Lisbon has a simple formula for when the opponent puts the ball on the ground.
“We call them country fumbles and city fumbles,” Lisbon coach Dylan Hastings said. “The players know, if the ball is on the ground, and no one is around them, scoop it up and try to score. “If it is in traffic, fall on it, and let our offense do its thing. “We have smart kids making smart plays.”
No. 4 Lisbon had two returns for touchdowns (on country fumbles) in the first half against Starmont on Friday, Oct. 25, and those big plays helped deliver a 49-0 Class A first-round playoff win at Walmer Field.
The first one was a 28-yard return by Tiernan Boots with 4:21 left in the first quarter. The next was just three plays later, when senior Evan Coleman scooped it up and took it in from two yards
out to make it 21-0.
“The same kind of play happened my sophomore year at North Cedar, and I got ankle bit at the 1,” Coleman said. “So, I was happy I was able to not get tripped up.”
The touchdown was the first of his football career.
“It couldn’t have happened at a better time,” Coleman said. “First
round of the playoffs ain’t too bad.”
If that wasn’t enough, the Lions added another defensive touchdown when senior Riley Stone came up with a 35-yard interception return in the second quarter.
Starmont was punting on 4th-and-4 from their own 48, but the snap was off, and punter Jass Tommasin tried to salvage the play by passing it downfield rather than take the sack.
Stone, a nose guard, came up with it, and returned it to the house.
“It was a surreal experience,” Stone said. “It happened so fast, and I just wasn’t expecting that to happen.
“Just lucky, I guess. Right place, right time.” Add on to those three turnovers for touchdowns a fumbled punt return — recovered by Quinn Coleman — that led to a 34-yard TD pass from Clark to Coleman … and a Clark interception that led to a 34-yard TD run by Boots.
By halftime it was 42-0.
“Kudos to the kids,” Hastings said. “One day a week we’re working on tackles, and another we’re working on turnovers. The guys have bought in and give it 100 percent. It shows up on Friday nights.”
“We do a lot of turnover drills in practice,” Evan Coleman said. “We practice punching the ball, ripping the ball.”
Lisbon (9-0) added a final touchdown on its first drive of the second half. Clark sprinted 61 yards to the end zone to make
it 49-0. Gage Holub was 7-for-7 on extra points.
In addition to the turnovers, the Lions kept the shutout.
“Coach always tells us to keep a goose egg on the board,” Stone said. “A big ole zero. And we try our best every time.” Lisbon has posted five shutouts this season and has given up 34 total points over nine games.
“We pride ourselves in our defense being good,”
Coleman said. “It is good to see another zero on the board.”
The offense was efficient Friday against the Stars. Clark was 3-for-4 passing with two touchdowns. The 34-yard toss to Coleman, plus a 43-yard strike to Grayson Wollum. Holub had the third catch for 20 yards.
Clark had 93 rushing yards on just five carries, and Boots finished with 101 yards on 19 totes.
“This is such a special group,” Hastings said. “We are so explosive offensively. The defensive side of the ball is a mentality thing. Just pursuing the ball; being relentless.”
The Lions earned another game at Walmer Field. They host Bellevue (7-2) on Friday, Nov. 1. The Comets beat Danville 43-7 in the first round. Lisbon beat Danville in district play, 50-7, in Week 7.
“We feel pretty good,” Stone said. “We can go all the way. I have faith in our team.”
“We’re ready for the next team that comes our way,” Coleman said.