Lausanne football wins, star RB Eric Gray scores two touchdowns in final home game

Lausanne beat ECS 35-14 in the DII-AA quarterfinals on Friday, advancing to a semifinal matchup with Nashville's Christ Presbyterian Academy.

Lausanne's winning streak now stands at 38 games, the 10th-longest in the country according to MaxPreps. Tuesday will mark three years since Lausanne,'s last loss on Nov. 13 2015. St. George's won that game 42-10. 

The Lynx (11-0) quickly jumped out to a 20-0 lead behind two first-half Eric Gray touchdown runs and a quarterback sneak from Sky Forrest. 

Lausanne gave up a pair of 2-yard touchdown runs to ECS' Austin Hill — one right before the half and one in the third quarter. It looked like the game was going to stay close, like the Lynx's 42-34 Sept. 28 victory over ECS (9-3). 

"We knew it was going to be a tough game. It's hard to beat good football teams twice in the same season. It's hard to make adjustments after the first game when they've had a chance to see you and go against you," said Lausanne coach Kevin Locastro. 

But then, Lausanne's Erek Campbell blocked a punt, setting up a 4-yard touchdown catch from Jaylon Johnson. The Lynx returned an interception for a touchdown with just eight seconds remaining. 

Gray, a Michigan commitment, finished with two touchdowns in his final home game, pushing his state career record to 137.

"We wanted to leave a big legacy and we wanted to win our last game at home," said Gray. 

The Lynx will travel to Nashville for their match-up with CPA (12-0), and will play the state championship game in Cookeville if they win. 

CPA cruised to victory in its first two playoff games, winning a quarterfinal match-up with St. George's 49-7 and beating University School of Jackson in the first round. 

Lausanne beat Goodpasture 62-28 in the first round last week. 

CPA features four-star linebacker Kane Patterson, a Clemson commitment who is ranked seventh in the state, according to 247Sports. That ranking has Eric Gray right behind him at No. 8. 

"I'm looking forward to it. He's a great guy. I love playing the best of the best," said Gray of the match-up with Patterson. "When you play the best of the best, you see where you are at and how you compare." 

Last year, CPA lost in the semifinals to Notre Dame, which Lausanne beat 41-13 in the state championship game. 

"I'm expecting it to be a very similar game like it was tonight," Locastro said. "Both (ECS coach) Jonas (Rodriguez) and (CPA coach) Ingle Martin were teammates, Ricky Bowers disciples. They both kind of run the same things on both sides of the ball. It's the same kind of football. We're expecting more of the same Friday night."