ST. JOSEPH – Friday night’s rivalry game with Lakeshore had everything a rivalry game is supposed to have.  Unfortunately for St. Joe the one thing it didn’t have was a St. Joe victory.

Lakeshore rallied from a 21-7 lead and outscored St. Joe 21-7 in the final 12 minutes for a 35-28 win.

St. Joe grabbed midway through the first quarter, when the Bears drove 55-yard in 10 plays, capped off on a 1-yard touchdown run from Preston Nichols.

Lakeshore responded on their next drive, as the Lancers went 72-yards in 12-plays, ending on a 28 yard scoring run by quarterback Ryan Korfmacher tying the game at 7-7.

St. Joe’s following drive went into the second quarter, but less than two minutes after the quarter started, Trey McGinnis ran for a 52-yard touchdown run, giving the Bears the lead back at 14-7.

The teams traded possessions and punts the rest of the quarter and St. Joe had the 14-7 halftime lead.

St. Joe received  the 2nd half kickoff and went on a 9-play, 67-yard drive.   Joron Brown scored on a 7-yard run on the final play and St. Joe had the 21-7 lead.

Like they did in the first quarter, Lakeshore scored with just seconds remaining in the quarter when Andrew Lies scored on a 16 yard touchdown run and the St. Joe lead was cut to 21-14, setting up a wild final 12 minutes.

St. Joe would drive down to the Lakeshore goal line on the following drive, but a fumble on a 4th and goal at the 2 turned the ball over to Lakeshore on downs.

Lakeshore went 88-yards in 5:02 and a 9-yard touchdown pass to Trevor Griffith tied the game at 21.

The score didn’t stay tied for long as Hunter Hall returned the kickoff for an 80 yard touchdown return, putting the Bears back on top at 28-21 with 2:49 to go.  

The Bears lead would last :14 seconds as Cage Davidson retuned the ensuing kick 93 yards, and one again tying the game at 28-28.

The Bears next drive would stall and failing to convert on a 4th and 15, giving Lakeshore :50 seconds left.   They only needed 26 as Griffith again caught another pass from Korfmacher giving Lakeshore the lead for the first time at 35-28 with 24 seconds left.

St. Joe would turn the ball over on downs and Lakeshore ran out the last play with a 35-28 win. 

St. Joe falls to 5-2 and 4-2 in the SMAC and are at 7-0 Chelsea next week.