The Lisbon varsity football squad traveled to Pekin Friday, delivering the Panthers a stinging 58-7 loss, and starting their own weekend off 5-1.
“Our offense did really well,” said Lions head coach Phil Whitman. “I thought that was one of the best offensive performances we’ve had this year.”
“I thought our defense played pretty well,” he added.
Whitman mentioned there are still improvements to be made to his team as they gear up for the playoffs.
The Lions scored early and often. Their opening salvo was a touchdown run from quarterback Cohen Kamaus, running the ball to the end zone from the Panthers’ 13-yard line. Kamaus then attempted the point after touchdown, again entering the end zone, this time from the six. Lisbon was up 8-0 with just under 10 minutes to go in the first quarter.
Kamaus and the Lions struck again in the form of a 44-yard trek by Kamaus from the Pekin 47 past the goal line, chalking up another six points with 5:10 remaining in the first. The point after effort came up short, but Lisbon was up 14-0.
With only 31 seconds remaining in the opening period, Gavin Wollum, now at the quarterback position, threw a 10-yard dagger to Aiden Hanson for a seven-yard touchdown to put the team up 20-0. Wollum completed the two-point conversion, sneaking six yards into the end zone to make it 22-0.
The Panthers put themselves on the board with a one-yard touchdown poke with 8:46 left in the second quarter, and with a successful point-after, the score was now 22-7. The touchdown would be the only points scored by Pekin.
It took the Lions just over a minute to respond, as Gavin Wollum handed off to Jamien Moore at the 34 for a 30-yard touchdown run. Wollum followed up with a quick two-point conversion run to make it 30-7.
A 31-yard pass from Kamaus to Hanson connected a few minutes later, with Hanson taking it into the ‘zone and putting another six points on the board with 4:41 remaining until the half and a 36-7 lead.
The Lions scored a modest one touchdown in the third, with Moore again scoring with a four-yard endzone trip. Gage Hollub put in the point-after, and Lisbon went into the fourth quarter up 43-7.
A handoff from Wollum to Moore in the fourth found Moore once again running into the familiar endzone for a 12-yard touchdown. Hollub was again good for the extra point, with the Lions now leading 50-7.
Dakota Clark and Baylor Speidel took their turn in the game’s final minute of play, with Clark handing off to Speidel at the Lisbon 33, and Speidel delivering the ball 61 yards into the endzone to make it 56-7. Brandon Caspers added a three-yard point-after run to put the game at 58-7, as the clock ticked down to nothing.
The Lions will next face Starmont at Starmont Friday night at 7 p.m.