Leonardo
By RYAN SWENAR
- THE REVIEW TIMES
KANSAS — Lakota’s Raiders are getting better, but they aren’t quite ready to win. Despite positive plays, the fledgling Raiders gave up two scores on special teams Friday night in a 34-7 loss to Seneca East in Midland Athletic League play.
The win moved the Tigers to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in league play, while Lakota fell to 0-7 and 0-5.
“Tonight we were better, but you’ve still got to do it for four quarters,” Lakota coach Jim Kelly said. “We’re getting there. At the beginning of the season we were very inexperienced. We’re getting more experienced and we’re getting there, but it just wasn’t tonight.”
Seneca East freshman quarterback Ethan Caudill menaced the Raiders all night with 11-for-17 passing, 133 yards and three touchdowns.
After a Raiders personal foul put the Tigers on Lakota’s 15 yard line, Caudill found wide receiver Jacob Michaels in the end zone in the waning moments of the first quarter to open the scoring. The PAT was wide left.
Nick Ray picked off a Chris Robbins pass two plays later to give possession back to the Tigers on the Raiders’ 47 yard line.
Ray finished off the 53-yard drive himself when he eluded a defender and caught a Caudill pass for a 15-yard score. Tyler Johnson’s kick gave Seneca East a 13-0 advantage.
However, the Raiders gave themselves a chance to salvage the game five minutes into the second quarter.
Robbins rushed five times for 59 yards before handing off to put his team at the 1. Robbins twice handed off to junior Logan Greiner, who was able to punch through to the end zone on his second try. Dylan Alexander’s PAT cut the deficit to 13-7.
Robbins rushed for 128 yards and was 8-for-17 passing for 101 yards and an interception.
Any momentum Lakota had was crushed when Seneca East’s Greg Straub returned the second-half opening kickoff 78 yards for the touchdown. Johnson’s kick was good.
Straub also scored on a 40-yard bomb from Caudill returned a punt for 80 yards in the with with 5:04 remaing in the game. Johnson made both kicks.
The closest the Raiders came to scoring again was on the opening play of the fourth quarter. Facing fourth down, Lakota opted to try for a field goal, but Edmond Racheter’s kick flew straight into his offensive line.
“We’re taking it one at a time,” Kelly said. “But when you give up plays like that, it’s not a football game.”