It was an odd score for a football game, with Decatur’s 8-3 lead sounding more like a baseball score. Then it got even weirder when the two teams got into a baseball-style benches-clearing brawl.

The fight broke out - and ended - with 43.8 seconds left to play in last Thursday’s action. A Kent-Meridian player ran out of bounds and into the Decatur bench, sparking the incident.

Before the fight was over in the season-ending “crossover” game between the South Puget Sound League South and North Division, both benches were emptied. Many players and coaches were keeping participants apart by the time it ended, but the outcome was next.

The referees pointed toward Kent-Meridian as they sorted out their flags, then they called an end to the game.

“We lost the fight, and the game,” said one Royals player afterward.

“It was a physical game, and it was on the line,” said Decatur coach Leon Hatch of what transpired. “It was a physical game with good defense all night.”

The Royals put the first points on the scoreboard with 6:11 to play in the first quarter.

Eddie Zhao lofted a high kick right through the uprights for a 33-yard field goal and a 3-0 lead.

Decatur had a much longer wait, not putting up a crooked number until only 53.4 seconds remained in the third quarter.

Alex Bykovskiy, who came in to relieve injured quarterback John Duncan Jr., ran the ball in from the 1-yard line. He waited until the first push of the defensive line was over, then plowed into the pileup and over the goal line.

The Gators missed the PAT to leave the score at 6-3, but tacked on two points for the final 8-3 lead on a safety at 4:05 to go.

It was the second win in a row for the Gators, and their only two all year.

“This will help turn us around,” said Hatch of the two wins at the end. “Quite a few return next year.”

Decatur 52, Todd Beamer 6

Decatur broke into the win column in a big way Saturday, Nov. 1 - beating up on cross-town and South Puget Sound League South Division rival Todd Beamer by a 52-6 score.

The Gators jumped out to leads of 6-0 and 12-6 in a hard-fought first quarter, and really went to work in the second quarter to lead, 31-6, at halftime.

Decatur scored three touchdowns in the third quarter to bring the score to what turned out to be the final margin then coasted through the fourth quarter.

Decatur struck for the opening touchdown only 1 minute, 56 seconds into the first quarter.

Connor McFaul worked his way down field and broke into the end zone, where John Duncan Jr. found him with a 34-yard pass.

A pass for a two-point conversion failed, however, and a try by the Gators on an onside kick went to the Titans, who took over at the 50-yard line.

Beamer then fought its way into the end zone in 10 plays, ending with a 2-yard run by Tyair Love. The kick for the PAT was blocked, leaving the score knotted at 6-6 with 5:21 to go in the first quarter - but not for long.

The Gators grabbed the lead back with 56.7 left on Fedeal Way Memorial Stadium’s new scoreboard clock. Duncan threw to McFaul for a 34-yard touchdown, then a run for two points failed to leave the score at 12-6.

Decatur opened the second quarter with Tyler Enos returning a punt 67 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown only 29 seconds into the period.

Cam Schilling then kicked the conversion for a 19-6 advantage.

The next big play occurred with 9:53 to play in the quarter, when McFaul intercepted a tipped pass and ran 36 yards to pay dirt. The PAT kick failed to make it 25-6.

Beamer had a big return on the ensuing kickoff, with Lamar Williams returning it 86 yards up to the 10-yard line. The Titans moved up to the 5-yard line on three plays, then tried a 22-yard field goal that failed.

Decatur broke into the end zone again 57.3 seconds before halftime, with Duncan completing a 10-yard touchdown pass from Schilling.

This time a run for two points failed, but the Gators scored yet another time with 11:38 to go in the third quarter.

Beamer fumbled to Decatur’s Matt Turner, giving him the ball only 17 yards from the end zone. That set up Clark Colvin for the score on another Gator running play. Schilling scored the PAT and just like that the lead stood at 38-6.

Next in line to score for the Gators was Coty Vaughn on a 21-yard run, with Nick Belcourt making the kick for a 45-6 lead. Decatur made its final touchdown with 21.9 seconds to go in the third quarter on a right-side run by Duncan.

Justin Chapman kicked the extra point and Decatur was on top for good at 52-6.

Duncan ran nine times for 161 yards and McFaul caught two passes for 69 yards.

For Beamer, Love rushed 20 times for 38 yards and Benjamin Draeger caught three passes for 48 yards - with Love passing for the same 48 yards.

TJ 26, Todd Beamer 11

Thomas Jefferson is winless no more.

The Raiders defeated Todd Beamer, 26-11, in a crossover game between the SPSL North (TJ) and SPSL South (Beamer). Both were winless going into Thursday’s game and last in their respective divisions.

TJ scored first with 10.7 seconds left in the first quarter when quarterback Kama Frank hit Spencer Sydney with a 37-yard touchdown pass. The pass for a two-point conversion failed to leave the lead at 6-0.

Todd Beamer answered in part with 1:58 left in the second quarter, when Zach Hoffman boomed a high but accurate 30-yard field goal to make it 6-3.

Frank scored the Raiders’ next touchdown with 3:07 to go in the third quarter on a 1-yard run. The pass for two points failed to leave the margin at 12-3.

With 26.7 seconds left in the third quarter Frank passed to Wylie Johnson for a 35-yard touchdown. Zach Roth ran for a two-point conversion and TJ was up by a much more comfortable 20-3 margin.

Frank threw to Roth at 6:28 to play in the fourth quarter to make it 26-3.

Beamer scored the last touchdown of the game with 2:25 to play in the final period. Tyair Love threw a 58-yard touchdown pass to Benjamin Draeger and a pass for two points was successful to make it 26-11.