When Lisbon needed a big play and a big drive Friday at Pekin, it got both.
It helped the Lions win 17-7 and improve to 5-0 overall, and 4-0 in Class A, District 5.
“Our boys hung tough,” Lisbon Coach Dylan Hastings said. “I’m glad we had a game like that. It shows what we are made of as a team. It was good to see them gut things out.”
Lisbon was leading 10-7 and got the ball back at the start of the fourth quarter.
But the first two plays had them going the wrong way. There was a fumble they recovered for a loss, then a sack, and then a penalty. It added up third-and-28 from their own 17.
But Dakota Clark connected with Baylor Speidel for a 37-yard wheel route out of the backfield, and a first down.
“I called a time out,” Hastings said. “Every single one of our kids have the potential to make a big play. It was a great catch by Baylor, and an even better ball by Dakota. He put it only where he could catch it.”
After that, the Lions ran 13 plays, all runs, and finished the clock-consuming drive with a 4-yard TD run by Clark with 2:17 left to play.
“We were able to do what we do best,” Hastings said. “Our offensive line is big and strong. I have faith in them.”
That line, for the record, is LT Evan Coleman, LG Blake Harms, C Jacob Walerius, RG Indiana Ferguson, RT Jonah Reilling.
“They took up most of the fourth quarter,” Hastings said. “Grinding.”
Hastings also credited Speidel and Henry Neymeyer for running between the tackles and getting tough yards.
“Baylor is a fast back, but he can put his nose down,” Hastings said. “And Henry, he’s a hammer.”
Pekin (3-2, 2-2) got the ball back with 1:49 to play, trailing by two scores, but couldn’t muster even one first down. Matthias Kohl had a big sack on third down.
Lisbon had the last touchdown, and also the first.
Just 14 seconds into the game, the Lions took the lead thanks to an 82-yard kickoff return by Tiernan Boots.
“Tiernan is fast and speedy and can put his foot in the ground and make a cut,” Hastings said. “Our guys got back with speed and picked up their blocks.”
Gage Holub added a 37-yard field goal in the second quarter, and the Lions led at halftime 10-7.
Between the explosive start to the game and the rugged finish, much of the rest was a bit of a slog between two hard-nosed teams.
“Kudos to Pekin, they scouted us really well,” Hastings said. “It was one of those games, it felt like, we were not in control of it. But our boys gutted it out.”
Speidel finished with 54 rushing yards. Clark had 66 and Neymeyer 32. Clark was also 9-of-14 passing for 95 yards.
This Friday, the Lions welcome Wapello (1-4, 1-3) for homecoming.
“These moments are so important, to hand out with friends, all the activities,” Hastings said. “Despite all the hype of homecoming, I know we’ll be focused on Wapello.”
Lions 17, Panthers 7
TEAM STATISTICS
LIS PEK
First downs 16 11
Rush yds. 152 105
Pass yds. 81 99
Att.-Cmp.-Int. 9-14-0 7-16-1
Total yards 233 204
Fumbles-list 2-1 1-0
Pen.-yds. 7-65 1-5
Punts-ave. 2-38.5 3-42.7
Lisbon 7 3 0 7 – 17
Pekin 0 7 0 0 – 7
L – Tiernan Boots 82-yard kickoff return (Gage Holub kick)
L – Holub 37 FG.
P – Will Adam 31-yard run (Isaac Gentry kick)
L – Dakota Clark 1-yard run (Holub kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing – Lisbon: Dakota Clark 20-66, Baylor Speidel 14-54, Henry Neymeyer 5-32. Pekin: Will Adam 13-90, Sven Dahlstrom 6-11, Henry Adam 2-3, Carson Comstock 1-2, Riley Smith 1-(-1).
Passing – Lisbon: Dakota Clark 9-14-95-0. Pekin: Will Adam 5-13-94-1, Henry Adam 1-124-0, Carson Comstock 1-1-12-0, Riley Smith 0-1-0-0.
Receiving – Lisbon: Tiernan Boots 3-15, Baylor Speidel 2-38, Reid Fridley 2-15, Matthias Kohl 1-16, Michael Gadberry 1-11. Pekin: Deklan Hampton 3-84, Robert Brown 2-10, Sven Dahlstrom 1-24, Henry Adam 1-12.
Lisbon FB Agate Lions 17, Panthers 7 TEAM STATISTICS LIS PEK First downs 16 11 Rush yds. 152 105 Pass yds. 81 99 Att.-Cmp.-Int. 9-14-0 7-16-1 Total yards 233 204 Fumbles-list 2-1 1-0 Pen.-yds. 7-65 1-5 Punts-ave. 2-38.5 3-42.7 Lisbon 7 3 0 7 – 17 Pekin 0 7 0 0 – 7 L – Tiernan Boots 82-yard kickoff return (Gage Holub kick) L – Holub 37 FG. P – Will Adam 31-yard run (Isaac Gentry kick) L – Dakota Clark 1-yard run (Holub kick) INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing – Lisbon: Dakota Clark 20-66, Baylor Speidel 14-54, Henry Neymeyer 5-32. Pekin: Will Adam 13-90, Sven Dahlstrom 6-11, Henry Adam 2-3, Carson Comstock 1-2, Riley Smith 1-(-1). Passing – Lisbon: Dakota Clark 9-14-95-0. Pekin: Will Adam 5-13-94-1, Henry Adam 1-124-0, Carson Comstock 1-1-12-0, Riley Smith 0-1-0-0. Receiving – Lisbon: Tiernan Boots 3-15, Baylor Speidel 2-38, Reid Fridley 2-15, Matthias Kohl 1-16, Michael Gadberry 1-11. Pekin: Deklan Hampton 3-84, Robert Brown 2-10, Sven Dahlstrom 1-24, Henry Adam 1-12.
Lisbon’s Baylor Speidel (No. 22) tackles a Pekin player in play last week.