Down Goes Airport

This is a reprint from October 2009. Both teams entered this game with 4-0 league records. They would end up finishing 1-2 in the league that year.


On a cold and windy night in Monroe, two Huron league heavyweights battled toe to toe in the first half. (Actually one heavyweight and one welterweight but does the size of the school really matter?) The two teams combined for over 500 yards in offense in the first half as the teams traded haymakers. The 2nd half pace would slow down a bit but SMCC landed enough punches to take a 40-22 TKO.

SMCC opened the scoring quickly by going 73 yards on 4 plays on the opening drive. Airport responded with a drive of their own by going 80 yards on 10 plays to knot the score at 7 a piece.

The Falcons would respond :38 seconds later by covering 56 yards in 2 plays which made the score 13-7 as the extra point was wide left. Once again Airport would respond by going 71 yards in 8 plays and took the lead when the extra point was good 14-13.

SMCC would open the 2nd quarter by striking quickly again. The Falcons covered 73 yards in 4 plays and led 19-14 as the 2-point conversion failed. Airport would respond once again this time with :43 seconds left in the 1st half as the Jets went 64 yards on 9 plays. The 2-point conversion was good and Airport led again 22-19.

The Jets looked like they would go into the half with the lead but Mike Howey returned the ensuing kickoff 60 yards to the Airport 15 yard line. SMCC would punch the ball in with :06 seconds left to take a 26-22 half time lead.

The 3rd quarter started with Airport taking the opening kick of the half and driving 54 yards down to the Falcon 9 yard line. SMCC’s defense would stiffen and Airport turned the ball over on downs.

After the two teams traded punts SMCC would go on a 10 play 55 yard scoring drive that would take 6 minutes off of the clock. After SMCC’s Chris LaBeau plunged in off of the right side the Falcons found themselves leading 33-22 with 6:57 to go in the game.

Airport would be unable to mount a drive and SMCC would take over on the Airport 47 yard line with 4:49 to go in the game. The Falcons would take 8 plays to cover those 47 yards this time scoring with 42 seconds left in the contest making the score SMCC 40 Airport 22. 

The victors rushed for 397 yards on 46 carries.Chris LaBeau led the way for SMCC with 146 yards on 19 carries and 3 touchdowns. League MVP candidate T.J. Lovell rushed for 129 yards and 2 touchdowns on just 7 carries. The Falcons did not attempt a pass.

The SMCC defense held Airport to 110 yards in the 2nd half after the Jets had gained 260 yards in the 1st half. 

Airport rushed for 305 yards on 47 carries led by Jodeci Mays who carried the ball 26 times for 156 yards and 2 touchdowns. Tyler Pluff added 92 yards on 10 carries. The Falcons held Airport’s quarterback Daniel Jones to 65 yards on 8 of 18 passing.