In a game where the offense struggled to build momentum, the LCL defense and special teams units proved why the Lightning are one of the most complete teams in the state, by way of a 40-19 trouncing of Lakeside Lutheran.
After being forced to punt on the game’s first possession, LCL’s defense had its first big stand of the game, with Luke Haertle picking off Warriors quarterback Levi Birkholz at the Lightning 10-yard line. A 20-yard return put Haertle’s offense in position to avenge its first drive and put points on the scoreboard. On a second and 10 from the LCL 45, Luke Haertle scrambled to find senior receiver Gunnar Groesenick for a 41-yard gain.
After a nine-yard touchdown run from Sam Heicher was negated by penalty, LCL had to restart their red-zone campaign at the 19. A short pass to Luke Boldt put the Lightning offense halfway closer to the end zone, but a fourth down incompletion over the head of receiver Colin Amack turned the ball over on downs.
However, three plays later, LCL would finally break the 0-0 tie with an interception from John Nehls off of a pressured Birkholz that turned into a 25-yard pick-six. The extra point went wide left, and the score was 6-0 in favor of the Lightning. Forcing a three-and-out on the Warriors’ ensuing drive, LCL took over at its own 43-yard line.
Having nudged the offense down to the Lakeside Lutheran 20, Haertle made yet another seemingly impossible play that has become a normality during his tenure under center. He scrambled left, and seeing nothing downfield, he doubled back from the sideline, and ran all the way back to his right before finding Tim Frerking at the one, who dove across the goal line. It was a fitting play to mark Haertle’s 50th touchdown pass in an LCL uniform. Haertle would connect with Frerking again on the two-point attempt, making it a 14-0 game.
The Warriors would set up on their own 30-yard line, and a near-interception from Gunnar Groesenick on second down almost gave the ball right back to the LCL offense. However, Groesenick wouldn’t have to wait long to get his redemption. On the following play, the ball would come his way again, and not only did he intercept it, but he shedded a Lakeside Lutheran defender on his way to LCL’s second pick-six of the night. The 43-yard return would give the Lightning a 20-0 lead, and a sack on the following two-point conversion would hold that score.
A squib kick from Stephen Connell started the Warriors at their own 35, desperately needing to put points on the board. Following a series of twelve straight runs, the LLHS offense found itself at the LCL 13, where Spencer Sturgill barreled his way through the offensive line, and fumbled into the end zone. Kayden Bou dove on top of the ball, bringing the Warriors right back into the contest. A mishandled snap on the PAT left it a 20-6 game.
After allowing its first points of the season, LCL faced its first opportunity to respond, and the response was ever-so-quick. Sam Heicher fielded the kickoff at the LCL six-yard line, and had gone untouched through the entire Lakeside Lutheran defense by the time he reached the 32. Cruising through the remaining 68 yards on his way to the end zone, he had returned all the momentum to the Lightning. Haertle would connect with Groesenick on the two-point attempt.
The Warriors would piece together a nice return of their own on the ensuing squib kick, bringing the ball out to the LCL 49. A series of short gains brought the offense down to the Lightning 15 with just seconds remaining in the half. A fade pass from Birkholz to Trey Lauber in the corner of the end zone knocked another six points on the board for the Warriors, and the failed two-point attempt would bring the game to a 28-12 score at the half.
Lakeside Lutheran would receive the second-half kickoff, only to be stifled once again by the LCL defense. Gunnar Groesenick intercepted his second ball of the game, but it would be the Warriors’ turn to stand tall, forcing a three-and-out. Both squads would exchange punts for the next three possessions, but Luke Haertle would start the scoring back up with an emphatic 35-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter. On a designed QB run, Haertle scurried to his right, evading a host of Lakeside Lutheran defenders on his way to the end zone. The two-point conversion was batted incomplete, and LCL had built its lead to 34-12.
Both teams exchanged punts once more, but a 45-yard boot off the foot of Maddox Kiley was bobbled by the Warriors return team, and recovered by Henry Witte at the Lightning 21. The clock expired on the third quarter shortly after, and LCL would start the fourth in the red zone. An eight-yard lob to John Nehls in the near corner of the end zone would get the job done, and LCL had pushed its lead to 40-12, with Sam Heicher being stopped just short of the goal line on the two-point attempt.
Lakeside Lutheran would counter with a nine-play scoring drive of their own, capped off by a 43-yard triple-option touchdown run by quarterback Levi Birkholz. Jameson Smith kicked the extra point, and the 40-19 score would hold for the rest of the game.
In a game that was a deviation from the norm for LCL’s offense, the defense had to step up and make big plays. Said Gunnar Groesenick after the game: “We responded through adversity. Some plays didn’t go our way...they came out hard, and we fought back.”
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