Although Brandon Tuilaepa and Lokahi Kamau provided the thunder and lightning in Sumner’s powerhouse run game, it was newcomer DeJon Lynch who ignited the Spartans to a 20-7 victory over Auburn Mountainview on Friday night.
Lynch – seldom used in the first half – showed his breakaway speed in the third quarter with a 65-yard game winning touchdown run, putting Sumner ahead 14-7 following a two-point conversion.
Although it was his only score of the half, Lynch remained vital to the Sumner offense, pounding his way to 108 yards on 11 carries.
Originally from Vancouver, B.C., Lynch is a 6-foot, 210-pound junior who has been with the program for only two weeks. His previous two seasons were spent at John Barsby Secondary School before he decided to move to the United States to live with his dad.
With limited time in the system, Lynch is still learning.
“I’m trying to do the best I can,” Lynch said. “I’m trying to pick up the plays and what I am supposed to do. But I have really great coaches here and they are helping me through the way.”
Sumner coach Keith Ross said Lynch brings a new dynamic to his running attack.
“He’s still just learning our offense, but he is a sprinter,” Ross said. “As you can tell, he can move. It’s effortless. It doesn’t look like he’s going, but he just adds another wheel into our running game and he’s going to have a great season for us.”
Sumner’s usual dynamic duo, Tuilaepa and Kamau, both added touchdowns. Tuilaepa scored on a 6-yard run in the first quarter and Kamau on a 1-yard plunge in the fourth. The three backs combined for 287 yards.
Auburn Mountainview’s heralded offense was ineffective against Sumner’s strong 4-4 defense.
Star quarterback Domenic Rockey completed 24 of 51 passes for 257 yards and two interceptions, both to Spartans senior defensive back Jeremy Jackson.
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