[Stardust]

http://nky.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...2/9040348/

During his series of post-game interviews, Simon Kenton coach Jeff Marksberry used the word "magical" when referring to Chad Lawrence so many times, one would think the senior quarterback was a unicorn.

But he's not. He's just an awfully dynamic quarterback with a knack for making something out of nothing. And he proved it Friday.

After suffering from a groin injury during last week's 34-0 loss to Middletown, Lawrence was back to his old self: evading tacklers, finding open receivers, making heady plays.

"Magic things happen when he has the ball," said Marksberry. "You could tell he wasn't 100 percent last week. He was a different kid this week."

With the loss of all-state running back Miles Simpson to graduation, the Pioneers are undoubtedly Lawrence's team. He's also the main offensive weapon. He proved it against Dixie Heights with a series of improvisational plays that kept the Pioneers in the game.

First, there was the 82-yard floater of a touchdown pass that he threw to Zach Carroll in the first quarter. He followed it with a two-point conversion run out of the swinging gate formation. In the second half, he kept a drive alive with an electrifying 10-yard run on a busted play, then on a 36-yard run on fourth-and-one. He capped that drive by getting around the left end and diving into the end zone just inside the pylon.

"It's different for sure, but I like having the ball in my hands," Lawrence said. "I'm a competitor; I always want it."

THE OTHER QUARTERBACK: Dixie Heights quarterback Zeke Pike had an up-and-down game behind center - he ran for two scores, threw for two scores and was intercepted twice - but his size and athleticism was a big factor.

The junior Division I prospect blocked an extra point. He recorded a sack. On one third-quarter play, he cleared the way for Seth Bruns on a 10-yard carry by throwing three downfield blocks on three different players.

"The biggest challenge Zeke presented ... is that he's a threat to run it, but if you come up on him he's going to throw it over your head," said Marksberry. "That was my biggest fear with him, that if we didn't get him on the ground he was going to make a big play throwing it or running it."