Burckhardt's huge game helps the Spartans remain undefeated

First place in Section 6AAAA was on the line at Providence Academy when the one-loss Lions welcomed the undefeated Orono Spartans on Friday night. After a defensive struggle resulted in a 7-6 lead for the host Lions, the Spartans' offense found its groove in the second half. They scored 18 unanswered points to remain undefeated with a 24-13 win.   Providence Academy put together the first offensive threat behind the running of quarterback Magnus Hansen and running back Daijior McCrimmon. They were on the doorstep of the red zone, but the Spartans' secondary did an outstanding job in coverage, allowing defensive end [player_tooltip player_id='1602726' first='Simon' last='Vinton'] to get to the quarterback. After defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='1629924' first='Owen' last='Paulsen'] deflected a deep ball down the sidelines, Alex Loveless stopped the scoring threat with an interception on a crossing route.   Orono's offense gambled on their next possession, which paid off with a touchdown. The Spartans were faced with a fourth and short near mid-field. Instead of running the ball just to pick up the first down, quarterback Charles Cordes used play-action and threw deep. He threw a perfect pass to junior wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1120570' first='Parker' last='Burckhardt'] down the right side of the field to set up a first and goal. Spoiler alert – that would not be the last time Burckhardt would make a huge play. Two plays later, running back [player_tooltip player_id='1602718' first='Rory' last='Kvern'] banged into the end zone to give the visitors a 6-0 lead.   Providence Academy would move the ball on their next possession, but Adrian Licursi got his hand on the ball when the Lions tried to pick up a third down on a crossing route.   The Spartans would not move the ball, but punter Lachlan Hoffman pinned the Lions deep with a punt downed inside the five-yard line.   The Lions' defense would not allow Orono to take advantage of the field position. Then their offense put together its best drive of the first half. Behind the running of Hanson, running backs Joe Berghult and Peyton Bartz, and a pass interference call, the Lions took a 7-6 lead off a one-yard quarterback sneak by Hansen into the half.   Orono came out of the locker room in the second half with an attitude. They lined up and smashed the Lions' front seven with the running game. Kvern found some room off tackle two plays in a row. They had a bit of good luck when they fumbled the ball forward, and Loveless was able to jump on the ball to not only keep possession but also pick up a first down. Franklin Stevenson then found some room on the left side, spun off a tackler, and picked up first down. He did it again – spin included - for another first down. He would cap off the drive with a three-yard touchdown run.   "We made some adjustments at halftime, but we blocked better in the second half," Orono head coach Joe McPherson said. "Our running backs ran hard, and it worked out."   Leading 14-7, Orono's defense came up big. Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1090400' first='Carsen' last='Burckhardt'] stuffed a Lions' running back for a loss on third and short. Then, still deep in their own territory, the Lions rolled the dice on fourth down. Instead of just running the ball or throwing a short pass to move the chains, they threw deep. The pass was thrown into double coverage and never had a chance to be completed.   "They just play fast," Orono head coach McPherson said of his defense. "They are continuing to grow as a unit and are starting to figure out what we are trying to do on the defensive side. They played really well tonight. (The Lions') offense is really good."   With the short field, the Spartans' offense took advantage. It looked like Providence Academy's defense was going to make a huge stop, but on third and ten, Cordes threw deep to [player_tooltip player_id='1120570' first='Parker' last='Burckhardt']. Despite the referee throwing a flag for pass interference, Burckhardt made a spectacular 30-yard catch to set up a first and goal.<img class="wp-image-1518346" style="width: 150px" src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/Orono-WR-rotated-crop-1372x901-1728107483.jpg" alt="">   "All I was thinking about was getting over the top of him, and then I was thinking watch the ball in," Burckhardt said. "I just focused on the ball."   Parker would cap off the drive with a seven-yard touchdown catch. Cordes had to make the throw into the middle of the field while being hit in the backfield.   Providence Academy was looking to answer and was in the red zone. They were facing a fourth down. They threw into the end zone, but [player_tooltip player_id='1120570' first='Parker' last='Burckhardt'] made a play on the ball, picked off the pass, and returned it thirty yards.   "I saw the receiver coming across and the quarterback coming across," Burckhardt said. "It was fourth down, so I should have knocked it down, but I got a good return on it."   The Lions were moving the ball again, but a fumble near mid-field put the Spartans in position to put the game away. Kvern started to get traction again in the running game. He found room for a couple of runs off tackle. That set up [player_tooltip player_id='1120570' first='Parker' last='Burckhardt'] to put an exclamation point on his night. He tracked down a deep pass from Cordes and made a diving catch to pick up 35 yards. The highlight reel catch set up a 27-yard field goal by Hoffman.   "I couldn't see the ball until the last second," Burckhardt admitted, "but it was a fun catch. I was excited."   Providence Academy scored a touchdown on the last play of the game, making the final score 24-13.

First place in Section 6AAAA was on the line at Providence Academy when the one-loss Lions welcomed the undefeated Orono Spartans on Friday night. After a defensive struggle resulted in a 7-6 lead for the host Lions, the Spartans' offense found its groove in the second half. They scored 18 unanswered points to remain undefeated with a 24-13 win.