Vikings dash Lions’ playoff chances
Rogers scores two unanswered touchdowns in fourth quarter
LINCOLN – When Friday began, the atmosphere in and around Lincoln High was electric.
Spirit Week contests and cheers galore occurred on Thursday night, and school officials had already scheduled a pep rally hours before the Lions’ Homecoming clash against Division II-A foe Rogers, one that could seal for the hosts a playoff bid.
For most of this special night, it appeared Lincoln would send the crowd of at least 700 home with a victory.
The Vikings, however, spoiled it, scoring 14 unanswered points in the final 9:24 to earn a remarkably- entertaining 28-21 victory at Ferguson Field.
With the Lions ahead, 21-14, since the end of the initial half, senior Daryll Stanton snared a four-yard TD toss from sophomore quarterback Max Newsome with 9:24 remaining to knot the game at 21-all.
That same pass catcher had gathered 56 yards on 11 handles on the previous 11 plays to force what most of the crowd hoped would merely force overtime.
Those thoughts were dashed when the Rogers defense stopped the Lions on the ensuing possession and maneuvered 73 yards on 13 calls, culminating in Newsome’s oneyard plunge behind his left guard with only 33 ticks left.
Sophomore Bill Farley booted the extra point for the seven-point advantage, and some controversial officiating over the final 25 seconds ended Lincoln’s hopes for a miracle TD drive.
“We just didn’t make the plays we needed to make, and they did,” sighed head coach Sean Cavanaugh after the defeat, one that dropped his squad to 2-5 overall and – most importantly – 2-4 in league action. (It now appears LHS has been eliminated from the post-season tourney).
“They played really aggressive in the second half, and we tried to combat that,” he added. “We knew it was going to be a dogfight coming in, and they came out on top. What can you do? … The kids worked very hard out there. Now we’re just going to back to work next week.”
Cavanaugh had stated earlier this week that the Vikings and Lions seemed closely matched, considering both had registered triumphs over both Johnston and Classical. With Rogers’ win, it improved to 3-3 in II-A and 3-4 overall, so now controls its own destiny.
“You know what? I have to give all the credit in the world to these kids,” offered Rogers’ coach Frank Newsome. “We haven’t been getting many bounces so far this season; things haven’t gone our way, and it’s been hard to keep the kids believing.
“In this one, we were down, 21-7, and you could see the long faces, but then we got that fumble (for a score) at the end of the (first) half, and that changed everything.”
In the end, Stanton closed with 135 yards and a TD on 23 carries, while snaring a pass for that four-yard touchdown, returning a fumble 49 yards for another and hustling for a 21-yard kickoff return. All told, he had 209 all-purpose yards.
Junior backfield mate Kalil Jones chipped in 75 yards on 16 touches and sophomore Kayvon Lockhart 24 more on three.
For LHS, senior Julien Karraz – who had been announced as one of four Homecoming King candidates at the break – raced for 155 and two touchdowns on 16. He also caught a 21-yard toss from classmate Randall Hien for 21 more, though did fumble once.
Hien actually outplayed his opposing signal caller, completing seven of 10 passes for 130 yards and a score, but he did fumble once while being intercepted on the final play of the game. That, however, was due to a furious pass rush that disrupted the pigskin’s flight.
The younger Newcome completed only two of four aerials for 13 yards.
“It all came down to winning the line of scrimmage; the kids knew that, and the line did a great job,” Coach Newcome stated. “We’re a rushing team, that’s our bread- and- butter; we had to play good ol’fashioned Rogers football, and – at the end – we did.”
Still, the Lions opened the tilt lightning- fast, as Karraz took a handoff right guard, skipped left and sprinted 73 yards untouched. Sophomore Erick Solorzano nailed the extra point to give the hosts the 7- 0 lead just 23 seconds into it.
With 5: 29 left in the opening period, the Vikings took advantage of a fake punt that went for only a yard, took over at their own 49 and rolled 51 yards on just five snaps ending on Stanton’s 29- yard TD jaunt off right tackle.
On the play, it looked as if Lincoln had bottled him near the line of scrimmage, but his leg churn provided Rogers the lift it needed.
Or did it?
LHS assembled a 12- snap, 71- yard possession through most of the second quarter to regain the lead at 14- 7. Karraz finished it off with a five- yard scamper off left guard and Solorzano added the extra point with 2: 52 remaining before halftime festivities.
Then again, the fireworks were just starting.
Solorzano knocked a 25- yard pooch/ squib kickoff toward the right sideline, and senior Isiah Oliveira pounced on the loose ball. On the very next play, Hien found sophomore Nick Toro wide open down the right hash to complete a 35- yard TD toss.
Just like that, Lincoln had upped its advantage to 21- 7.
The next sequence of snaps, however, could have filled a highlight/ lowlight reel.
Newsome’s crew responded with style, courtesy of Jones’ 22- yard return to his own 49. Two snaps later, though, Stanton coughed up the football on his left sideline, and it landed in Toro’s hands. He flew 52 yards down to paydirt for the apparent score, but that was called back for an illegal block.
The Lions took over at the visitors’ 46, and pushed it to the 40. Facing a manageable third- and- four, Hien faded back to pass, scrambled under pressure and appeared to have been sacked. Yet the ball flew into the air, and Stanton rambled 49 yards down the right sideline for the score to tighten the gap to 21- 14.
That came with 38 seconds left. Cavanaugh’s crew, thanks to Karraz’s nifty 41yard rush, moved it to the Vikes’ 32, but he fumbled it on the ensuing play.
On the Lions’ first drive of the third period, they matriculated 59 yards, from their own 1 to the Rogers’ 40. On a fourthand- 2, however, Oliveira’s sweep around right end was squelched. That set up the Vikings’ game- tying possession.
All told, Rogers controlled the time of possession for 16: 06 of the 24- minute last session, and ran 32 offensive plays to the Lions’ 18.
“Lincoln is a very good squad; I’ve been following them all year long, and it looked to me like they got better every week,” the elder Newsome said. “That was a great, great football game.”