Lions assured a play-off berth with win over IF-A

A solid second half lifted the Clear Lake Lions to an important Class 3A, District 3 victory over Iowa Falls-Alden Friday night.  The 19-7 win assured the Lions (4-1, 6-2) of a play-off berth.  The Cadets, who are also likely play-off bound, slipped to 3-2 in the District and 4-4 overall.  The win left the Lions tied for the District lead with Humboldt with one game remaining in the regular season.  Clear Lake will host Algona, while the Wildcats will take on winless Charles City.  Humboldt is in the 

driver’s seat to claim the district title, based on their head-to-head win over the Lions.  

“It was a great game for us,” said Coach Fred Wieck after the game. “There was adversity, we adjusted. We took care of ourselves.  I’m proud of them.”

Adversity came in the form of a 40-minute rain and lightning delay near the end of a scoreless first half.  Players were pulled from the field at 8:11 p.m. with 3:34 left to play in the second quarter.

Adversity continued after the half when the Cadets scored on their first possession after the break.  They moved the ball 77 yards on nine plays.  The touchdown and kick put the home team up, 7-0.

The Lions responded with a touchdown drive of their own on the following possession.  Cody Maulsby scored the first of his two touchdowns on the night with a four-year run into the end zone.  Logan Kracht kicked the extra point to knot the score.  The eight-play, 74-yard drive was the Lions’ only score in the third.

Kracht’s sure-footedness extended the winning margin in the final quarter.  He was successful on fieldgoal attempts of 26 and 42-yards in the fourth quarter to push the Lion lead to 13-7 with 7:30 remaining in the game.  The 42-yard kick was his longest of the year.

The Lion defense made a key stop at the 5:00 mark of the final quarter which gave Clear Lake the ball back at their own 25.   The Lion offense refused to let up.  Brock Adams directed a five-play, 70-yard drive which included his longest pass play of the year, a 62-yarder to  Maulsby which moved the ball to the Cadet eight.  Three plays later Adams completed a one-yard pass to Maulsby in the endzone.  A two-point conversion try was no good, resulting in the 19-7 score.

Maulsby finished the game with a team-high 88-yards rushing on 27 carries.  Chase Lester had 45-yards on nine carries.  Adams ran the ball six times for 22-yards and was 14/22 passing for 244-yards.  Maulsby was also the leading receiver, with eight receptions for 120 yards.  Lester had four catches for 63 and Gavin Sheakley caught two passes for 61-yards.  Sheakley and Chandler Diercks each carried the ball for five-yards, while Carter Hand picked up 10-yards on three attempts.

Diercks had a big night on defense, - Read More Via e-Edition