Christ School stopped on 2-point conversion, Charlotte Christian escapes with a win
ARDEN - In last fall’s state championship game, Christ School absorbed a 29-point whipping at the hands of Charlotte Christian.
Less than a year later, the difference between those two teams was a mere half-yard.
That’s how far Christ School quarterback Navy Shuler was stopped shy of the goal-line on a two-point attempt with 81 seconds remaining, allowing Charlotte Christian to escape with a 28-27 victory on Oct. 11.
Even as the Greenies were consoling each other after the narrow loss, first-year Christ School coach Nick Luhm praised his team for the perseverance.
“We competed to the very end,” Luhm said. “We fought to the very last second of the game. That’s what I’m very proud of, and that’s what I’m going to take moving forward.”
Of the decision to go for two rather than force overtime, Luhm said: “I’ve got faith in the offense, got faith in the offensive line, the quarterback, everyone. It was a good play call, and we had it. They executed better than we did on that play.”
Charlotte Christian coach Jason Estep respected Luhm’s decision to go for the win in regulation.
“First off, hats off for the call,” Estep said. “I would have done the same thing. Do we really want to go to overtime? No, neither one of us did. We wanted to try and win the game right there. They had a really good chance to try and do that, and our kids got really good penetration and were able to clog that up and make the play. Just a great play.”
More on Christ School football:
Charlotte comes out fast
Luhm’s Greenies (4-2) opened the game in a severe offensive funk, going three-and-out while managing one total yard through their first three possessions.
Charlotte Christian (4-2), meanwhile, built a quick 21-0 lead and had Christ School on the ropes when the Greenies’ Aydan White fielded a punt deep in his own territory. He quickly burst through a small seam and smoked the Knights for a 94-yard touchdown.
That play ignited the home team’s offense, which scored on two of its next three opportunities, and the defense, which didn’t allow another point.
“I was just saying on that punt return, ‘I’ve got to take it back. I’ve got to take it back,’” White said. “When I seen the hole and I took it, that just gave us a swing of momentum.”
Shuler shook off his early struggles and completed touchdown strikes of 7 and 5 yards to Charlie Browder and Painter Richards-Baker, respectively, before running in a 15-yarder himself in the closing moments.
He finished with 178 passing yards on 15-of-25 passing and two interceptions, both of which were costly. Christian’s LJ Brown got a 60-yard pick-six in the final minute of the first half, and the Knights’ Logan Jones stole Shuler’s final pass to seal the victory.
Jones’ interception came after Christian recovered an onsides kick and promptly fumbled on the next play to gift Christ School one final possession with 1:18 on the clock.
Christ School will try to get back on track on Oct. 18 at Charlotte Country Day.