It was a tale of two Camerons.
The backfield duo of junior running backs Cameron Baker and Cameron Lukavsky powered the Thomas Jefferson Yellowjackets to a win over city rival Abraham Lincoln with nearly identical 71-yard touchdown runs.
It is the first time Thomas Jefferson has beaten Abraham Lincoln since 2008, a losing streak of 10 games.
Thomas Jefferson started the night rather inauspiciously on offense with three-and-out and a lost fumble on their first two possessions. Then, the Cameron Lukavsky show started in earnest.
Lukavsky intercepted a Sean Lorenzen pass on Abraham Lincoln’s third offensive series to give his offense the ball late in the first quarter. He promptly took his place at running back and dashed 71 yards to the endzone, breaking the 0-0 deadlock. Lukavsky finished the night with 108 yards on 9 carries.
Lukavsky would intercept another Lorenzen heave to start the second quarter, but neither team would score in the frame.
Abraham Lincoln had a golden opportunity to level the score after the break when defensive tackle Jayce Fisher stripped the ball from Thomas Jefferson fullback Nick Puterbaugh near midfield and raced to the Jefferson 5-yard-line. Following a bad snap, a penalty and a sack, the Lynx were forced to settle for a Jasper Stottlemyer field goal attempt. Stottlemyer’s kick had the distance, but stayed left and kept a zero on the scoreboard.
Baker then did his part to capitalize on the Abraham Lincoln miscues. The 6’2″, 225 running back blazed past a tiring Lynx defense for the game’s second 71-yard touchdown run. It was a small sample of the talent that has D-I scouts salivating over his signature for 2019.
Abraham Lincoln’s offense didn’t get a chance to answer. The Yellowjackets recovered an onside kick and put together another scoring drive. Quarterback Colton Kinney found his twin brother Cody in the back corner of the endzone, capping the drive and pushing the score to 19-0.
Lincoln’s offense never found the rhythm it needed to keep the game close. The Yellowjackets limited the Lynx to just 99 yards of total offense and only 70 on the ground. Thomas Jefferson, meanwhile, piled up 454 yards rushing.
Lukavsky’s third interception of the night all but sealed the win for Thomas Jefferson, but Puterbaugh and Seneca Calhoun would add fourth-quarter touchdown runs of 23 yards and 5 yards respectively to put it completely out of reach at 33-0.
A mid-fourth quarter touchdown from Stottlemyer, Abraham Lincoln’s first points of the season, made it 33-8, but did little to dampen Yellowjacket spririts.
To see the full game replay, click here.
