Lancers Grounded but Win : Sunny Hills Offense Keeps Troy on Run, Clinches Share of Title

Sunny Hills High School prepared for the upcoming Central Conference playoffs and in the process clinched at least a share of the Freeway League championship with a 20-0 victory over Troy Friday in front of 1,100 at Spaulding Field.

Quarterback David Chisum and the defense carried the Lancers (9-0, 4-0) through the first three league games, and the running attack was only a minor diversion. When Chisum suffered a sprained ankle two weeks ago, the offense was limping along.

Until Friday, when fullback Brian Edmunds put the run back in the running game, with 104 yards in 15 carries.

The Warriors (4-5, 3-1) were caught off-guard by the balanced offense, as Edmunds gained 62 yards in 5 carries during the first drive, including a 36-yard touchdown run that provided the Lancers with an early lead.

“We needed to do something to get our running game back in order,” Sunny Hills Coach Tim Devaney said. “We didn’t want to get in a situation where David had to win the game with passing. Troy is a good football team, and we weren’t going to win with just the pass.”

Chisum threw only once during the Lancers’ opening drive and that completion, to Jeff White, netted just one yard.

Edmunds had an 8-yard run on a third-and-7 play to keep the drive alive and then broke loose for an 18-yard gain that gave Sunny Hills a first down on the Warriors’ 37-yard line. Two plays later, he cut outside on a trap play and went untouched into the end zone. Carlos Miramontes’ conversion made it 7-0.

Gene Schutt intercepted Brad Zeppieri on Troy’s following series, returning it 17 yards to the Troy 35. It was one of three interceptions by the Lancers and it set up a 51-yard field goal by Miramontes that made it 10-0 with 2:47 left in the first quarter.

The Lancer defense recorded its fifth shutout of the season and has allowed only 18 points in 9 games. The Warriors were held to 141 total yards and did not complete a pass until 3:18 left in the third quarter.

Chris Pizula blocked Tom Wilson’s punt in the second quarter to set up Miramontes’ second field, this one from 32 yards. It gave the Lancers a 13-0 lead with 3:46 left in the half.

Chisum, who was 13 of 20 for 126 yards, finished the scoring with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jon Montgomery with 10:45 left.