Lions pound the Cardinals

(Above) Clear Lake’s Alex Snelling (8) sprints for the endzone as three GHV players, Holden Larson (21), Isaac Knutson (28) and Jared Shaw (2), work to catch him.  -Reporter photos by Chris Barragy

In the days leading up to Friday night’s rivalry game between Clear Lake and Garner-Hayfield-Ventura the Lions’ coaching staff stressed game preparation and intensity.  The players delivered in a big way, overwhelming the Cardinals, 55-14 and improving to 2-1.

“It went better this week.  We have been preaching ‘one snap at a time with 100 percent effort’ and we played that way,” said Clear Lake Head Coach Jared DeVries, adding the Lions’ energy was markedly improved from their loss to Waverly-Shell Rock last week.

The proof was in the numbers, as the Lions racked up 527 yards of offense (300 through the air and 227 on the ground).  The Lion defense limited the Cards (1-2) to 217-yards of offense, provided almost exclusively by Jace Pringnitz, carrying the ball 22 times for 142-yards.

The Lions wasted no time establishing themselves as the superior team Friday, as they reached the end zone less than two-minutes after taking the opening kickoff.  Quarterback Jaylen DeVries connected on a 40-yard pass play to Kody Kearns to cap a five play, 65-yard drive.  It was the first of five TD passes DeVries would deliver in the game.  He completed nine of 13 pass attempts in the game for 292-yards.

Nick Danielson was DeVries’ second TD pass recipient.  A 10-yard pass play to Danielson resulted in Clear Lake’s second score with 7:48 remaining in the first quarter.  The lead grew to 21-0, as the Lion offense put the Cards on their heels with a mix of the run and the pass.  A 38-yard pass to Enke, followed with a completion to Tate Storbeck, opened the door for Alex Snelling to begin his assault on the ground.  Snelling scampered for gains of 16 and five-yards before DeVries returned to the air and hit Enke with an 18-yard touchdown pass.

The Cards finally broke into Lion territory as the clock wound down in the first quarter. They started the second inside the Lion 30.  Quarterback Landon Dalbeck found Brock Grouge on a pass play, which was boosted by an unsportsmanlike call against Clear Lake, and put the ball at the 12-yard line.  Gouge ran the ball in for a score from the seven. The PAT was blocked, making the score 12-6.

The score did nothing to derail the Lions, as they scored again in just three plays.  Storbeck caught a pass in the flats, cut inside, and with a key block by Enke, raced 76-yards for a touchdown, 27-6, with 9:58 remaining in the first half.  The big play lifted Storbeck to 99-yards on three receptions in the game.

Midway through the period the Lions did it again.  Snelling pounded the  ball in from the one-yard line to complete a seven play, 77-yard drive.  Kicker Hunter Nielson, who was five-for-six in PATs, put the ball through the uprights for a 34-6 score.

The Lion defense continued to hold the Cardinals in check as the first half ticked down.  After a three-and-out by the Cards, a fumble on the punt returned gave GHV new life at the Clear Lake 20-yard line.  Isaac Knutson broke away for a 15-yard touchdown run and a successful two-point conversion run by Pringnitz brought the Cards within 20, 34-14.

DeVries recorded his fifth touchdown pass with just :56 seconds remaining in the first half.  A rollout to Enke was good for a 76-yard score and a 41-14 halftime score.  At the break DeVries had amassed an epic 290-yards on nine pass completions.

The scoring slowed down, but Clear Lake continued to dominate in the second half.

A GHV fumble on the opening kickoff gave the Lions the ball early and Nick Danielson wasted no time making the Cards pay for the miscue.  He raced 81-yards for a TD, Clear Lake’s only score in the quarter.  Danielson finished with 81-yards on two carries in the game. He also had two receptions for 18-yards.

Alex Snelling got his second touchdown early in the fourth quarter on an 11-yard run.  It capped his night with a team-high 94-yards rushing.

Jack Barragy took over quarterback duties much of the fourth quarter and completed both passes he attempted.  Several other young Lions also gained valuable experience in the final quarter and kept the score at 55-14.

Despite the lopsided score, the final tally showed GHV had 16 first downs, compared to 17 for the Lions.  The Cards also rushed for 208-yards, while the Lions had 244.  Dahlbeck completed two of his four pass attempts for nine-yards.  Gouge and Jared Shaw had receptions for five and four-yards respective

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ly.

“We made too many mistakes defensively,” said GHV Coach Scott VanDusseldorp.  “We were not able to stay over top of their receivers and had too many blown assignments to be successful.  Our offense made some strides this week, but we still left some points on the field by fumbling the ball in the red zone twice.”

Gouge and Knutson complimented Jace Pringnitz’s ground game with 45 and 44-yards respectively.  Gouge carried nine times and Knutson eight.

Storbeck also had a big night defensively.  The senior made seven solo tackles, two for a loss, and three assists.  He also had one solo sack.  Chase Stuver recorded five solo and three assisted tackles, while Barragy was credited with four solo, one for a loss, and one assisted tackle.  Landon Lovstad was also among the team leaders with three solo and three assisted tackles.  Hunter Rappley had three solo and one assisted tackle.

The Cards were led defensively by Jace Pringnitz and Holden Larson with five and one-half and four and one-half tackles respectively.  Joe Pringnitz made four tackles.

This week the Lions have another rivalry game.  They will travel to Mason City High School to take on the Class 4A Mohawks (0-3).  Game time is 7:30 p.m.

GHV will host Osage (1-2) on Friday.

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