Lindbergh's Defense, Passing Game Overwhelms Parkway South

In methodically efficient fashion, Lindbergh came into Parkway South on Friday night and dismantled the host Patriots, 36-7, and handed South its first loss of the 2011 season.

Lindbergh quarterback Peter Simpson was razor-sharp in the pocket from the start as he threw for 212 yards and three touchdowns on the night.

"They were playing about 12 yards off, so we just kept hitting the short passes," Simpson said. "We had to get rid of the ball quick and it was up the receivers to hold onto the ball."

Lindbergh (3-1) put the game away late in the first half. Already ahead 29-7 in the second quarter, Lindbergh got the ball with a short field at the Parkway South (3-1) 48-yard line. Aided by a pair of pass interference penalties, the Flyers moved the ball down to the Patriots’ 13-yard line. Then Simpson stepped to his right in the pocket and lofted a pass to Blake Beauchamp for a touchdown.

"After that first pick, I knew we just had to settle down and make plays,” Simpson said. "We were hitting on all cylinders the whole game."

Lindbergh jumped out in front in the first quarter on a 27-yard screen pass from Simpson to Jordan Goodman making it 7-0. Another short field helped the Fyers score again as Simpson capped a 44-yard Flyers march with a 32-yard scoring toss to Beauchamp late in the quarter.

The bad luck for Parkway South continued in the second quarter. On the opening play of the second quarter, Lindbergh's Grant Krueger scooped up a Patriots fumble and raced 21 yards for a touchdown and a 21-0 lead.

"We knew coming in that the rush game was going to be big for them," Krueger said. "On that play the D line popped the ball out and I scooped it up and took off with it. It was a big momentum shift for us."

South finally got on the board late in the half as the Patriots converted a Wes Haertling interception into points as QB Eric Laurent finished off the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run to cut it to 21-7. Laurent and the Patriots offense struggled all night as the senior quarterback was just 4-of-10 for 45 yards passing with 95 yards on the ground.

Senior running back Cam Bounds rushed for 86 yards, but beyond that output the Patriots were stuffed all night by the Lindbergh defense.

"Tonight obviously Tom (Beauchamp) does a great job and Lindbergh came out and they stuck it to us," Parkway South coach Travis Blevins said.

“We had some good things early. We had some good things late, but we kept stalling and they kept taking advantage and it cost us a couple of times. That's a great team."

Lindbergh returns home to host Marquette Friday at 7 p.m. Parkway South travels to Eureka Friday at 7 p.m.