Starting a football season 0-2 was something the Lightning hadn’t done in, well, over a decade. In fact, the team rarely lost two games all season in recent years. Naturally, this unfamiliar winless start fueled surrounding narratives about how the Lake Country Lutheran football program graduated too many talented seniors in 2021 to remain a solid team in 2022.
Following a 27-0 shutout loss to St. Mary’s Springs Academy in week one and a heartbreaking loss on a fourth quarter field goal to Lakeside Lutheran week two, the Lightning shook up the headlines in their third game, and first conference game, of the season. Facing the Brown Deer Falcons at home on Campus Drive and going up against Grayson McCain, the #1-ranked sophomore quarterback in the state of Wisconsin, LCL was energized and hungry to enter the win column.
That’s exactly what the Lightning went on to do under the Friday night lights, destroying the Falcons 50-0 while looking both explosive on offense and suffocating on defense. The LCL team taking on Brown Deer in the third week of high school football was a much different one than that of the first two weeks; one that had decided to use its losses to improve and learn.
“To be honest, [the first two games] opened my eyes and everyone else’s eyes to what losing is, and what it can do for you,” senior Mike Sterr, who recorded multiple touchdowns and deflections against Brown Deer, explained. “We’ve learned a lot of things, and I think it was good for us, but now it’s time for us to flip the switch and show what Lightning football is all about.”
And boy, was Lightning football a show that night.
Following an opening kick return to the 40 yard line by Brayson Hamme, Nate Brazgel brought the offensive fireworks early with a 60-yard touchdown sprint. Brazgel’s scramble on the second play of the game, merely 27 seconds after the first whistle, put the Lightning up on the board early, 7-0. Levi Benes found the endzone just a couple of minutes later, and Maddux Kiley’s stellar kicks provided LCL with extra points and Brown Deer with difficult starting position all night. Sterr capitalized off of a gorgeous spin move by Carter Leibham with a 6-yard touchdown about a minute after Benes’ score, which was immediately followed by a huge Leibham interception. A quarterback keep by Blake Thelen perfectly set up Sterr’s second score of the night, upping the lead to 29 points.
Arthur Terry III of Brown Deer found a nice gap to break through on a kick return, which gave his team decent field position thanks to his run. Jamarrion Partee snagged a stunning ball from McCain, but the Falcons’ offensive momentum was quickly halted with a holding penalty that left them unable to come up with additional yardage.
Defensively for the Lightning, Sterr, Matt Dobson, Isaiah Pawlak, and Henry Witte were forces to be reckoned with, breaking through to McCain play after play for inevitable sacks. Dobson also put a dent of his own in the scoreboard, for the fifth Lightning touchdown of the game. It was not long until LCL found the endzone yet again, where Thelen dropped a dime of a pass to Leibham to send the Lightning into the locker room up 43-0.
“Blake [Thelen] is feeling really good right now. He’s making good reads, his timing is better, his control in the huddle and his confidence are definitely at highs right now.” Coach Brazgel said in praise of his quarterback.
The offense was certainly worthy of much praise in their third game of the season, even though scoring died down in the second half of the blowout win. Adam Boldt was the lone Lightning player to reach the endzone following halftime, running two yards up the gut to cement the score at 50-0. On the other side of the ball, John Thoni joined Pawlak as a defensive force, reaching McCain for a combined sack to snuff the Falcons’ offense.
Emotions were much different in the closing seconds against Brown Deer than they were in the previous two games. There was no excessive, over-the-top celebration from the Lightning, yet it was clear that those on the field were filled with long-awaited relief and satisfaction. LCL was able to open conference play with a clean slate thanks to their commanding shutout victory, silencing some doubtful narratives along the way. The 50-0 win, along with the energy and passion displayed throughout all four quarters was reminiscent of past years of Lightning football.
“We talked about Pentecost in [our pregame speech] tonight, how they had flames on top of their heads and how fire is what lit the disciples to go out and tell everyone about the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” added Brazgel.
“They played with a ton of fire, and we had a great awakening tonight.”