Columbus took its first drive down the field and punched it in. It was the first points allowed by Lisbon this season.
And the last points for the Wildcats on Friday, Sept. 13, at Walmer Field. Lisbon won, 49-6.
“I thought we weren’t playing to our full potential at the beginning,” senior lineman Ethan Hoekstra said. “Then later on in the game, we gained enough energy, scored touchdowns left and right, and smacked them right back in the mouth.”
Columbus (1-2, 0-1) was expected to be one of the teams to challenge the Lions in Class A District 5. “That was good for our defense,” coach Dylan Hastings said of the Wildcat touchdown, a 5-yard plunge by Riley Kaalberg that capped a 6-play, 80-yard drive. “I wouldn’t say I was happy, but it was good we were able to overcome adversity.”
After piling up 80 yards on that first drive, Colum bus only had 112 more yards the rest of the game. “We just responded,” senior linebacker Jacob Walerius said. “We filled holes and stopped the ball. Tackle, tackle, tackle.
“We tackled.”
After the first Lisbon drive ended at the Columbus 11-yard-line, the next two went for touchdowns. The first on a 55-yard option keeper by quarterback Dakota Clark, and the second on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Clark to Quinn Coleman.
The second TD was set up by a blocked punt. Coleman blocked it and Tiernan Boots recovered.
Up 14-6, the Lions scored twice in the final five minutes of the second quarter. First, Clark scored on a 39-yard punt return. “He is electric,” Hastings said of Clark. “The thing with Dakota, you get the ball in that kids’ hands, and you never know what is going to happen. “He’s really comfortable back there. We can count on him.”
There are not many starting quarterbacks who also return punts … but Clark enjoys the added responsibility.
“My coaches just really trust me to handle the ball,” Clark said. “It felt good to finally get on my feet and trust my instincts. I really hit it hard and then my guys blocked for me so I could do my job.”
Lisbon (3-0, 1-0) leaned on its two-minute offense to finish off the first half, going 56 yards in four plays– all passes by Clark.
Clark connected with Gage Holub twice, including a three-yard TD pass with 30 seconds left in the half.
Clark finished the game 10-of-13 passing for 120 yards. Boots finished with 238 rushing yards on 18 carries.
“It helps when we hit one thing a lot, then go back to the other and they are not really expecting it,” Clark said. “We have a bunch of different athletes, a bunch of different weapons. We can hurt them all over.”
Lisbon added three more touchdowns in the third quarter. Clark connected with Grayson Wollum for a 16-yard TD, Boots had a 61yard TD run and a 40-yard TD. Holub kicked all seven extra points. It was 49-6 at the start of the final quarter, and the continuous clock ensured it didn’t last long.
“The boys had a great week of practice, and they knew it was going to be a good game,” Hastings said. “They were ready for this game, and I think that showed tonight.”
The Lions next travel to Highland on Sept. 20. The Huskies are 2-1, with wins over North Cedar and Van Buren County and a loss to Danville. Lisbon beat them 57-6 last fall.
“This entire week we were talking that (Columbus) were one of our best games we were going to see all year,” Hoekstra said. “That didn’t matter. We put up 49. It didn’t matter at the end of the day. It was a huge statement game.”