Video: Cancer survivor Tom Pettry and Olmsted Falls
Touchdowns Against Cancer drive unifies another community.
Halfway through, there is one big leader on the national leaderboard.
And it's not even close.
The Lynx, the two-time defending Tennessee Division II champions and winners of 32 straight games, have more than tripled their opponents point total over the last two seasons plus.
But they've done even better in this campaign to drive out childhood cancer.
Lausanne has thus far raised $17,528 compared to $2,997 for runner-up
Chopticon (Morganza, Md.), which last year took home the prize for most funds raised.
Rounding out the top five is
Olmsted Falls (Ohio), $2,797;
El Camino Real (Woodland Hills, Calif.), 2,590; and
Hyde Park (Austin, Texas), $2,337.
The Touchdown Cancer Campaign, sponsored by MaxPreps and Pledge It, benefits cancers research for St. Jude Hospital.
Lausanne Collegiate record-breaking running back Eric Gray is huge Touchdowns Against Cancer contributer.
File photo by Jason Goode
Teams raise money for the cause by scoring touchdowns in September, Childhood Cancer Awareness month.
There is still time to get involved, and every dollar/touchdown counts. Every pledge is deeply appreciated.
Rounding out the top 10 teams:
Mead (Longmont, Colo.), $1,835;
Pope John Paul II (Royersford, Pa.), $1,699;
Marlboro (N.J.), $1,520;
Lone Peak (Gallatin Gateway, Mont.), $1,395 and
Las Cruces (N.M.), $1,321.
After winning two games in August, Lausanne pulled out wins over Whitehaven (Memphis) 26-23 in overtime, before scoring eight touchdowns in a 56-12 win over Craigmont.
They'll continue their drive Friday at St. George's (Collierville).
Senior players
Isaac Weiss and
Eric Gray have led the Lynx's charge in the TAC campaign.
"Cancer has touched all of our lives in some way, and I want to make each point that I score count toward something bigger than a win," Weiss said.
Gray, one of the state's top running backs, has rushed for seven of his 13 touchdowns during the TAC campaign.
He needs 18 rushing touchdowns to break the state career record of 114.
"When Isaac told me about Pledge It, I knew it was the way that I could use my love of football to benefit the awesome work happening at St. Jude."
