DeKalb trips up Hampshire

The scoreboard said that Hampshire lost to DeKalb, but it didn’t really feel that way.

Sure, the players were disappointed about being on the short end of a 37-14 score, but there was much to be positive about for the Whip-Purs despite their 0-2 record on the season.

Chase Lundry ran for 225 yards and both Hampshire touchdowns, Kyle Anderson continued his development as a quarterback, and the team as a whole came together in the course of the nonconference matchup in Hampshire.

“We became a varsity football team tonight,” said an upbeat coach Dan Cavanaugh.

Trailing 24-14 late in the third quarter, Hampshire had 2nd-and-goal inside the 1-yard line but couldn’t punch it in. The Barbs then drove 96 yards for the clinching score. Three plays later, Ryan Metsker intercepted Anderson’s pass after it was tipped at the line and returned it 42 yards for the pick-6.

Devonte Ragsdale scored 3 times for the Barbs (2-0), whose stable of runners eventually wore down the Whip-Purs.

Although it hasn’t shown on the scoreboard, the Whip-Purs feel they are on the verge of turning the corner.

“We’re getting there,” said Lundry. “We looked much better than last week. We’re stepping it up, our holes are there, our linebackers are filling. We’re all making tackles. We’ve just got to keep it up.”

Lundry got the Whip-Purs off quickly, racing around right end for 58 yards on the first play from scrimmage. He eventually ran it in from the 5 to get Hampshire on the board.

After DeKalb tied it, Lundry scored again on a 43-yard run. He had 137 yards in the first quarter alone.

Hampshire actually outgained the visitors, 352-340, but the Barbs made some big plays at the end. No DeKalb player topped 100 yards, but 4 backs had 40 or more yards.

Kevin Sullivan led DeKalb with 87 yards and Dre Brown added 81. Quarterback Brian Sisler completed 8 of 11 for 95 yards and ran for 50 more.

For Hampshire, Anderson finished 3 of 11 for 47 yards and ran for 74. He kept several drives alive with big runs.