Crown Point roars back with 42 unanswered in huge victory

Crown Point 42, Lafayette Jeff 10

By Paul Honeycutt

CROWN POINT — Crown Point had given up just 59 points heading into Friday’s sectional game against Lafayette Jeff.

It didn’t matter to the Bronchos, who scored on a long 55-yard touchdown on the first possession of the game on a bomb from Trysten Barrett to DJ Young.

The Bronchos (5-4) then recovered an onside kick and scored on a 27-yard field goal midway through the first quarter.

“We don’t see speed like theirs up here,” said Crown Point coach Craig Buzea.

That was it for the Lafayette Jeff scoring, though, as the Class 6A No. 4 Bulldogs (10-0) came alive by stringing together lots of chunk runs from junior running back Larry Ellison and a few timely passes from junior quarterback Noah Ehrlich on their way to a 42-10 win in a Class 6A Sectional 1 semifinal.

The Bulldogs got even after last year’s 38-28 sectional championship loss handed to them by these same Bronchos.

“This wasn’t a revenge game because we’re both two different teams from last year,” Buzea said.

Ellison attacked the middle of the Bronchos defense to the tune of 290 yards, including Crown Point’s first score of the night on a 20-yard TD run late in the first quarter.

“We have the mindset that we can beat anyone,” said Ellison.

Lafayette Jeff was able to start a few of its drives near midfield only to have them stalled by the ferocious Bulldogs defense.

Ehrlich scored on rushes of 14 yards and three yards, respectively, on back-to-back possessions to end the second quarter, which was key for Crown Point going into the half with a 21-10 lead and the ball coming out of halftime.

They took advantage of the possession with a scoring drive on Ehrlich’s lone TD pass of the night, which was a 23-yarder to sophomore tight end Trevor Gibbs.

Ehrlich also added a nine-yard rushing score midway through the third to make it 35-10.

In next week’s sectional final, the Bulldogs will host Duneland foe Lake Central (5-5), who beat Portage in its semifinal.



Crown Point 42, Lafayette Jeff 10

Lafayette Jeff; 10 0 0 0 – 10

Crown Point; 7 14 14 7 – 42

LJ – DJ Young 55 pass from Trysten Barrett (Joel Garrido kick), 11:30 1st

LJ – Garrido 27 field goal, 5:01 1st

CP – Larry Ellison 20 run (Oliver Brewer kick), 11:21 1st

CP – Noah Ehrlich 14 run (Brewer kick), 3:41 2nd

CP – Ehrlich 3 run (Brewer kick), 0:46 2nd

CP – Trevor Gibbs 23 pass from Ehrlich (Brewer kick), 9:22 3rd

CP – Ehrlich 9 run (Brewer kick), 5:41 3rd

CP – Tommy Guadagno 6 run (Brewer kick), 9:49 4th



Lafayette Jeff;Crown Point

First Downs;11;18

Total Net Yards;245;488

Rushes-Yards;22-22;48-355

Passing;223;133

Comp.-Att.-Int.;19-36-1;9-15-0

Penalties-Yards;7-53;10-95

Fumbles-Lost;3-0;3-1



INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING – LAFAYETTE JEFF, Terrell Irons 2-19, JK Powers 12-14, Marquis Atkins 1-6, DJ Young 1-(-2), Lance Crowder 1-(-3), Trysten Barrett 5-(-14). CROWN POINT, Larry Ellison 30-290, Noah Ehrlich 5-53, Tommy Guadagno 8-23, Tanner Rawls 1-(-1), Kyle Brainard 3-(-4), Jacob Jones 1-(-6).

PASSING – LAFAYETTE JEFF, Barrett 19-36-223-1-1. CROWN POINT, Ehrlich 9-14-133-1-0, Logan Hadt 0-1-0-0-0.

RECEIVING – LAFAYETTE JEFF, Young 8-134, Crowder 4-42, Angelo Hausanis 3-28, Irons 3-12, Kavion Campbell 1-7. CROWN POINT, Nick Soley 2-48, Landen Delich 2-38, Trevor Gibbs 2-32, Ellison 2-8, Jones 1-7.