Gray scores 5 TD, Concordia rolls past TMI
Chance Gray rushed for 119 yards and scored five touchdowns as Concordia Lutheran advanced to the TAPPS Division II regional round. (Edgar Salcedo/For The Potpourri)
The Concordia Lutheran football team dominated its TAPPS Division II playoff rematch with San Antonio TMI-Episcopal, cruising to a 41-13 victory Nov. 12 at Crusader Stadium.In what will likely be their last home game of the season the Crusaders (9-3) received five touchdowns from junior Chance Gray and interceptions by Dylan Cress and Jake Bahr to control the game. They scored the first three touchdowns, led 27-7 at halftime and moved on to the regional round for the second consecutive season.
Concordia, which defeated TMI 17-10 on its home field in last year’s area round, plays Waco Reicher Catholic or Grapevine Faith Christian in next week’s regional playoff.
The Crusaders were astoundingly efficient on offense against TMI (2-9), averaging 12 yards per play. They needed merely 14 plays from scrimmage to score their first four touchdowns, 11 of which went for first downs or scores.
Gray put the Crusaders on the board six minutes into the game breaking wide open behind the defense for a 28-yard touchdown pass from Nathan Potter. Concordia’s next drive lasted one play as Gray turned the corner and received a block downfield from Ryan Bell for a 60-yard touchdown.
The lead grew to 21-0 when Gray another quick drive with an 11-yard run. Concordia answered TMI’s first touchdown with passes of 33 and 41 yards from Potter to Cody Huffmeister, the latter of which finished in the end zone.
Concordia allowed 291 rushing yards to TMI but defended its territory well. Cress ended the Panthers’ first drive with a leaping interception at the five-yard line, returning it to the 50 to set up the Crusaders’ first score.
In the second quarter TMI cut the Crusaders’ lead to 21-7 and threatened again by recovering the onside kick. But Bahr made a pick on fourth down at the goal line to avert a Panthers score.
Concordia Lutheran 41, TMI 13
TMI 0-7-6-0—13
CLHS 14-13-14-0—41
First quarter
CL: Chance Gray 28 pass from Nathan Potter (Tyler Brandenburg kick), 5:34
CL: Gray 60 run (Brandenburg kick), 3:14
Second quarter
CL: Gray 11 run (Brandenburg kick), 11:52
TMI: Luke Matus 30 run (Cody West kick), 7:31
CL: Cody Huffmeister 41 pass from Potter (pass failed), 2:13
Third quarter
CL: Gray 12 run (Brandenburg kick), 10:27
CL: Gray 10 run (Brandenburg kick), 3:50
TMI: Matus 1 run (run failed), :10
Team stats/leaders
Rushing: TMI 63-291; CL 22-224 (Gray 6-119)
Passing: TMI 2-7-2-20; CL 5-7-0-125 (Potter 5-6-0-125)
Receiving: CL (Huffmeister 3-85)
