Marmion Academy didn’t look like a 3-6 football team in ending the Leo Lions’ season in the first round of the Catholic League/Prep Bowl playoffs at Marmion on Friday, Oct. 26.
The Cadets are now 4-6 after accumulating nearly 400 yards of offense in a 40-14 victory that sent Leo home with a 3-7 record. The Lions moved the ball better than they had in previous shutout losses to Brother Rice and St. Ignatius, but quarterback James E’Akels showed his freshman inexperience in throwing three drive-killing interceptions.
Senior Lateef Carwell replaced him for most of the second half and completed eight of 16 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown. But Leo had no answers for Marmion’s Major Haas, who scored on an eight-yard run, caught a 35-yard TD pass from Declan McDonald and returned an interception 34 yards for a third score.
Patrick Daum added touchdown runs of nine and 26 yards, while McDonald completed five of 11 passes for 87 yards and two scores. Fullback John Roche didn’t score, but his 96 tough yards on 12 carries helped Marmion control the ball and sustain several scoring drives.
A bright spot for Leo was the play of Carwell and several other seniors in their final game as Lions. Jalen Harris ran for 116 yards on just 12 carries. Darryl Ousley-Parr had four catches for 40 yards, yards, and Do’ron Gee caught two TD passes, an 11-yarder from E’Akels and a one-yard flip from Carwell.
“We didn’t have the year we wanted to have or we expected to have, but I can’t complain about anybody’s effort—we competed in every game,” Coach Mike Holmes said. “I want to thank the seniors, and I hope the juniors and the sophomores will learn from this season and get in the weight room and get better next year.”
Despite the record, Leo was well represented on the All-Catholic League Red Division team with six first-team selections, including senior tackle Elijah Lamptey, who was selected as offensive player of the year in the vote by conference coaches. Joining Lamptey were Harris, Ousley-Parr, junior running back Tobias Sample, senior linebacker Jokon Cousett and senior defensive tackle Gabrell Spruill.
Do’ron Gee, junior linebacker Josh Wilson and sophomore center Daniel Gee made the second team.