LEAD Prep Academy Falls 24-14 at NCAA DII Wheeling University JV

"That mentality of 'I am here to shut you down' is starting to play out. It's 11 bodies, but it's one defense."

WHEELING, W.Va. - LEAD Prep Academy dropped a 24-14 decision at NCAA Division II Wheeling University JV on Sunday, but the young roster showed flashes on both sides of the ball, including a safety, two long touchdown plays and a standout game from defensive back Kamron Payne.

LEAD Prep Academy scored its first points of the game on a safety out of the back of the end zone. In the second quarter, post-grad quarterback Brick Sandridge IV found Jalen Brown for an 18-yard touchdown. Brown, a freshman from Midland, juked a couple of defenders before diving into the end zone.

Jamori Biggs gave LEAD Prep Academy one of its highlights by bulldozing through two defenders. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound River Rouge native showed off his size and power on the run.

In the fourth quarter, freshman quarterback AJ Dixon hit Hussein Hamie for a 53-yard touchdown, the team's final score of the day. Hamie, a Dearborn native, transferred from Wayne State this past year.

On defense, Payne forced a fumble in the second quarter and intercepted a pass in the fourth. Defensive coordinator Pete Tuccini said finishing plays is what sets him apart.

"Week in and week out, you're not playing a perfect game, but you're getting to the ball," Tuccini said he told Payne. "He has a knack for finishing."

Tuccini credited Payne's preparation. "He's trying to get anything he can pick up on pre-snap that can help him on that play," Tuccini said.

The defensive front also made its presence felt. Tyler Bennett turned in his most complete game with eight tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. The prototypical 6-foot-4, 245-pound defensive end used his arm length to dominate the run game and spent most of the day in the backfield.

Amare Banks added two tackles for loss and a sack, bringing his season total to nine. Banks again showed great get-off and edge pressure against the run and the pass. Luca Kerridge also had two tackles for loss, and his violent, fast play up front was disruptive all game. John Regan chipped in a half sack.

At nose tackle, the 6-foot-2, 315-pound Davonta Love recorded two tackles for loss. He dominated one-on-one blocks, showing power, bend and heavy hands to shed blockers.

Linebacker Christian Moore had his best game of the season with three tackles and a tackle for loss. He closed space, set the edge well, took great angles to the ball and was strong in coverage against the spread pass game.

Tuccini said the defense is starting to embrace its identity. "Our defense is designed to be simple so that players can attack," he said. "That mentality of 'I am here to shut you down' is starting to play out. It's 11 bodies, but it's one defense."

The unit had several stops and is a few plays away from being completely dominant.

Head coach Alex Grignon liked the effort on that side of the ball but wants more consistency from the offense.

"We played hard defensively. There are still a lot of things we can correct over there," Grignon said. "But we've got to find some sort of consistency on offense. We can't let things snowball on us. Missed assignments kind of piled up."

With a couple of players out with injuries, Grignon said others got a chance to step up, but the team needs "a little more plays made," including sustaining blocks longer and getting back to what it does.

LEAD Prep Academy (3-2) will look to bounce back Sunday, Oct. 11, at Ashland University JV. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.