Lee County wraps up spring football with exciting game

LEESBURG — The score from the Lee County intrasquad game Friday night in Leesburg looked like an offensive shootout, but it was two defensive plays that gave Team Black the 31-30 victory as the Trojans wrapped up spring practice.

The game gave the impressive crowd a glimpse of what is to come in the fall and gave fans the opportunity to see players they know from last season such as quarterback Chris Martin and running back Ousmane Kromah, as well as some new names that Trojan fans will be cheering for come August.

Team Gray led 30-24 with just over five minutes to play after Martin completed a six-yard touchdown pass to Demari Cantrell. The pass capped a nice drive by the Gray Team, fueled by runs from running back Braxton Honer. It seemed the Gray Team was in control when it stopped the Black Team again and had control of the ball with less than three minutes on the clock. However, on a running play to drive down the field and run out the time, the ball was jarred loose from the Gray Team and scooped up by Tre Garmon, who raced 58 yards past everyone to get to the end zone for six points to tie the game 30-30. Kicker Evan Drury kicked the extra point for the 31-30 lead.

But the Gray Team had the ball and a little time left. With Martin running the show the team got one first down and then tried to get down the field with big passes. Those passes fell incomplete until Martin’s last gasp attempt at the end zone, which was picked off by Jacori White to keep the Black Team on top.

Team Gray had jumped out to an early 13-0 lead when Martin engineered the first scoring drive that began when J.D. Fugerson pulled down a couple of passes for good yardage and ended with a 45-yard touchdown run by Ben Singleton. A few minutes later, Leon Allen scored for the Gray on a 29-yard run. Kicker Cameron Snapp added the extra point.

Team Black got moving on nice runs by Kromah and had a first and goal at the 10. After quarterback Weston Bryan connected on a short pass, Ty Thomas ran the ball in for the touchdown on the next play.

Fugerson caught another Martin pass for Team Gray on the next drive all the way down to the 26-yard line. But for the touchdown this time, Team Gray used a trick play where Martin gave the ball to Fugerson, then Fugerson passed the ball to Martin in the end zone for the touchdown. After the extra point, Team Gray led 20-7 as the first quarter ended.

Kromah got loose early in the second quarter for a 63-yard run for a touchdown and then Drury kicked a 31-yard field goal to narrow Team Black’s lead to just 20-17.

Team Black took the lead on their next possession when Ty Thomas had two big runs that put them on the 13-yard line using the hurry-up offense. Bryan then threw a screen pass to Wyatt Daniel, who raced in for the touchdown and gave Team Black a 24-20 lead.

The coaching staff didn’t record stats or scoring plays but Fabrizio and staff watched the game closely and were pleased with the team’s work.

“It was a lot of fun,” Fabrizio said after the game. “A lot of kids got to play and compete. It was a great way to wrap up a successful spring practice and the crowd and atmosphere were excellent as well.”

Joe Whitfield