Lions maul Mohawks in season opener

(Above) Clear Lake Quarterback Jaylen DeVries hands the ball off to the capable hands of Alex Snelling during Friday night’s showdown against Mason City.  -Reporter photos by Chris Barragy

Senior Speed Toyne scored six touchdowns, helping the Clear Lake Lions to maul Mason City in the 2017 football season opener Friday night, Aug. 26.  The Lions amassed 419-yards of offense and the defense held their opponent to 267-yards in a 55-22 victory.

The Lions dominated every aspect of the game and scored on all but one possession.

Clear Lake set the tone for the game early, as senior Zach Lester intercepted Mohawk quarterback Danny Kamm at midfield on their first drive.  Toyne scored the first of his half-dozen TDs on a one-yard scamper into the end zone.

Mason City answered the first challenge the Lions provided.  Kamm ran the ball 55-yards and then hit Noah DeMaris for a six-yard pass to knot the score at 6-6.

It was all Lions after that.

Toyne was back in the end zone a second time in the first quarter, capping a 79-yard drive.  A successful two-point conversion made the score 14-6.  Two-minutes into the second quarter, a 46-yard run set up a third score by Toyne.  Five minutes later, he found pay dirt again, making the score 28-6.

With a touchdown from sophomore Nick Danielson and yet another one-yard run to the end zone from Toyne with :22 remaining on the clock, the Lions took a 42-6 lead into halftime.

It was more of the same in the second half as the Lions continued to dominate with a running clock keeping the game moving.

Sophomore quarterback Jaylen DeVries connected with Lester for a 50-yard pass in the third quarter, setting up Toyne six score on a three-yard run, 48-6.

Mason City interrupted the steamroller as Kamm used a 50-yard pass to DeMaris and a two-point conversion to make the score 48-14.

With 9:04 to go the Lions struck again.  This time a 45-yard pass from DeVries to Danielson set up a touchdown by Alex Snelling.

The Mohawks pulled off a 63-yard drive for the final, 55-22.

Toyne’s career night included 167-yards on 27 carries.  Snelling finished with 34-yards bn 13 touches, while Danielson had 28-yards on two totes.  Landon Lovstad ran once for 14-yards.

DeVries was five-for-nine passing for 176-yards.  Danielson had two receptions for a total of 84-yards, while Lester had two for 59 and Drew Enke made one catch for 33-yards.

Lester and Lovetad each had an interception in the game.  Lester made three of six PAT attempts; he was successful in a pair of two-point conversions.

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The Lion defense was balanced.  Austin Larson, a sophomore, made four solo tackles, while Dalton Grell and Joey Monson each had two.  The trio each made three tackle assists.  Lovstad was also credited with three tackle assists.  Jack Barragy, Spencer Christensen and Dalton Mennenga had one solo tackle apiece.  Barragy, along with Braxton Doebel, Ryan Thomas and Snelling each had a tackle assist.

The win over Mason City helped to put the Lions at number 10 in Class 2A in the first Associated Press Iowa high school football poll of the season.  They will be tested this week, as they travel to Webster City Friday night to take on Webster City, rated number 6 in Class 3A.

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