SPORTS EDITOR BLOG — Friday night’s Crosstown Classic matchup between the Lafayette Commodores and Oxford Chargers had a little bit of everything.A capacity crowd at Bobby Holcomb Field got to witness one of the best games in the series, one that was won by LHS 21-14. In a game that is usually decided by just one play, it was Lafayette’s Keeon Tyson that made the single-biggest play of the game when he stripped Oxford quarterback Guy Cameron Billups at the LHS 13-yard line. Kris Miller recovered the fumble with 1:12 left in the game, allowing the Commmodores to run out the clock and remian undefeated at 3-0.
The Chargers (2-1) trailed the Commodores 10-7 at the half, but were able to gain their first lead of the game at the 7:03 mark of the third quarter when Billups found DeShaun McNeal for a 13-yard touchdown in the left corner of the end zone. The Chargers stayed on top through the quarter and into the fourth until LHS running back Demarkus Dennis broke free for a 12-yard TD run with just 2:13 left in the contest.
Billups and the Chargers marched into LHS territory to potentially scored the game-tying touchdown following Dennis’ TD run, but Tyson’s swat and the subsequent fumble prevented the Chargers from finishing their drive with points.
For Lafayette, the win was the fifth straight over the Chargers, the longest streak in series history since LHS won seven straight in the series from 1983-1989. LHS leads the overall series now 23-15-2. (September 4, 2010)
