- December 6, 2024
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Foundation Academy’s varsity football team made quick work of Class 2A, Region 2 counterpart Deltona Trinity Christian on Friday, Sept. 20.
Senior quarterback Henry Austad accounted for five first-half touchdowns and junior teammate Danny Stutsman reached the end zone four times – punctuated by a defensive score near the end of a dominant opening half for Foundation – to help lead the Lions to a 42-8 victory.
Foundation (4-1) has won four consecutive games since a 26-21 setback in Week 1 to Tampa Cambridge Christian, which held the No. 5 ranking in the latest Associated Press Class 2A state poll. The Lions scored 28 second-quarter points against Trinity Christian (1-3) to build a 42-0 halftime advantage and start a running clock.
“That was a big win for us tonight because it was a region team,” said Foundation head coach Brad Lord. “We’ve got another region game with Orangewood Christian (Oct. 18) and we’re trying to get better every week, because we don’t want to exit in the regional finals like we did last year.”
The Foundation defense recovered four fumbles during the first half, which translated into 28 points.
Austad threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Stutsman after standout linebacker Michael Lemieux-Bott recovered a fumble on the Eagles’ opening drive. Mykal Chan added his first of four extra points to give the Lions a 7-0 lead 56 seconds into the game.
Austad made it 13-0 at the 7:32 mark of the first quarter with a 15-yard TD run. The second quarter had Stutsman register two more touchdown receptions – including an 11-yarder with 4:43 left before halftime after Stutsman batted down a Trinity Christian pitch attempt on defense and recovered the loose ball – while Austad connected with Matt Puchalski for a 32-yard score at the 1:41 mark following Chai Colon’s fumble recovery at the Eagles’ 37-yard line.
Trinity Christian later fumbled deep in its own territory and Stutsman scooped it up and scored with 15 seconds to go, while Oliver Cross added the extra point for a 42-0 lead.
The Eagles, who ran their offense out of a wing-T formation, averted the shutout on quarterback Brady Benton’s 8-yard run with four minutes to go. Trinity Christian successfully added a two-point conversion to cap the scoring.
Foundation returns home Friday, Sept. 27, to host The First Academy.