Highlights of the 1A Football State Championship game, between Southeast vs. Lusk.

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Zach Eisenbarth would score 4 times and rush for 186 yards for the Cyclones, to avenge an earlier season loss vs. their conference foe, and ruin Lusk's bid at an undefeated season. It's the 5th title in 7 years for Southeast.

 

 

If you saw this game…well…let’s just say his hair was like that when the game started and completely flat when it was over. That should give you an idea on how things went for one team.

Southeast vs. Lusk in the 1A state championship game…first quarter…Lusk wearing the red…they give the ball to Grady Penfield who’s working his way into the red zone…but as he got tackled, the senior got relieved of his duties. Garrett Bartel will recover the fumble and get a short return, although his team-mates could not do anything with the turnover.

On the next possession for Southeast…here comes Zach Eisenbarth…and the only question I have is where has this guy been all season? He went right through the defense like a hot knife in butter…53 yards to the promised land…PAT no good, so the Cyclones were up 6-nothing, after the first 12 minutes.

2nd quarter…the undefeated Tigers were lined up to punt, but they had no plans to do such. Matthew VandeBossche finds Penfield wide open on the near sideline. This play ended up being a 30 yard pickup, down to the enemy 10 yard line and the drive would continue.

The one thing that Lusk had going for them…was that they were 4 of 4 on 4th down conversions and here comes another one. Penfield is going to finish the job and get around the line for a 4 yard score. Conversion no good so this game is knotted up at 6 points a-piece.

But last year’s state runner ups did not take long to respond. There goes Eisenbarth again...not sure if anyone touched him or not, but he’s got reservations for 6 on this 36 yard run. He had 186 yard rushing in this game…and Southeast is back on top 14-to-6.

Later…the Tigers were lined up to punt again, and this time they would kick it…and that may not have been a good idea. Jeff Burroughs…he was the freshman that saved the win at Cokeville in the semi-finals…he’ll slip about 5 tackles initially…then head over to the near sideline where he’s got plenty of room to run…this would have been a 60 yard punt return for a touchdown…if someone had not been holding during the runback. They play counts for nothing, but it was still good to show.

So the Cyclones had to do it the hard way…Bartel is taking the snaps…he’s throwing over the middle into double coverage and this pass will be intercepted by Hunter Dockery…but his team was unable to cash in on the turnover…Lusk went 3 and out and had to give the ball back.

A good punt return would enable Southeast to set up shop with a short field with less than one minute to go before the break. It was hard to tell, but the refs said that Bartel was able to get the ball over the plane of the goal line from 1 yard out…and that would give his team a 20-to-6 edge, going into the locker room.

3rd quarter…the Tigers would onside the kickoff and recover…but this possession did not last long. In fact, it only lasted 1 play. Bartel makes up for his earlier turnover, by getting one of his own…and the boys from Yoder would get to work again.

The Cyclones would put together a 12 play 66 yard drive…and here’s their other hundred yard rusher…Wyatt Somsen…he finds a lane and has a mostly clear path on a 17 yard touchdown run. He had 148 yards rushing himself, as his team was taking control of this game and this rivalry…up 26-to-6.

And here comes more…Eisenbarth again…an easy 2 yard run…this game was supposed to a battle of the top 2 defenses in the state class 1A…just like in their regular season matchup 2 months ago…guess which D did not show up? Southeast lead 33-to-6 at this point.

On the first play after the kickoff…it got worse for Lusk as they just could not get anything going. They only had 162 yard of offense compared to the opposition’s 387…and this pass went in the wrong direction. Josh Kirchhefer has an easy pick, and it was looking promising for Southeast as they were still up 33-to-6, going into the final 12 minutes.

4th quarter…the Cyclones would put the nail in the coffin early. They only needed 2 plays and Eisenbarth is headed towards touchdown number 4 on this 45 yard scamper. For all intensive purposes…this game was over.

The Southeast Cyclones…a team that was just one loss away from not even making the playoffs…would get their act together late in the season and get double dose of revenge, by bumping off last year’s champs Cokeville in the semi-finals, and then give their arch-rivals their only loss of the season.

Final score in this game…40-to-6. Coach Mark Bullington’s bunch, finishes the season, with a record of 7-and-3.

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