Mistake-prone Lee’s Summit falls against Blue Springs South

Lee’s Summit picked up where it left off last week — and that wasn’t a good thing.

One week after losing to Lee’s Summit North in a mistake-filled game, the visiting Tigers committed more costly miscues Friday during a 49-21 loss against Blue Springs South in Suburban Gold Conference play.

Last week, a bad snap on a punt set up Lee’s Summit North’s game-winning score.

Against Blue Springs, Lee’s Summit (2-5, 0-4 Suburban Gold) botched two punt snaps that set up Jaguars touchdowns as did a first-quarter fumble, while an anemic kicking game gave Blue Springs South (3-4, 2-2 Suburban Gold) good field position for most of the game.

“We’re not good enough to spot people the amount of points we’ve been spotting them,” Lee’s Summit coach Eric Thomas said. “I think we gave them 28 to 35 points. I would like to see what the game is like if we don’t do that and we muster some things offensively.”

It didn’t take long for things to go from bad to worse for Lee’s Summit.

After Evan Sanders’ interception in the end zone halted a 10-play game-opening drive by Blue Springs South and he returned the pick near midfield, Lee’s Summit appeared to be in business.

Instead, the Tigers ran only two plays before Bruce Andrews fumbled. Michael Muehlberger scooped it up and ran 50 yards untouched to the end zone for Blue Springs South’s first touchdown.

Lee’s Summit’s next possession ended with Sanders, who also punts, fielding a high snap and falling on the ball on the Tigers’ 20-yard line.

Six plays later, Austin Terry scored the first of his three touchdowns, from 2 yards out.

After a Lee’s Summit three-and-out, Blue Springs South’s Tre Vaval returned the punt for a touchdown only to have it nullified by a penalty.

Still, the Jaguars’ drive started at the Lee’s Summit’s 35, and Terry capped the short drive with a 12-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter.

A shanked Tigers punt put the Jaguars near midfield again, where quarterback Brody Parker’s 58-yard bomb to wide receiver Ethan Swanegan put Blue Springs South in front 28-0.

“We’re playing too good of football teams and we’re not good enough to overcome those things right now,” Thomas said. “We’ve got to quit putting ourselves in a hole and giving points away.”

Lee’s Summit also had to deal with the absence of starting quarterback Darrias Pearsall, who was injured the week before against Lee’s Summit North.

Thomas turned to senior Preston Whitworth, a running back who had taken snaps in the Wildcat formation, and he responded by tossing a 40-yard touchdown pass to Somaj Brewer in the second quarter and scoring on an 8-yard run early in the fourth period.

But the Tigers, who trailed 35-7 at halftime, never really got their offense untracked in the second half.

“That’s our third quarterback that has gone down,” Thomas said. “We’re trying to muster some things up and be creative as much as we can, but it is what it is at this point.”

Thomas did find some bright spots on an otherwise dreary game.

Running backs Edgar Hunley, one of two freshmen brought up to take some of the rushing load off Whitworth, rumbled in for a 51-yard touchdown late in the game, though not much else went right for Lee’s Summit.

“Not a very good night for Tiger football,” Thomas said. “We’ve got to go back to work and figure out a way.”

This story was originally published October 2, 2017 at 4:56 PM with the headline "Mistake-prone Lee’s Summit falls against Blue Springs South."