Two for Two: Brenner’s interception returns for TDs start scoring avalanche for QND in home rout
QUINCY — Jack Brenner doesn’t get many chances at picking off the opposing team’s quarterback. In fact, the Quincy Notre Dame senior linebacker entered Friday’s contest without an interception in his high school career.
It only took three offensive plays for Brenner to not only snag his first pick but also his second. He returned both of them for touchdowns.
“I’ve never felt so much joy,” Brenner said. “It was just a really, really cool feeling.”
Brenner’s pair of pick-sixes, the first returned 83 yards and the second 44 yards, were separated by a mere 60 seconds of gametime. It set the tone for the Raiders in their 77-6 victory over Springfield Lanphier in a Central State 8 Conference West Division game at Advance Physical Therapy Field on Senior Night.
“Jack has worked himself into a position where he knows where he needs to be, and he’s going to be there when he’s supposed to be there,” QND head coach Jack Cornell said. “Unfortunately for them, and fortunately for us, they threw it right to him. He’s a really good athlete, and when he’s going to have a full head of steam, he’s going to be tough to bring down.”
When the QND offense finally got its chance, it only took two plays to increase the advantage. From the 3-yard line, quarterback Hunter Schuckman tossed a short pass to Gavin Doellman, who flipped a lateral to Ryan Darnell. The senior lineman plunged into the end zone to give the Raiders a 21-0 lead.
“Pancaking guys is a better feeling than touchdowns, I found out,” Darnell said with a grin. “But scoring a touchdown is still just a crazy feeling.”
It’s a play several months in the making, according to Darnell and Cornell, who said the play was designed in May. They just needed to find a week to work into the playbook.
It turned out the sixth week of the regular season was a good time to call it.
“It just kind of worked out to where we wanted to run it from (inside) the 10-yard line so (Darnell) didn’t have that far to run, which is the opportunity that presented itself and we called it. Thankfully, it worked,” Cornell said.
The lopsided affair also allowed QND (5-1 overall, 4-0 in the CS8 West) to give other seniors a chance to find paydirt. Noah Alger and Ty Meyer both had rushing touchdowns in the second half when the outcome was already decided.
“I have not played running back at all this season, so it was really exciting,” said Meyer, who normally plays wide receiver. “I didn’t even know where to go. I just ran.”
Ivan Hun, QND’s leading rusher this season, returned to the lineup after missing last week’s game at Springfield due to injury. He carried the ball five times for 99 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
The Raiders also had two first-half punt returns for scores. Wyatt Mueller raced in from 33 yards out, and moments later, Gavin Doellman had a 42-yard touchdown of his own. Doellman’s score ballooned the Raiders’ lead to 56-6 at halftime. Jace Allensworth added a 39-yard touchdown reception and Abel Berhorst had an 18-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
The loss dropped the Lions to 0-6, 0-4 in the CS8 West. It was their 17th straight loss and 38th setback in the last 39 games, excluding the COVID-19-shortened spring season in 2021.
“I’m just very proud of the way that our guys played, and I’m very proud of our seniors and what they’ve done for this program,” Cornell said. “To see them have a win like this and be 5-1, to be playoff eligible and to be in a position to play for a conference title is very special.”
QND, ranked third in the Associated Press Class 2A poll, visits Jacksonville next Friday with a chance to secure the outright CS8 West Division title in its first season in the conference.
“(Jacksonville is) a good team,” Brenner said. “We’re just going to have to come ready, come prepared and really make sure that we have everything in order.”
A win would also guarantee a spot in the postseason. It would be the Raiders’ 26th playoff appearance in the last 30 seasons.
People around QND say they aren’t looking ahead.
“We still got work to do in the regular season,” Cornell said. “We got a chance to play for a conference title (next week). We’ve got three more CS8 games that are going to be challenging, two on the road and one at home. We’ve just got to keep trying to find ways to get better and better week in and week out.”
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