The Lutheran North-Trinity high school football showdown that took place last Friday was an event for the ages. The host Crusaders held on for an epic 48-46 victory over Trinity to win the Class 2, District 2 championship before a record-setting crowd in North County. Folks, this was more than just a football game. This was a community event.
In the spirit of the old David Letterman Show, here is my Top 10 list as to why the Lutheran North-Trinity game was one of the top high school events that I have covered in my 32-year career of doing this.
10. The Build Up: There was a buzz about this game the moment last year’s district championship game ended, when Trinity edged Lutheran North 31-24 in the final minute of the game. Whether it was on social media, the barber shops or in the community, people were talking about this game for nearly a year. The pre-game hype was simply “off the chains.”
9. The Atmosphere: Attendance was estimated at about 5,000 and that was probably conservative. People were everywhere. Fans started showing up at 4 p.m., which was three hours before kickoff. Some people spent more than an hour on Lucas & Hunt Blvd. waiting to get into the school’s parking lot. It was a festive pre-game atmosphere, much like a block party. The action on the field kept the crowd buzzing on both sides throughout the game.
8: The Talent: The field was littered with major college Division I prospects on both sides. Several players have already received scholarship offers from schools from the nation’s power conferences.
7. The Teams: Lutheran North came into the contest with a 10-0 record while averaging 57 points a game and giving up only eight. Trinity was also undefeated while outscoring their opponents 420-32 during the season.
6. The Different styles: Lutheran North employed its old-school “Grambling” running attack that is devastating with their athletic group of running backs and physical lineman. Trinity came in with its electric quick-strike passing offense that featured some breathtaking athletes. Both teams did what they did best on this night in combining for 94 points.
5. The big rallies: Lutheran North appeared to have the game well in hand on multiple occasions, only to see Trinity fight back. North led 33-19 in the third quarter only to see the Titans fight back to tie the game by the end of the quarter. North scored two consecutive TDs and took a 48-33 lead with four minutes left to play, but the Titans responded with two more scores of their own to put themselves on the doorstep of tying the game.
4. Big Time Plays: Trinity quarterback Isaiah Williams, along with receivers Marcus Washington, Teriyon Cooper and kick returner James Frenchie made some volcanic scoring plays that electrified the crowd. Meanwhile, Lutheran North’s ground and pound attack with Canaan Brooks, Donovan Marshall and Nick Lotts chewed up the yardage by the bushel throughout the evening.
3. Game Changing Sequence: With the score tied at 33-33, North senior Nick Lotts fumbled a punt and Trinity recovered on the LN 10-yard line with a chance to take its first lead and riding all of the momentum in the world. On the very next play, Lotts jumped a route and intercepted a pass and returned it 50 yards to see up North’s go-ahead touchdown. It was a tremendous display of mental toughness by this young man.
2. The Finish: Of course, a great game needs a climax. After Trinity scored with 38 seconds left in regulation, they needed a two-point conversion to tie the game and force overtime. Trinity quarterback Isaiah Williams made a beeline to the end zone where he was met by a group of Crusaders defenders, who stopped him at the one-year line to preserve the victory.
1. The Brotherhood: Despite the intense on-field rivalry on the field, head coaches Carl Reed of Lutheran North and Corey Patterson of Trinity are close friends. It was clearly evident after the game as they shared a long embrace. It also carried over to the players as well. Even in the glory of their biggest victory, many of the Lutheran North players were consoling their defeated rivals after a long, hard battle.
