a 12-yard loss by Ron Robeson, the Bulldogs found themselves facing a 3rd and 33 from their own 11-yard line. The Disciples secondary blanketed the Bulldogs receivers, and a tackle by Devin Griffin cut short the quarterback’s scramble on the 14.
Following the Bulldogs’ punt, the Disciples drove deep into Bulldogs territory. After a Jared Simmons 22-yard run set up a 1st and Goal at the 7, a Disciples penalty left them with a 3rd and Goal from the 16. Manny McClure hit Josh Clements on a nice pass play, but a good tackle by the Bulldogs safety brought Clements down on the 2. The Disciples went for it on 4th and 2, but the Bulldogs defense stopped the running play at the 1 and the Bulldogs took over on downs.
The Disciples defense again rose to the occasion. With an all-out blitz, the Disciples collapsed the Bulldogs line and Ryan Edmonds tackled the quarterback in the end zone for a safety and a 22-14 Disciples lead. The Disciples then put the game out of reach on the ensuing kickoff, as Manny McClure returned in 60 yards for a touchdown, splitting the final two Bulldogs tacklers and outracing both of them to the end zone. Another Andrew Well extra point closed the scoring, 29-13.
The Disciples defense had one final stop. After a short kickoff, the Bulldogs had 4 straight incomplete passes as time expired. The defense held the Bulldogs to -21 yards total office in the Fourth Quarter, and -2 yard for the entire Second Half.
After the game, the Disciples and the Bulldogs teams met at midfield for prayer together.
A cold Thursday night at Williams Stadium on the Liberty University campus in Lynchburg saw two undefeated 8-0 teams face off, and in the end it was the Disciples who emerged with their undefeated season intact with a 29-13 victory. Playing a disciplined and talented Lynchburg Christian Academy Bulldogs B-Team, the Disciples broke a 13-13 halftime tie as scores by the offense, defense and special teams added up to 16 unanswered second half points. Jonathan Kinker scored the tying and go-ahead touchdowns after two powerful runs. Kyle Robeson added another touchdown run, Ryan Edmonds scored a safety on defense and Manny McClure returned a kickoff for a touchdown. The Disciples ran for 365 yards on the night.
The surprisingly strong turnout of Disciples fans who braved the weather saw one of the best games of the year. The defense played one of its best games, getting stronger as the game went on and dominating the Bulldogs offense in the Second Half, holding it to -2 yards in total offense for the entire Second Half. The Disciples offense displayed great balance, with Manny McClure running for 120 yards on just 10 carries, Jared Simmons running for 113 yards on 14 carries and Kyle Robeson running for 97 yards on 19 carries. The special teams contributed with strong kick coverage and a kickoff return for a touchdown.
The First Quarter began as a defensive standoff, with both defenses forcing punts on the initial drives. On the Bulldogs second drive, however, they opened the scoring with Cody Underwood rushing 31 yards for a touchdown. The extra point kick was no good, but the Bulldogs had a 6-0 lead.
The Disciples offense responded immediately with a 91-yard scoring drive. The key play was a 50-yard run by Manny McClure which featured a devastating downfield block by Adrian Gill that took out two Bulldog defenders. Kyle Robeson finished the drive with a 9-yard run for a touchdown. The Disciples failed to take the lead, however, when the extra point attempt by Andrew Wells struck the left upright and bounced the wrong way and the teams were tied 6-6.
The Bulldogs returned the ensuing kickoff to the 23-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, they ran a trick play with the quarterback throwing a lateral pass to Richard Ferguson, who then threw deep to Andy Rohde for a 77-yard touchdown. The Bulldogs kicked the extra point and led 13-7.
The Disciples turned the ball over on the third play of the next drive, with the Bulldogs recovering a fumble at the Disciples 30-yard line. The Disciples defense responded with a critical stop that changed the momentum of the game. On a 1st and Goal from the 5-yard line, Ron Robeson ripped the ball loose from the Bulldogs runner and Daniel “Sharkbite” Ryan recovered the ball on the 10.
Energized by the defensive stop, the Disciples offense drove 90 yard for the tying touchdown. Jonathan Kinker, who had already converted a critical 4th down, scored the touchdown on a magnificent 2-yard touchdown run. Stopped initially by a wave of Bulldogs defenders at the line of scrimmage, Kinker spun, pushed and drove his way over a number of defenders, carrying them into the endzone for the score. An Andrew Wells extra point tied the score.
The Disciples kickoff team pinned the Bulldogs deep in their territory just before halftime, with Matthew “Mack Truck” Haymon leveling the returner. The Bulldogs offense was unable to move the ball, with Jamie Metzger and Augie Conte teaming up for a sack on the last play, and the teams went into half time with the game tied 13-13.
At half time, Coach Hollis emphasized the importance of teamwork and good technique as the key to beating the Bulldogs, one of the four teams to defeat the Disciples last year.
The Disciples offense began the Second Half with its third strong drive of the game. Using mostly straight ahead power running, the team went 68 yards in 13 plays for the go-ahead touchdown. Jonathan Kinker scored on another impressive power run. The play was stacked up initially at the 5-yard line, but Kinker and the Disciples offensive line drove the Bulldogs defense back 5 yards into the end zone. Andrew Wells converted the extra point kick and the Disciples led 20-13.
The Bulldogs next drive ended at the Disciples 40-yard line, when Jamie Metzger recovered a fumbled snap. The offense drove into Bulldogs territory, but turned the ball over on down at the 34-yard line when they just missed scoring on a 4th down pass into the end zone.
The defense, playing with increased intensity and confidence, pushed the Bulldogs offense backwards on the next drive. Through Bulldogs penalties and a great tackle for a 12-yard loss by Ron Robeson, the Bulldogs found themselves facing a 3rd and 33 from their own 11-yard line. The Disciples secondary blanketed the Bulldogs receivers, and a tackle by Devin Griffin cut short the quarterback’s scramble on the 14.
Following the Bulldogs’ punt, the Disciples drove deep into Bulldogs territory. After a Jared Simmons 22-yard run set up a 1st and Goal at the 7, a Disciples penalty left them with a 3rd and Goal from the 16. Manny McClure hit Josh Clements on a nice pass play, but a good tackle by the Bulldogs safety brought Clements down on the 2. The Disciples went for it on 4th and 2, but the Bulldogs defense stopped the running play at the 1 and the Bulldogs took over on downs.
The Disciples defense again rose to the occasion. With an all-out blitz, the Disciples collapsed the Bulldogs line and Ryan Edmonds tackled the quarterback in the end zone for a safety and a 22-14 Disciples lead. The Disciples then put the game out of reach on the ensuing kickoff, as Manny McClure returned in 60 yards for a touchdown, splitting the final two Bulldogs tacklers and outracing both of them to the end zone. Another Andrew Well extra point closed the scoring, 29-13.
The Disciples defense had one final stop. After a short kickoff, the Bulldogs had 4 straight incomplete passes as time expired. The defense held the Bulldogs to -21 yards total office in the Fourth Quarter, and -2 yard for the entire Second Half.
After the game, the Disciples and the Bulldogs teams met at midfield for prayer together.
By Dave Watson
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