From The Key West Citizen

Sunday, October 18, 2009
Eagles Still Soaring
Pratt’s five TDs lead ICS to homecoming victory, its second straight
By Willis Jacobson Assistant Sports Editor

ISLAMORADA — Playing in a revenge game in front of his home fans for the final time this season, Island Christian School junior Daniel Pratt put on an offensive clinic Saturday afternoon in the Eagles’ homecoming game against visiting Donahue Academy.

Pratt scored five touchdowns — two rushing, one passing, one receiving and one on a kickoff return — including the game-winner in overtime to lift Island Christian’s first-year six-man program to a hard-fought 41-40 victory. The win came just 22 days after the Shamrocks topped the Eagles, 41-6, on their home turf in Naples. That score wasn’t far from anyone’s mind on the Island Christian sideline Saturday.

“They whooped us up there on their home field, so we had to return the favor,” said Pratt, who accounted for 323 all-purpose yards in the win. “I had to do everything I could for my team. We just had to do everything we could, at all costs.”

The conclusion certainly didn’t lack for excitement.

Down by six, Donahue (1-3) scored a touchdown with just three seconds remaining in regulation to even the score. ICS (2-2) came up with a big stop on the ensuing conversion attempt, and the teams went into overtime tied at 34.

The Shamrocks got the ball first in the extra period and Gabe Allan ran it in from 15 yards out on the second play to retake the lead. Again, though, the Eagles’ defense came up with another huge stop on the conversion attempt.

Facing a third-and-goal from the 5-yard line on the ensuing possession, Pratt took a handoff and then tossed a 5-yard scoring pass over the middle to Christian Ledwith to even the score at 40-all. Pratt kept it himself on the 1-point conversion attempt from the 3-yard line and ran it in for the game-winning point.

“It was a great win for the guys and our program,” ICS coach Robert Lucas said. “This team pushed us around all day when we traveled to play them earlier this year. My guys had been very disappointed with the way we played and had been looking forward to meeting them again.”

After fumbling at the Donahue 1-yard line on their first possession, the Eagles took an early 6-0 lead midway through the first when quarterback Matt Cavenagh found Pratt in the end zone from 3 yards out. The Shamrocks scored on each of their next two possessions to go ahead, 16-6, with just five seconds remaining in the first half. Pratt took the following kickoff, however, and burst 65 yards down the Donahue sideline for a touchdown on the final play of the half that cut the Eagles’ halftime deficit to 16-12.

“That kickoff return at the end of the half was big,” Lucas said. “It sparked life into us.”

Pratt also sparked some life into his team with his words in the locker room.

“He did an incredible job of chewing everybody out at halftime,” Lucas said of Pratt. “He called the guys to play, and they responded. I didn’t have to say anything at halftime, he did it for me.”

The Eagles came out of the break on fire. Pratt capped off the first drive of the second half with a 6-yard touchdown run, and then he blocked a punt on the next Donahue possession that went through the end zone for a safety and a 21-16 lead. Running back Jon Cruciger then got in on the scoring with a 42-yard TD run that put ICS ahead, 28-16, going into the fourth.

“I told the guys at halftime that we had to play with heart,” said Pratt, who was one of several players, including Cavenagh, Ledwith and Kalen Carter, who played every snap of the game. “I don’t even know how we finished the game. I know I was running on pure emotion. We had to win this one.”

Pratt finished the day with 156 yards and two scores on 23 rushing attempts, was 4-of-6 for 23 yards and a touchdown passing, and had one catch for 3 yards that also went for a score. Cavenagh was 3-for-13 passing for 32 yards and a score, and Cruciger finished with 103 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.

Defensively, Ledwith led the way with 19 tackles, including two sacks, and Pratt finished with seven tackles and a fumble recovery.

Following the victory, an exhausted Pratt said he never considered coming out of the game.

“At some point, you don’t even think, you just do,” Pratt said. “You just have to suck it up and win.”

The Eagles will look to finish with a winning record when they wrap up their inaugural season Oct. 26 against Solid Rock Community School in New Port Richey.

wjacobson@keysnews.com