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CREVE COEUR – Nine months passed since Martez Stephenson and his Lutheran North teammates experienced the abrupt end to their season in a district championship game stunner.
Nine months to reflect, to train, to stew.
“The anticipation has definitely been building up for this season, and we wanted set the tone early,” Stephenson said.
Consider the tone, set.
Stephenson gained 126 yards rushing and scored twice, and the Crusaders defense earned four first-half takeaways as Lutheran North unleashed their pent-up energy on Hazelwood Central in a 54-0 victory Saturday at Missouri Baptist University.
On that frigid and fateful day at St. Charles West last November, Lutheran North starting quarterback Dakarri Hollis stood on the sidelines in his jersey top and sweatpants, unable to play due to an injury suffered the previous week.
He watched helplessly as the offense committed nine penalties, struggled to sustain drives and found the end zone only once in a 24-7 loss to the Warriors.
“When we lost that game, it felt like I had to get it back for my brothers, especially the ones who graduated, so I worked my butt off this off-season,” Hollis said.
Hollis threw for 115 yards and a touchdown, but his legs set the tone Saturday.
He took the first snap of the game and raced around right end for a 28-yard pickup. One play later, he burst through the line for 15 more. On third-and-9, he handed the ball to Stephenson, who scampered 34 yards to put Lutheran North on the scoreboard less than two minutes into the contest.
“We just had to come out with energy and show who Lutheran North is,” Hollis said.
Defensive energy was also on display when 6-foot-5, 390-pound defensive tackle David Gudger penetrated the Hazelwood Central backfield on the first snap and yanked the ball from the grasp of sophomore running back Antoine Gunn. Gunn recovered the bounding ball, but it was a sign of things to come.
“(Gudger) is one the best defensive linemen in the state. I don’t think anybody can block him and I told him that before the game,” Lutheran North coach Kyle Wagner said. “It was a huge play for us and it set the tone from the start.”
Hazelwood Central (0-1) drove inside the Crusaders’ 20-yard line on its first drive, but an errant option pitch was recovered by Lutheran North (1-0). It was the first of four successive possessions of at least six plays that ended in a turnover for the Hawks.
Seven plays later, junior Jevon Blackman slipped around left end for a 31-yard touchdown run to increase the Lutheran North lead to 14-0.
Then, the Jordan Carter show began.
Shortly after a swarm of Crusaders arrived at a Hazelwood Central ball carrier, the pigskin was ripped loose and Carter had no intention of simply falling on it. His 55-yard sprint made the score 20-0 after one quarter.
“Scoop and score,” Carter said. “I know I’m one of the fastest guys on the field, so if I get a chance to score, I’m going to go score.”
Hazelwood Central continued to move the chains, mounting a 13-play drive that encompassed 53 yards. But, when quarterback Jackson Sommerville tested the Crusaders’ single coverage on the outside, he found the diving arms of Carter in the back right corner of the end zone.
“I know I’m one-on-one, and when I see that ball in the air, I know it’s mine,” Carter said.
On the very next play after Carter’s interception, Stephenson burst through a gaping hole in the middle of the Hawks’ defense and cruised 80 yards to make the score, 28-0.
“We were trying to keep our foot on the gas,” said Stephenson, who needed only five carries to accrue 126 yards.
And the Lutheran North defense was still getting revved up, forcing its third fumble and second scoop-and-score, this one by sophomore Ke’meil Salone.
“We pride ourselves on pursuing to the ball and trying to rip it out if we see a guy being held up,” Carter said.
Just before halftime, Hollis connected with senior Mikel Harris on a 19-yard touchdown pass to complete a dominant, 42-point first half that released nine months of restlessness for the Crusaders.
“We’re thankful for that loss. That loss was a humbling loss. It taught us that we still had work to do, and I think that loss is going to be the reason that we have success this year,” Wagner said.