The Lindbergh Flyers football team led twice in the first half before falling to DeSmet Jesuit High School 33-21 Friday at DeSmet (4-4) in district action.
DeSmet’s 19 consecutive points in the second and third quarters cost the Flyers (6-2) its seventh win of the season.
“They were down. Anytime you’re in a game that is a playoff situation, you want to win,” Lindbergh head coach Tom Beauchamp said of his players.
The Flyers trailed 26-14 after a safety in the third quarter, but senior wide receiver Adam Schremp hauled in an 18-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Peter Simpson to spark the Flyers.
“They felt like we could do it. The kids were giving it their all, and they kept playing. We were playing hard up to that point, but that got the kids pumped up,” Beauchamp said.
Schremp’s second touchdown reception of the night brought Lindbergh to within five points at 26-21 with 10 minutes and 45 seconds left in the game. DeSmet and Spartans junior Durron Neal, an NCAA Division I football prospect, did not give up anything to the Flyers, though.
Neal scored on a one-yard run with 5:10 remaining to give the Spartans a 33-21 lead. He rushed for two touchdowns and 123 yards and threw two touchdowns in his first varsity game playing quarterback. He played wide receiver until Friday.
“He broke some tackles and made plays out of them. This might be a lot to take in, but we played (NFL receiver Jeremy) Maclin three years and he didn’t do the kind of stuff that this kid did to us,” Beauchamp said.
The Flyers may have lacked the firepower to match DeSmet. Some Flyers who played regularly on offense and defense in Lindbergh’s first seven games did not play for undisclosed reasons against DeSmet.
Junior Jordan Goodman opened the scoring on a two-yard run to put Lindbergh up 7-0 in the middle of the first quarter.
Neal threw a touchdown pass to tie the game and Simpson and Schremp reclaimed the lead for Lindbergh with a 51-yard touchdown pass in the middle of the second.
DeSmet answered with a Neal touchdown run, a field goal, a Neal touchdown pass and a safety to build a 26-14 lead.
DeSmet gained 223 yards on 45 rushes.
Lindbergh prepared this week for its Class 6 District 2 game against Mehlville (3-5) Friday. The Flyers go on the road where both of their losses have occurred.
“They know it’s not over,” Beauchamp said of the Flyers. “You have to get ready for Mehlville. That’s the most important game of the year now.”
