Lions run only 2 offensive plays in opening quarter but jump out to 21-0 lead and advance to quarterfinals with 56-12 win
Mike Condon
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LISBON — Statistics are often misleading.
Case in point: Lisbon’s Class A second-round game against Bellevue on Friday night at Walmer Field.
The visiting Comets racked up more than 300 yards passing and had 20 first downs. The one thing they did not have — enough points.
No. 4 Lisbon ran only two offensive plays the entire first quarter, but jumped to a 21-0 lead on an 81-yard touchdown run from senior Tiernan Boots and a pair of interception returns for scores en route to a 56-12 victory.
With the win, the Lions earned a spot in the quarterfinals, where they will meet Madrid (8-2) next Friday. The Tigers advanced with a 33-0 win over Pekin.
Bellevue closes its season at 7-3.
Between the 20-yard lines, Bellevue’s quick-hit passing game was able to make some gains against Lisbon's defense.
Once they hit the red zone, it was a different story. The Comets were denied three times in the first half inside the Lisbon 20.
“That has been the name of the game for our defense,” said Lions Coach Dylan Hastings. “The motto for our defense has been bend but not break.
“Bellevue is a big-play team. They are going to spread you out and try to throw it deep. I challenged the boys all week long to keep things in front of them and when we get them in the red zone, we can stop them and we did tonight.”
Boots said the defensive discipline comes from a lot of film study.
“We're watching film all the time,” he said. “We knew if we could stop the run and do our job against the pass, they would try and do some unconventional stuff to try and get that big play.”
After Boots’ 81-yard scamper put the Lions up 7-0, the defense made a pair of spectacular plays that resulted in scores. On the first play after Boots’ score, Daylin Schaefer jumped a route and went 21 yards for a score.
On the next series, Gage Holub jumped to deflect a pass, then came down with the ball and raced 85 yards for another score to make it 21-0 with 2:11 left in the first quarter.
“They had that big-play potential,” Boots said, “but we stuck with our plan and they didn't get that much.”
The Lisbon offense was pretty strong as well. Boots made the most of 18 carries, running for 242 yards and four touchdowns.
Quarterback Dakota Clark was efficient, hitting on 6 of 7 passes for 127 yards and a score. He also scored on a 33-yard run.
Bellevue quarterback Cal Bonifas completed 31 of 45 passes for 265 yards. Comets receiver Keenan Kilburg had 17 catches for 148 yards.
“It was just a total team effort,” Hastings said. “I'm proud of the way they responded tonight and the best thing is that we get to keep playing. You can't ask for anything more than that.”
Lisbon 56, Bellevue 12
(At Lisbon)
B L
First downs 20 15
Rushes-yards 15-25 25-295
Passing yards 304 127
Comp-Att-Int 33-47-2 6-7-0
Punts-Avg. 2-46.0 0-00.0
Fumbles-lost 1-0 0-0
Penalties-Yards 7-80 3-32
Bellevue 0 6 0 6 — 12
Lisbon 21 14 14 7 — 56
L — Tiernan Boots 81 run (Gage Holub kick)
L — Daylin Schaefer 21 interception return (Holub kick)
L — Holub 85 interception return (Holub kick)
L — Boots 1 run (Holub kick)
B — Jaden Baskin 2 run (pass failed)
L — Boots 3 run (Holub kick)
L — Dakota Clark 33 run (Holub kick)
L — Holub 19 pass from Clark (Holub kick)
L — Boots 33 run (Holub kick)
B — Keenan Kilburg 2 pass from Cal Bonifas (pass failed)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Bellevue: Jaden Baskin 10-39, Keenan Kilburg 2-(minus 2), Cal Bonifas 3-(minus 12). Lisbon: Tiernan Boots 18-242, Dakota Clark 5-52, Quinn Coleman 1-2, Team 1-(minus 1).
PASSING — Bellevue: Cal Bonifas 31-45-2-265, Keenan Kilburg 1-1-0-35, Jack Kirk 1-1-0-4. Lisbon: Dakota Clark 6-7-0-127.
RECEIVING — Bellevue: Keenan Kilburg 17-148, Jack Kirk 5-49, Gavin Gulliams 5-74, KeShawn DeShaw 3-8, Jaden Baskin 3-35 Lisbon: Gage Holub 4-74, Daylin Schaefer 2-53.