Lyndon knocks out Chase County, 48-12
Originally published 10:08 a.m., September 22, 2007
Updated 10:08 a.m., September 22, 2007
COTTONWOOD FALLS — The Lyndon Tigers blended all three phases of the game to beat the Chase County Bulldogs, 48-12, Friday night.
The Tigers scored with their offense, their defense and used their special teams to set up two scores.
Keane Neimack started the scoring for the Tigers, taking a third-and-4 play 56 yards for the score. On the run, Niemack busted the play outside of the defense to find wide-open spaces down the sideline.
After both teams traded punts, Chase County started its third possession at its own 6-yard line. Looking at a third-and-long deep in their own territory, the Bulldogs attempted to pass their way out of it.
But Chase County sophomore quarterback Shawn Talkington had his pass tipped at the line of scrimmage, intercepted by Lyndon’s Alex Wendling, and Wendling ran it back 11 yards for the Tigers’ second touchdown of the night.
“I thought we came out pretty good,” Wendling said of the Lyndon defense. “We filled holes, hustled to the ball, didn’t let their passing game affect us to much. ... We just tried to not let them have big plays.”
Kade Neilson intercepted a Talkington pass on the Bulldogs’ next possession, setting Lyndon up at the Chase County 25-yard line. Neilson needed just one play to run 25 yards for the score, giving Lyndon a 21-0 lead after the first quarter.
Chase County was able to crack the scoring column not quite 3 minutes into the second quarter when Talkington hit junior Alec Wold for a 40-yard scoring pass. The point-after was blocked, keeping Lyndon ahead 21-6.
Lyndon and Nielson answered back with two more scores in the second quarter. Neilson capped an eight-play drive with a 7-yard touchdown run and a five-play drive with a 6-yard touchdown run. Neilson led the Tigers into halftime up 35-6, carrying the ball 17 times for 106 yards and three touchdowns.
The rain hit Cottonwood Falls just before the start of the second half, and with it came sloppy play from both teams.
Chase County had punts blocked on its first two possessions, setting Lyndon up with the ball at the Bulldog 10. Lyndon quarterback Shea Kirsop capped both drives with rushing touchdowns. When Kirsop was lifted toward the end of the third quarter, with Lyndon comfortably ahead 48-6, freshman quarterback Curtis Wendling had trouble holding on to a slick football. Lyndon never turned the ball over, however, and continued to eat the clock.
The Bulldogs capped the scoring with just over 3 minutes remaining in the third quarter when Talkington hit junior Greg Davis on fourth-and-11. Davis, fighting for the first down, was able to break loose from the pack and headed down the sideline. Chase County senior Brian Palermo sprinted down the sideline, laying a block on a Lyndon defender, freeing Davis for the 73-yard touchdown.
The two-point conversion attempt failed leaving the score at 48-12.
Neilson finished the game with 24 carries for 134 yards and three touchdowns and added an interception.
“Basically we just trusted each other,” Neilson said of the defense. “We haven’t really been trusting each other, but this time we really did our own work.”
Lyndon 48, Chase County 12 Lyndon 21 14 13 0 — 48
Chase Co. 0 6 6 0 — 12
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing — Lyndon: Kade Neilson 24-134, 2 TDs; Keene Niemack 5-96, 1 TD; Shea Kirsop 5-22, 2 TDs; Curtis Wendling 6-20; Brown 1-3; Woodruff 1-1; Walsh 1-(-2). CC: Brian Palermo 14-110; Nathan Phipps 6-27; Shawn Talkington 1-(-5); Lang 1-(-3); Growkett 1-(-2).
Passing — Lyndon: Kirsop 1-2 34. CC: Talkington 2-13-3 113.
Receiving — Lyndon: Niemack 1-34. CC: Davis 1-73 TD; Wold 1-40 TD.