It goes without saying that resilience has over the years been a core trait of Lightning football, and Friday’s game was no different. LCL clawed its way back to .500 in a victory over St. Thomas More in their fourth game of the season, emerging on top of the 21-6 contest.
The Lightning led the way on the ground, with its 222 rushing yards accounting for 90% of its offense. The strong presence on the run proved to be too much for the Cavaliers to counter, as not only was LCL’s offense incredibly dominant, but the Lightning defense kept St. Thomas More in check, keeping them from advancing the chains for the majority of the game.
LCL sought to make an early statement in the affair, a goal that was quickly realized after emerging victorious in the coin toss and electing to receive, as a 76-yard touchdown on the opening return by senior Mike Sterr put the Lightning up 7-0 early.
This was just the beginning of a huge day for Sterr, who would put the Lightning on the scoreboard two more times on the day, thanks to two touchdown runs of eight and two yards.
While Sterr’s three touchdowns proved to be LCL’s only of the game, the offense was much more than an individual effort. Setting up his first score was a series of key rushes by fellow seniors Levi Benes and Matt Dobson, who were put in dangerous field position to begin the drive due to a strong performance by the defense.
Halfway through the second quarter, the Cavaliers put themselves back in contention thanks to a 33-yard connection from quarterback Jacob Brooks to receiver Nicholas Felske, and despite the failed 2-point attempt, new life was breathed into the St. Thomas More sideline.
However, LCL was quick to respond, as it was Sterr’s third touchdown with 0:15 to play in the first half that shifted the game’s energy back to LCL as the break approached, with a 21-6 margin.
While neither team found the end zone in the second half, the third and fourth quarters were not without their fair share of competitive fire, as St. Thomas More sought to narrow the gap while LCL sought a bigger cushion on the scoreboard.
Despite a dominant performance by the Lightning defense, the Cavaliers refused to go away, and a promising drive late in the fourth quarter had them right back in the game. Nevertheless, as was the theme of the contest, the defense continued to step up. Junior Adam Boldt intercepted Nicholas Felske at the LCL 39-yard line, a crucial play that all but sealed the win.
LCL looks to continue their winning streak against conference rival University School of Milwaukee at home on Friday, as the Wildcats enter the game with a 4-0 record, tied for first in the Metro Classic Conference.
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