With quarterback Stacey Robinson out of the spring game, backups Rob Rugai and Tyrone Leverett moved up and put on a show during Saturday’s Annual Red-White spring game.

Freshman Leverett led the Red squad, Team Sycamore, to a 20-14 win over the White team, Team DeKalb.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Red team came alive in the second frame. Leverett and backfield partner Chris Montgomery compiled all 70 yards on an eight-play drive that ended with a two-yard touchdown run by Montgomery, putting Red up 7-0.

The lead increased to 14-0 six minutes later when Brian Cotton scored from two yards out on a play set up by a bobbled punt snap. Raymond Roberts recovered the ball at the two yard line.

The tempo of the game increased in the second half, as did the success of the White offense. Bart Geiser spelled Rugai and led the White squad on a 62-yard drive that included a 21-yard pass to tight end Claude Royster and ended with a seven-yard toss to Mark Clancy. The lead was cut to seven.

In the final quarter, Leverett again marched the Red squad down the field, this time for 80 yards, and completed his only pass of the afternoon, a 17-yard touchdown strike to Larry Wynn. The pass was tipped by two defenders before Wynn made the catch lying on his back.

“I tried to throw the ball out of bounds,” Leverett said, “so J.R. (defender James Randall) couldn’t get it.”

For the conversion, Red Coach Mike Summers put 6-foot-3, 291-pound offensive guard Darin Buchanan in the backfield, reminiscent of “The Fridge”. This time Randall was able to keep the ball out of the end zone by stopping Buchanan. The Red team went up 20-7.

Rugai returned to the White lineup and on their final drive of the day marched 85 yards in just 1:58, including a 35-yard pass to Brett Schroeder, to cut the final score to 20-14. Rugai and Schroeder had connected earlier for an 80-yard touchdown that was called back on an ineligible receiver downfield call.

Head coach Jerry Pettibone was pleased not only with the game, but the spring as a whole.

“I was pleased with the game,” he said. “It was competitive and there were exciting plays. That’s pretty good for squads that practiced as a unit only one time.”

Scott Van Bellinger and Steve Henriksen led the Red defense, with eight and 13 tackles, respectively. Four of Van Bellinger’s tackles were for a loss.

“We just ran our base defense,” Van Bellinger said. “I’m the option guy, so I made it tough for Rob (Rugai) to read it.”

Nick Jones led the White defense with 10 tackles.

Leverett ended the day with 123 yards on 15 carries. Rugai carried the ball 20 times for 71 yards. Adam Dach (White) gained 60 yards on 11 tries.