Vance, Lightning strike often
For all the success Lake Country Lutheran has had in the Midwest Classic Conference in recent years, it could be argued that the team needed a curveball thrown its way to make the league race interesting.
The league's defending champion got it this year with a quirk in the schedule that left it playing its toughest games on the road.
It’s the kind of challenge that could trip up the best of teams, but when it comes to Lutheran it might not matter. It sure didn’t Friday, when the Lightning overcame a slow start to score a 50-19 victory over University School in a matchup of teams that entered play undefeated in the conference.
The victory improved Lutheran to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the league. University School, which lost its seventh straight game to the Lightning, dipped to 3-2 and 2-1.
Here are five takeaways from the game.
FAST START: University School had two weeks to prepare for the game and early on it appeared that the additional time was well spent. The Wildcats opened with a 12-play, 58yard drive that took 6 minutes 2 seconds off the clock.
When senior Justin Tremmel scored with 5:51 left in the first quarter, it marked the first time Lake Country Lutheran trailed since Week 1. University School converted three third downs on the possession. It also converted a fourth-and-4 situation with a 12-yard run by quarterback David Hutton to get up the first and goal on which Tremmel scored. UP TO THE TEST: How would the Lightning respond when
challenged for the first time since the opening week?
Quite well. The team came back in emphatic fashion. On its first possession of the game, its running game flexed its muscle, moving 61 yards in seven plays and capping it with a 6-yard run by junior Dane Vance.
An interception by senior Michael Schumacher gave Lutheran the ball three plays into University School’s next possession.
MAGIC NUMBER: Lutheran has put together a high-powered running game that has been led by Vance. Friday he finished with 130 yards and four touchdowns in 19 carries. The team had 245 yards and 7.7 yards per carry overall. That’s about on target for a team that entered play averaging 244 yards per game.
TOUGH NIGHT: Despite being on the verge of a running clock, University School actually hung tough for a good portion of the game.
HARD-HITTING CREW: One of the things that is certain when you play Lake Country Lutheran is you have to be ready to be physical when going against the Lightning’s defense. Junior Isaac Simons and sophomore Jack Leverenz bring the big hits.