- April 28, 2024
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Elijah Rone (and fans in the background) celebrate the Green Wave's game-winning touchdown. Photos by Jeff Dawsey
Jacob Porto gave the Green Wave its first energetic play by breaking a 35-yard run that led to a touchdown.
Josh Spencer connected with Brian Bowler and Ryan Atkins for a pair of scores in the first half.
When Thursday night’s “holy war” concluded, head football coach Matt Knauss found one of his players and rejoiced with a jump-up celebration. Father Lopez (1-2) came from behind to beat arch rival Warner Christian Academy 41-35 on Sept. 15, at Warner, giving Knauss his first head coaching win.
“It was definitely one we had to work for,” Knauss said. Having to get a touchdown in the last few minutes of both halves with one timeout made it a daunting task.”
The Green Wave trailed 19-7 in the second quarter, but quarterback Josh Spencer called his own number and went 46 yards untouched into the end zone. The extra point made it 19-14. With a little over a minute remaining in the half, Warner scored again and converted its two-point attempt, but the Green Wave quickly marched down field, and Spencer hit Ryan Atkins in the corner of the end zone to go into the half trailing 27-21.
Coming out of the half, Green Wave’s Elijah Rone took over. He scored the game’s tying touchdown from a yard out, but Lopez missed its only extra point attempt, making the score 27-27.
After stopping Warner on their next drive, Lopez drove back down the field, and Rone scored his second touchdown from eight yards to put the Green Wave up 34-27.
With less than two minutes remaining, Warner scored and converted a two-point conversion, which put them up 35-34 with 1:24 left to play.
On 3rd-and-30, with a minute remaining, Spencer saved the game and ran all across the field for 26 yards and a first down.
Rone would eventually punch it in from 10 yards out for go-ahead score that allowed Lopez to win 41-35.
“This game will teach them not to give up, no matter what happens,” Knauss said.
Running wild: Elijah Rone rushed for over 100 yards with three touchdowns, and Jacob Porto also ran over 100 yards. Josh Spencer had nearly 100 rushing and passing yards, also adding two passing scores and a running touchdown.
