Central Lyon proves to be too much for the Lions

(Above) Clear Lake senior Carson Toebe evades a sack from Central Lyon/George-Little Rock senior Rex Van Wyheduring Friday night’s game. Photo by Josh Harrell - Northwest Iowa Review

by Marianne Gasaway

Too big.  Too fast.  Too strong.

That’s the way Clear Lake Head Football Coach Jared DeVries summed up Clear Lake’s second round opponent.  The bigger, faster, stronger Central Lyon/George-Little Rock Lions defeated Clear Lake, 42-7, Friday night in Rock Rapids.

“Give ‘em credit, they’ve got a very good football team.  Our guys had a great year and there is a lot to be proud of,” said DeVries, whose team ended the season with a 6-4 record.

Pre-season polls listed Central Lyon as the top Class 2A team after an 11-1 season that saw the Lions fall in the 2020 2A finals.  Although they were ranked 10th in the final 2021 Radio Iowa poll, they still have to be considered a contender this year.

Quarterback Zach Lutmer, Class 2A’s 2020 Player of the Year, directed the Central Lyon offense to 274-yards of offense.  Clear Lake managed just 77.  Lutmer completed seven of 11 pass attempts for 160-yards against Clear Lake.

Central Lyon marched 68-yards on 15 plays for the game’s first score and never looked back.  

Clear Lake went three-and-out on both of their first quarter possession while Central Lyon scored on both of theirs for a 14-0 lead through one period.  Less than two-minutes into the second quarter they added another touchdown, 21-0.  An interception set the stage for a fourth score from 31-yards out and by midway through the second quarter the running clock rule came into play when Central Lyon made it 35-0.

Clear Lake players refused to quit and mounted an impressive drive in then closing minutes of the half.  

Titan Schmitt returned a Central Lyon kickoff from the 18 to the 41 to give his team their best field position of the night.  A 13-yard Carson Toebe to Jagger Schmitt pass completion seemed to give the team a bit of momentum and fueled seven more plays which took the ball to the Central Lyon 20.  The continuous clock forced Toebe to launch deep passes and after one fell incomplete in the engine with 26-seconds remaining a final attempt was intercepted as time ran out.

The second half was more of the same, as Toebe was intercepted on Clear Lake’s first possession and Reece VanderZee raced 82-yards for a touchdown, making the score 42-0.

Clear Lake’s defense kept hustling until the bitter end and in the third quarter forced Central Lyon into a rare punting situation.  The Lion offense responded to the effort with its only touchdown in the game, an eight play, 54-yard drive.  Jagger Schmitt ran the ball in from the 10 and Kinnick Clabaugh sent the PAT through the uprights for the 42-7 final score.  Schmitt carried the ball 14 times in the game for 60-yards.  He was the only Clear Lake ball carrier to finish with positive yardage.

Toebe was eight-for-21 passing for 39-yards.  Schmitt caught two passes for 16-yards, Ben Loge had one for 18 and Zeke Nelson had one reception for six-yards.

Schmitt was also a major contributor on the defense side of the ball with three tackles and two assists.  Jacob Myers led the 

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team with four tackles and four assists.  Jett Neuberger had two tackles and two assists, while Toebe and Jacob Schoby each had two tackles.  Hunter Rieck finished with one tackle and six assists.

“We tried it all against them, but they are a heck of a team,” said Coach DeVries.

Next up for Central Lyon (7-3) is a rematch with District 1 winner West Lyon, Inwood (8-2) Friday night.  On Sept. 17 West Lyon edged Central Lyon, 14-12.  Since that defeat, Central Lyon has outscored their opponents, 292-56.

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