By Jacob Factor, The Lion Reporter
Luther Lions fans found the road to Meeker and packed the stands on the visitors’ side to see the Lions play their first game of the season Friday night in Meeker against the Bulldogs. The Lions offense struggled to match the Bulldogs’ and the young team lost 32-6.
The game started off well with the Lions receiving the ball and wide receiver Drew Scheer making a good catch during the first possession.
The mood shifted quickly, though, when quarterback Peyton Wilson was sacked in the backfield on a 4th down and short.
Later on in the first, Scheer once again caught a pass for a first down, dodging two defensive players to achieve that, but the next three plays went down without any first downs and the Lions punted.
The Bulldogs scored once in the first quarter but didn’t get the extra point. The Lions scored in the second quarter. The offense ran a risky hook and ladder play, but it paid off and wide receiver Coleman Stastny ran the ball in for a 45-yard touchdown.
In the last minutes of the half, defensive tackle Gus Sumner made a sack in the backfield, and linebacker Reed Wilson pressured the quarterback into throwing an intentional ground pass.
In the third quarter, Reed Wilson, at running back, ran straight down the middle for a first down, but the Bulldogs defense wised up and stopped him short in the next play. Running back Elijah Scott also had a good 15-yard carry, but the Lions could not get any farther and punted on the fourth.
Head Coach Zack Smith, in his third year with the Luther Lions, said his team has five seniors, after 15 seasoned players graduated in May. They’re also in a new district. Smith said, “arguably the toughest district in the state and we will have to be ready to play every week.”
But this game was not a district game; those start Sept. 21 against Newkirk. Other teams in the new district are Centennial, Hennessey, Alva, Perry, Chisholm and Oklahoma Christian School.
Next game is Thursday, away, at Community Christian at 7 pm, before the Labor Day weekend.
