Schools
Infighting
When LCA lost to UCSA last night at football, the 'daughter' organization defeated its 'mother.'
By Michael Ashcraft --
Just like in the Civil War, brother was pitted against brother.
Santa Monica's Lighthouse Christian Academy played (and lost to) its 'daughter' school from Hesperia, University Careers and Sports Academy.
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"It was absolutely awful," remarked UCSA Coach George Neos. "I did not want to play this game. Do you like to get in fights with your family? Football is a violent sport. There's no way to have a kid on your team pull off on your nephew or on your friend's sons. I didn't want one of the guys to get injured by one of my players."
Coach George's nephew was the quarterback of the LCA Saints.
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The intertwining of relationships gets even more confusing: Before he pioneered the UCSA, Coach George used to coach the LCA as the school's principal.
George coached two guys who are now coaches of LCA, one of whom is his brother-in-law, Zach Scribner.
Senior Pastor Rob Scribner, who launched LCA's football program and oversees Lighthouse Church's far-flung ministries, is father in law to Coach George and father to Coach Zach. Who was he rooting for?
Last night's blood bath was a Family Feud.
LCA was crushed 14-53.
Gently crushed because nobody wanted to hurt each other. But crushed just the same.
Sophomore Zion Jenkins bookended the game with scintillating pass reception TD runs from deep in LCA territory. His first touchdown was early in quarter one, his second late in quarter four.
"The quarterback Zeke (Young) threw great balls. All credit goes to Zeke, without him none of this would have worked out," Zion says.
Zion's sticky hands were only matched by his speedy feet.
Though the loss was lopsided, LCA should take hope in other bright spots. In the second quarter, Lighthouse nearly got a touchdown after a solid drive. Unfortunately, its last throw was intercepted.
Then, when UCSA pushed for a fourth touchdown before the half, LCA managed to stop them on the 1-yard line as time ran out.
Their performance represented an improvement over their first game against Mojave High School last week, in which the Saints scored only one touchdown.
Lighthouse's football program this year is a resurrection after four years of not having a team (due in part to Covid).
With mostly small guys, the Saint rely on a passing game.
