(St. Joseph) – During the Bears two games against Lakeshore this season, the Bears struggled to score touchdowns while inside the redzone. In the loss two weeks ago the Bears were unsuccessful in five trips. In the rematch, St. Joe was unable to find the endzone in the first four trips inside the 20.

But the Bears final trip in the redzone produced the game winning score as St. Joe scored the game winning touchdown with 1:08 left as St. Joe defeated Lakeshore 23-20 at Dickinson Stadium.

It’s the second straight season that St. Joe has eliminated Lakeshore in the playoffs,

The game was a tight defensive battle in the opening half, the only score coming on a 24 yard field goal by St. Joe’s Josh Akins.

After a calm first half, the second half was anything but. St. Joe expanded the lead to 10-0 when Jeremy Rush threw a 75 yard touchdown pass to a wide open Joel Bergman less than two minutes into the second half.

The Lancers quickly got on the board as quarterback Alex Padla threw a 58 yard touchdown pass to Nick Adams on Lakeshore’s first play from scrimmage in the half. In nine seconds the Lancers closed to within 10-7.

On the Bears next drive, St. Joe again stalled near the endzone and set up for a short field goal from Josh Akins, but Akins 21 yard field goal was blocked and then picked up by Lakeshore’s Robert Shelby and returned for an 85 yard touchdown to put Lakeshore up 14-10.

St. Joe responded four plays later as Rush threw another touchdown pass to Bergman for a 27 yard score, the point after was no good on a bad snap, but the Bears again had the lead at 16-14.

After a Lakeshore fumble, the Bears again looked like a drive would end in a touchdown, but Rush threw only his second interception of the year in a pass attempt into the endzone.

Lakeshore then went on a 19 play-92 yard drive, pounding the ball at the St. Joe defense, and capped off by a 12 yard pass from Padla to Dylan Brooks. Lakeshore was unsuccessful on the two point conversion, but had a 20-16 lead with four minutes to play.

Then the Bears went on the game winning drive, even converting on a 4th and 11 deep in St. Joe territory, as Rush hit Symonds for a 20 yard touchdown, Symonds faked out several Lakeshore defenders on his way to the endzone.

St. Joe ended the Lancers hope for a comeback after Marcus Valentine intercepted Padla with 54 seconds left.

The Bears move on to the District Championship Game at Zeeland East, Friday at 7:00.

SCORING SUMMARY

Lakeshore        0 0 14 6 -- 20
St. Joseph       3 0 13 7 -- 23

SJ - Josh Akins 24 yd field goal
SJ - Joel Bergman 76 yd pass from Jeremy Rush (Josh Akins kick)
LL - Nick Adams 58 yd pass from Alex Padla (Caleb Colp kick)
LL - Robert Shelby 85 yd blocked FG return (Caleb Colp kick)
SJ - Joel Bergman 27 yd pass from Jeremy Rush (Josh Akins rush failed)
LL - Dylan Brooks 12 yd pass from Alex Padla (Alex Padla pass failed)
SJ - Bobby Symonds 20 yd pass from Jeremy Rush (Josh Akins kick)