Lightning Football News...

Lightning Rolls to 7-0 with 55-7 win! 

The Joshua Springs Lightning (7-0,3-0) rolled to their 7th straight win by defeating Desert Christian Conquerors (CSOD) 55-7 at Bermuda Dunes on Friday Night. The Lightning are still ranked #1 in CIF 8-man Div I with only two regular season games left.

The Lightning rolled up 515 total yards against the Conquerors, 334 yd's were on the ground and 181 yd's in the air. This was the best offensive effort of the year for the Lightning who have averaged 324 yd's total offense and 44.6 points per game. The Lightning defense also did well only allowing 3 first downs and less than 75 total yd's

The Lightning struck first through the air with a 57 yd pass from Sophomore QB Jesse Fraser to Junior TE Tommy Higgins to get the ball to the the 8-yd line and then an 8yd pass to Senior RB Tony Garrido for the TD and the Lightning were up 6-0. The extra point failed. The Lightning went on to score two more times in the first quarter, once on an 8yd run by Sophomore RB Eddie Nixon and on a five yd dive by Garrido. The score was 20-0 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter started out with a great defensive stand by the Lightning to force a punt. But the ball was dropped on the punt return by Senior Joe Virga and the Conquerors got the ball on the Lightning 25 yd line. The Conquerors then surprised the Lightning with a 25 yd pass play of their own to pay dirt making the score 20-7, Lightning. That was the last of the surprises for the Conquerors. The Lightning Defense shut down the Conquerors offense for the rest of the game. On the next possession for the Lightning Fraser got loose for a 35 yd scamper to set up a 3yd plunge for Garrido and a TD, Garrido also scored the 2-pt conversion and the Lightning were on top 28-7. That was the score at the half.

The third quarter was all Lightning as Garrido got his third TD on the ground on a 39 yd run to pay dirt at the 8:39 mark and then it was Nixon breaking through the line for a 73 yd breakaway run for a TD at the 5:55 mark. The score was 42-7 at the end of the 3rd quarter.

The final quarter started out with Nixon scoring his 3rd TD on the ground on a 1-yd dive off tackle making the score 49-7. The the Lightning JV squad got to come in the game and they scored on a 27 yd QB keeper by JV QB Sophomore Derek Brogdon. That ended the game by the 45 point mercy rule. The new rule this year is that the game can be ended or continued by the choice of the losing coach. If the game is continued a running clock is used to hurry the game along. The Conqueror Coach elected to end the game at the 1:41 mark of the fourth quarter.

Tops in offense for the Lightning were Fraser who went 7 of 14 for 181 yd's and TD while picking up 38 yd's on 5 carries. Garrido had 14 carries for 131 yd's, 3 TD's and 2 2-pt conversions as well as 1 catch for 8ds and a TD. Nixon had seven carries for 120 yd's, 3 TD'sand a 2-pt conversion as well as 1 catch for 12 yd's Brogdon had two carries for 44 yd's and a TD. Higgins had four catches for 131 yd's and Senior Tim Krapivkin had 1 catch for 30 yd's

Defensive top players were Senior Kyle McClay who had seven tackles, one for a loss, Nixon had six tackles, Garrido had six tackles, Senior JC Roberts had four tackles, two for a loss and a sack for -10 yd's Junior Mike Barta had four tackles and a sack for -9 yd's, Junior Aaron Newman had three tackles and a caused fumble and Senior Ray Boetger had three tackles and a pass defense. Virga also had a interception for no return.

Next up for the Lightning is a trip to Victor Valley to play the Excelsior Education Center at Victor Valley Christian field on Saturday October 29th at 7:00PM.