By MARK WINDHAM / For the Reporter

Evangel Christian coach Wayne Price was concerned before Friday night’s game with visiting Franklin Christian after the kickoff was delayed for 90 minutes due to lightning in the area.

His players put his nerves to rest with a 42-0 victory for their coach on his 22^nd wedding anniversary.

“The weather delay had me very concerned,” Price said. “Our last warm-up seemed very unorganized.”

Evangel took the opening kickoff and use a balanced rushing attack, marching 57 yards on 12 plays, with Hayden Brown scoring on a 1-yard sneak.  Brown would toss the two-point conversion to Aaron Walker to give the Lightning an early 8-0 lead.

Evangel’s defense would put the next points on the board three plays later when Walker would intercept a Falcon pass and return it 34 yards to the Lightning a 14-0 cushion.

Evangel’s defense would close out the first-half scoring when Josh Flanders would intercept a pass and use his blockers to return it 51 yards for a touchdown as time expired.  Flanders would run in the two-point conversion to give Evangel a 22-0 lead.

“We played only 12 boys the whole first half,” Price said.  “We got stronger as the game went on.  We do not have any outstanding athletes, but we have outstanding character guys who play with heart and I like to have that on our team.”

Josh Flanders would get Evangel on the board again 43 seconds into the fourth quarter with a four-yard run to put the Lightning up 28-0.

Evangel’s Ben Taube would recover a Falcon fumble to get Evangel’s next scoring drive going.  The Lightning would march 48 yards on 3 plays, with Nathan Scott carrying the ball in from 11 yards out to put Evangel up 34-0.

Clay O’Neal would close out the scoring for Evangel on the night when he scored on a three-yard run and add the two-point conversion to help the Lightning improve to 2-0 on the season with a 42-0 victory.

Josh Flanders would lead the Lightning attack on the night with 14 carries for 107 yards and a touchdown.  Michael Entrekin would add 11 carries for 47 yards.

Defensively, Flanders led the way with eight tackles and an interception return for a touchdown.  Taube added seven tackles and a fumble recovery to the Lightning attack.