Head Coach John Nichols and his staff finally ran out of the magic thread, which they had been using to keep their battered and banged up football team going the past four weeks. The Lions headed east (way east) to take on the defending state champs, and number one ranked
Burlington Cougars on Saturday, November 19, in the state semi-final game. The Lions were down to twenty-eight players that could suit up for the game, while the Cougars had sixty-seven standing on their sideline. But that inequity did not
did not stop Lyons from believing they could win; they have been playing bigger squads all year.
On this day however, Lyons hit a wave that was too big for them to overcome. The Lions started off well by taking the opening kickoff and driving down the field, picking up two tough first downs along the way. The first blow struck when quarterback Jordan Melani, who has been strong all year, got the ball ripped from him and the Cougars recovered the ball at midfield. The Lions defense fought the good fight but the Burlington offense slowly ground the ball down to the Lions 25-yard line. On a quarterback option play, the Cougars rolled to the right and slipped into the end zone and Cougars were up 7-0 early in the first quarter.
After a nice kick-off return by Levi Campbell to the 35-yard line, the Lions offense came on to get things going. But, a tough Cougar defense kept them pinned down and the Lions was forced to punt. The punt came off kicker Forrest Donnell foot flat, and only traveled to the Cougars 45-yard line, giving the home team great field position. Lightning struck again very quickly. On the second play of the drive, the Cougars passed to the middle of the field, and from there the receiver broke to the right and into the end zone. In less than five minutes the Cougars were up 14 to 0 on the Lions.
The Lions again couldn’t get anything going on offense and booted the ball away. Things went from bad to worse, when the Cougars returned the ball fifty yards for yet another TD, and with 2:05 left in the first quarter, the Lions found themselves on the wrong end of a 21 to 0 score.
Another good return by Campbell put the ball again on the 35-yard line. From there the Lions offense attempted to get back on track through the air. But after three incomplete passes, the Lions where back to punting the ball. Two plays later, Burlington was in the end zone again, this time on the heels of a forty yard run up the middle and the rout was on, down 28 to 0 with: 45 seconds left in the first quarter.
The only bright spot so far on this fast deteriorating day, a weary Campbell again got the Lions good field position on the kick-off return. But on the first snap of the ball, the Lions lost the handle and the Cougars recovered the fumble on the Lions 40-yard line. Nothing went the Lions way on this day, even when the Cougars fumbled the ball, it found its way back into Cougar hands, and the Lions could not catch any kind of a break. Burlington drove down and scored, but Lyons blocked the extra point. This small ray of light only served to rile the Cougars who were now up 34 to 0.
If anything could go wrong, it did go wrong. On the next drive, on the first play, Melani threw a swing pass to Donnell on the right side to the twenty-five yard line, but as Donnell was being tackled the ball popped loose, the Cougars scooped it up and, you guessed it, ran into the end zone, putting Lyons into an insurmountable 40 to 0 hole.
After losing junior Erik Blair to injury in the first quarter the Lions were dealt another big loss when Levi Campbell left the game, not to return, with a shoulder injury at the end of the second quarter. At the half, down 47-0 (almost double, what any team had scored on Lyons all year), the Lions had to figure out how to come out of this game with something. As they have done all year, our boys would not give up until the full 48 minutes had been played. This would prove to be a challenge, with a lot of banged up players and a running clock in the second half.
The second half began with more of the same for the visitors. The Lions kicked off, and on the first play from scrimmage, the Cougars took the ball to the house, putting themselves up 53 to 0. The goal now switched from winning the game, to not being shut out. Like they have done all year they put everything they had into it. Driving down the field the Lions got into the enad zone, and the board when Tom Nichols dove in from the 1-yard line. The Donnell extra point made it 53 to 7. The Lions defense held the Cougars and got the ball back.
After a nice thirty yard toss and run from Melani to Donnell the Lions found themselves on the Cougars 25-yard line. On the very next play Melani zipped a short pass to Marcos Rodriguez who rolled into the end zone. The extra point was no good when a low snap caused Melani to attempt the run in. But the Lions had made a statement by scoring again. Unfortunately, time was slipping away. The game ended with the Cougars beating the Lions 53 to 13.
Looking back, the Lions had a great season. They opened the season losing a close game to Lutheran Parker, but then went on a ten game win streak, beating arch rivals Yuma and Akron over the course of the year, to get to the state semi final game. They had great challenges put in front of them. Going into the playoffs, the Lions lost key starters Anthony Triffet and Kyle Dick to injuries. Levi Campbell, who had played on the line as an offensive guard for his entire high school career, was moved to running back during the playoffs and racked up ninety yards and two touch downs along with two blocked kicks, which he returned for scores. This year could not conclude without talking about how the younger players stepped in when needed. Players like sophomores Trent Poulsen, Logan Watson, Tom Nichols, and River Crane who all grew up fast this year and helped the team. Coach John Nichols and his staff did what they always seem to do; take a group of young men, find their strengths, understand where they are weak, and instill in them, the heart of a Lion. Then they put them on the field, guide them against teams that are much bigger and stronger than they, but always strengthening them, build them up, and showing them that first, you must have the heart, when that is there, the rest will take care if it’s self. Congratulations to the coaches, players and fans of Lions football, see you next year.
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