By Mark Eddlemon
sports@joplinglobe.com
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Senior running back Justin Guinn ran for 239 yards on 25 carries to lead East Newton to a 38-14 non-conference victory at Springfield Catholic Friday night.
Both teams entered the contest, played on a clear, cool night at Swisshelm Field on a fast track despite recent rains, with a record of 1-0.
“We’ve got good team speed,” Patriots coach Tom Ellis admitted. “With Justin Guinn and Jacob Khan back there, we’ve got two fast backs.”
Khan, also a senior, broke right up the middle with the opening kickoff, racing 85 yards to pay dirt, giving East Newton a lead it would never relinquish.
Junior kicker Sean Yang booted five extra points and boomed a 27-yard field goal which gave the Patriots a 10-7 lead with 4:07 to play in the first period.
“Sean’s never played football before,” Ellis said. “We’re bringing him along. I think that field goal would have been good from 45 yards.”
The East Newton offensive line of Anthony Tate, Jordan Smith, Chris Maple, Brent Patterson, Alan Minard and Josh Taylor, along with fullback Aaron Bittle, helped the Patriot backs to a 337-yard rushing night on 49 carries.
“We made a lot of mistakes,” Ellis said. “But I thought we played much better in the second half. I challenged the guys up front at halftime, and they responded.”
Catholic tied the score at 7-7 with its opening drive of 73 yards on eight plays, including a 39-yard scoring pass from Andrew Hennessey to Mitchell Richardson with 7:46 left in the period. Nick Gori’s PAT tied the score. Richardson finished with 6 receptions for 91 yards.
The Patriots also scored on their first possession of the game, driving 47 yards on 7 rushing plays to set up the Yang field goal with 4:07 in the opening quarter.
The Patriots marched 73 yards on 11 plays in the second period with Guinn scoring from 9 yards out with 5:57 to play in the half. Quarterback Justin Heckman had four carries for 35 yards on the drive.
Catholic cut the lead to 14-10 with a 68 yard, 10-play scoring drive to open the second half. Scott Chesbro scored on a 15-yard run, and led the Irish in rushing with 85 yards on 16 carries.
East Newton started the second half with a 10-play, 68-yard scoring drive climaxed by Heckman’s 1-yard run. Guinn ran for 46 yards on just three carries during the drive.
The Patriots also had a nine-play, 76-yard scoring drive to open the final period, with Heckman scoring again from a yard out. Guinn went 58 yards on five carries during that impressive drive.
John Hansen led the Patriots’ defense with a pair of sacks, and Clayton Miller put icing on the cake with a 49-yard interception return for the final Patriot TD with just 2.4 seconds left in the game.
East Newton finished with 181 yards in return yardage, with Khan totaling 110 yards in kick returns.
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East Newton’s speed too much for Catholic
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