The Superior Express -

Impressed by the amount of scoring done this year by the L-N Raider football team ? ? ?

Well, after last Friday's 70-43 victory over Giltner, I surely was. In fact at half time I commented just where the score of the game might end.

I was reminded by a fan that it might just take some doing to beat that game of several years ago when L-N scored 90 point, also against Giltner.

My memory, not being as good as it should made me go home and look up scores from the past several years and there it was. Just over three years ago, L-N defeated Giltner 96-50.

The 2021 edition of the game didn't quite see that many point scored, but it was the third time of the season more than 100 points have been scored in a game. It erased the loss of 2020 when the Raider 'COVID-19 ridden' team of just freshmen and sophomores traveled to Giltner and were defeated. This year's scoring summary:

L-N 6 36 28 0 = 70

Giltner 8 14 6 15 = 43

This game was one of deception and looked to be a 'defensive' struggle in that first period when each team had possession twice and each scored once.

From there, scoring escalated and the Raiders scored on their next nine consecutive possession all the while keeping a big Giltner offense off the scoreboard often enough to earn the win.

The Raider defense was not perfect, but for all but three plays kept Giltner's offense off balance. Those three plays gave Giltner half of their offensive yardage and almost half of their points. It is hard to point out defensive players who played any better than any other, but in this game several notable defensive efforts were from Nolan Ostdiek, Toby Kotinek, Tyson Kotinek, Wyatt Brockman, Rocky Miller and Krayton Kucera.

L-N scored on ten of 12 possessions as follows:

TD 1: After an opening kick-off by L-N, Giltner soon punting, a 3-play drive ended with Krayton Kucera's 28 yard run. The possession was aided by a 24 yard Kucera to Connor Janda pass play. PAT failed. 6-0.

TD 2: Giltner used 17 plays and over seven minutes of clock time to score. 6-8.

L-N used seven plays stretched over the end of the first period and into the second period. A 14 yard pass from Kucera to Bargen scored with 10:47 on the clock. A Kucera to Tyson Kotinek PAT pass was good. 14-8.

TD 3: Giltner used ten plays to score and the game was tied at 14-14 with 6:46 on the clock.

A short kick by Giltner put L-N just 39 yards away from the end zone. Kucera picked up 33 of those yards in one run and then bucked the ball over the goal line for a one yard run. Toby Kotinek ran the PAT. 22-14.

TD 4: Giltner recovered quickly needing only one play (a 65 yard pass play) to score and with the PAT, the score was tied again, this time at 22-22.

Bargen returned the Giltner kickoff 32 yards, but L-N soon faced a 4th and 6 yards to go situation that they solved with a 40 yard TD pass from Kucera to Erik Wheeland. The PAT failed. Score: 28-22.

TD 5: Giltner fumbled on their first play after the kickoff and Toby Kotinek smothered the fumbled ball. Three plays later Toby skirted the right end for a five yard TD Run and then caught the PAT pass from Kucera. Score: 36-24.

TD 6: After Clay Williams knocked down a Giltner pass attempt, Toby Kotinek found a Giltner fumble lose on the ground and recovered it for L-N. Toby then caught two passes for a total of 22 yards and ran a nine yard play, allowing Kucera to race into the end zone on a one yard run. The PAT failed and with 0:25 left in the first half, the score was 42-22.

TD 7: Baylin Bargen received the second half kickoff for the Raiders and returned it 40 yards. Three plays later Kucera ran for 24 yards to score. Bargen ran the PAT. Score: 50-22.

TD 8: Giltner punted after three downs and L-N took over the ball on their own 37 yard line. One play (a 43 yard Kucera to Bargen Pass) was all that was needed to score. The PAT failed. Score 56-22.

TD 9: Giltner quickly followed suit and used one play (a 48 yard pass) to score making the game 56-28.

Passing seemed popular at this point in the game and soon Kucera connected with Tyson Kotinek for a 41 yard TD pass. The PAT was a Kucera to Toby Kotinek pass. Score: 64-28.

TD 10: By now, both teams were using non-starters on both offense and defense. L-N got the ball with 4:20 on the clock. They used all but 19 seconds on a TD drive. Emelio Pano scored the TD on a three yard run with 0:19 on the clock. The PAT failed: Score: 70-28.

The entire fourth period was played by the Raider reserves. They played well, but gave up a 44 yard pass and a fumble to Giltner. Giltner scored their final TD with 0:19 seconds on the clock.

The victory was a good game for L-N. They gave up a couple of 'big' play to Giltner that amounted to half of the Giltner offense. L-N cut down on penalties and took advantage of the Giltner turnovers.

This week the Raiders entertain Osceola, a team with a 5-1 record. They are not in the Raider's District, but the game is an important game for the season. A good crowd would surely help the Raiders.

First Downs: L-N 10; Giltner 10.

Offense: Run: plays/yds.: L-N 28/184; Giltner 31/95.

In the right place, at the right time . . . Bayln Bargen has been a part of the Raider passing game all season. He is shown above about to receive a 14 yard TD pass early in the second period of last week's game against Giltner. Five Raiders were on the receiving end of the game against Giltner and accounted for 209 yards of offense for Lawrence-Nelson.

Offense: Pass: comp. /attempts: L/N 12/17; Giltner 15/26.

Offense: Passing yds.: L-N 209; Giltner 224.

Offense: Total: L-N 393; Giltner 319.

Passing: Had intercepted: L-N 0; Giltner 0

Fumbles/lost: L-N 1/0; Giltner 3/2.

Penalties/yds.: L-N 4/30; Giltner 3/40

Passing: Kucera: 12/17.

Rushing: Kucera 105 yards on 9 carries; Toby Kotinek 37 yards on 8 carries; Bargen 17 yds.; C. Janda 9 yds.; Devyn Zikmund 5 yds.; Pano 3 yds. Receiving: Baylin 3 for 63 yds.; Wheeland 1 for 40 yds.; Tyson Kotinek 3 for 52 yds.; Janda 1 for 26 yds. and Toby Kotinek 4 for 28 yds.

Defense: Tackles: (Assisted-Unassisted) Wyatt Brockman 1-3; Clay Williams 0-2; Emeilo Pane 1-0; Jacob Swift 2-0; Krayton Kucera 6-7; Baylin Bargen 0-1; Roy Davidson 4-1; Nolan Ostdiek 7-0; Erik Wheeland 2-3; Tyson Kotinek 7-1; Toby Kotinek 4-2; Devyn Zikmund 0-2;Rocky Miller 1-0; Keaton Mazour1-0; Trev Mueller 1-0; Cody Brockman 2-0; A J Koehler 3-1; Sawyer Cox 2-0; Aidan Zikmund 0-2; Wyatt Baker 1-0; Will Schaeffer 1-0.