Saturday, September 10, 2016 10:34pm
Indian Rocks Christian vs. Cambridge Christian was an intriguing matchup between title contenders. After all, the Golden Eagles made the Class 2A state championship game in 2014; the Lancers advanced that far last season.
But the teams offered something far more entertaining than just playoff pedigree Friday night.
Both teams tested the limits of the scoreboard and their talents. In the end, Cambridge outlasted IRC in a wild 85-46 victory.
“The craziest game I’ve ever been a part of,” Golden Eagles coach Mark Buchanan said.
Here are some of the more interesting items from a game that offered plenty of fireworks.
” At the half, Cambridge led 57-40. The 97 combined points set the state record for most scored in a half according to the Orlando Sentinel‘s Buddy Collings, a guru on such things.
” The 131 combined points ranks among the top three all-time in the state. The most scored came in 2013 when Clay-Orlando Bishop Moore combined for 147. Clay won that playoff game 74-73 in regulation.
” The 85 points set a Lancers school record and was more than the school’s basketball team has scored in a game in more than a decade.
” Cambridge led 30-0 in the first half and was on its way to having a running clock. Then a bizarre play happened. IRC running back Bernard Mitchell fumbled but the ball landed in teammate Darius Collins’ hands, who ran 70 yards down to Cambridge’s 5-yard line. That led to the Golden Eagles’ first touchdown and started the flurry of points.
” Lancers athlete Caleb Young, who serves as the team’s punter, tore his ACL in the first quarter. Backup punter Jacob Enns, the team’s placekicker, left with a concussion in the second quarter. That left Cambridge without a punter but it didn’t matter considering the Lancers scored 12 touchdowns.
” The game lasted so long that Cambridge coach Bob Dare said they ran out of film at the end of the game.
“By the end of the game, we were playing our backup quarterback who did not know which way he was running,” Dare said. “He throws a pass to a guy he did not intend to and he runs down the sideline for our last touchdown. And that started the running clock, which helped us get the running clock in the fourth quarter. That’s what I wanted all along so we could end the game.
“It was that strange.”
