Lafayette Earns Playoff Spot, Conference Title with Win Over Marquette

The Lafayette Lancers football team entered the 2011 regular season finale needing a win — preferably by a wide margin — to claim an undefeated Suburban West Conference championship season and earn a state playoff spot beginning next week.

Thursday night, the Lafayette Lancers did exactly that with a convincing 41-7 win over league rival Marquette.

“This was a good team win,” Lafayette head coach Boyd Manne said. “Our defense has been playing really well, and our offensive line did a nice job of opening up holes and giving our quarterback time to throw.”

The Lancers, who came into Thursday’s action with a 1-1 district record and needing a win by at least a touchdown to clinch a spot in the state playoffs, gained that edge quickly and only extended as the night went on.

Quarterback Matthew Goro was a key figure in Lafayette’s tremendous offensive output, completing 13-of-18 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns on the night.

In fact, Goro made the play of the night for the Lancers when he drilled a 52-yard scoring strike to teammate William DuPont, early in the first quarter to get Lafayette on the board.

From that point on, the Lancers seemed confident and relaxed in everything they did on offense and defense.

“I just try to make (big) plays when I have the chance,” Goro said. “Our offensive line did a great job all night. All I had to really, was find the open man.”

Unfortunately for Marquette, the Mustangs just couldn’t put together the quality plays needed to sustain any of their early drives.

In fact, Marquette quarterback Daniel Slattery, who did rush for a game-high 108 yards, threw three interceptions on the night, which Lafayette consistently converted into points.

“You just can’t have turnovers like that against a really good team like Lafayette,” Marquette head coach Ryan Thornhill said. “We’re still a young group, still a work in progress, so you expect mistakes. But we can have that many turnovers and still expect to win.”

Lafayette converted that first turnover into points when junior Deonte Robinson, who had two touchdowns Thursday, scored his first on a short burst up the middle after teammate Devin Hampton picked off a Slattery pass deep in Marquette territory.

The Lancers went up 21-0 just before halftime, when Goro found Kevin Hampton for a 15-yard score, then added two more scores, on runs by Robinson and Hampton, that made the game a laugher at 34-0.

“I’m just proud of our ballclub,” Manne said. “We cleared our bench in the fourth quarter, and lots of kids got a chance to play and contribute (Thursday) night.”

Lafayette will have to wait for the outcome of Friday’s games to find out exactly where they stand in the playoff race.

The Lancers have been gauranteed a spot in the tournament, but if Parkway South manages to upset No. 1-ranked CBC, then Lafayette would be declared district champions and would have a home game next Friday night in the first-round of playoffs.

If in fact CBC beats Parkway South, then the Cadets would become district champions and would have a home game next week. Lafayette, meanwhile, would go on the road and take on the Class 6 District 4 winner, which could be Hazelwood Central, McCluer North, or Ritenour high school.

Marquette finished the season with a 3-7 record on Thursday, which recognized all its senior football players, cheerleaders, dance team members, band members and their parents that night.

“I wish we could’ve sent those guys out on a higher note,” Thornhill said. “We’ve got such wonderful kids here, such great young people. It really is an honor to be able to work with them and see them grow from young kids when they get here to young adults when the graduate.”

Slattery did produce Marquette's lone score of the night, when he hit senior Daniel Powers for a 14-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter, to prevent the Mustangs from suffering their fifth shutout of the season.  

Scoring Summary

Score by Quarters

F

Lafayette

14

7

13

7

41

Marquette

0

0

0

7

7

First Quarter

Lafa: William DuPont 52 yd pass from Matthew Goro (Daniel Menees kick), 8:59

Lafa: Deonte Robinson 2 yd run (Daniel Menees kick), 8:28

Second Quarter

Lafa: Kevin Hampton 15 yd pass from Matthew Goro (Daniel Menees kick), 5:43

Third Quarter

Lafa: Deonte Robinson 14 yd run (kick failed), 8:51

Lafa: Kevin Hampton 1 yd run (Daniel Menees kick), 4:13

Fourth Quarter

Lafa: Kirk Bradley 35 yd run (Daniel Menees kick), 4:42

Marq: Daniel Powers 14 yd pass from Daniel Slattery (T.J. Kroll kick), :54.4