Fake punt sparks Shawnee

It has been sort of a running joke on the Shawnee football team. Dave Smith had talked about it for weeks. If the opportunity ever presented itself, Smith would take it.

It was a promise Smith's coaches seemed to take half seriously. And with his team huddled around him after the win, Shawnee coach Tim Gushue laughed and made it clear:

"I want everyone to know - we did not call that fake punt."

After Cherokee tied the game in the third quarter, Smith took matters into his own hands on fourth and 7 with his team in punt formation.

It worked.

Smith received the snap and bolted toward a wide-open middle of the field, picking up 20 yards and extending a drive that ended with a go-ahead, 40-yard touchdown run by Jake Parola in the Renegades' 20-7 win at Cherokee on Friday night.

It was the first time Shawnee (6-0) had won at rival Cherokee (3-3) since 2008.

"I saw the defense just part, and it was a good opportunity to take off," said Smith, who also had a huge fumble recovery in the fourth quarter.

With seven minutes to play and the Chiefs facing fourth and goal from the 8-yard line, Smith recovered a fumble and returned it all the way to the Cherokee 19, setting up a Sean Welch touchdown that put Shawnee ahead by 20-7.

"I don't think I've ever run that much in one football game," Smith said. "It was just a great win. It feels good, but we say it every week - we're on to the next one."

Smith and Parola were Shawnee's two heroes this night.

Parola was the game's lone standout during a sluggish first half.

He caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Michael Welsh to give his team the lead in the second quarter. And he blocked Cherokee's 34-yard field-goal attempt with 19 seconds left in the first half.

"It's a fantastic win. We wanted to beat them just as bad as they wanted to beat us," Smith said. "It was a good, physical game. But we just made more plays."

After a slow first half, the action picked up in a second half filled with big plays. Smith's fake punt was the second of the third quarter.

The Chiefs scored their only touchdown on the second half's opening drive, which included a fake punt and ended with a 16-yard run by quarterback Evan Powell.

"It came down to us not earning it," Cherokee coach P.J. Mehigan said. "In football, you have to earn it, or you have to take it. Right now, we're not doing either."

Shawnee 0 7 7 6 – 20

Cherokee 0 0 7 0 – 7

S: Jake Parola 15 pass from Michael Welsh (Davis Pierson kick)

C: Evan Powell 16 run (Jesse Streb kick)

S: Parola 40 run (Pierson kick)

S: Welsh 1 run (kick failed)