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Friday
March 29th, 2024

lhs football frontlineThe Redskin offensive line prepares for a play against Dodge City Friday. The Redskins struggled to move the ball early and fell behind 17-0 before battling back. But their rally fell short in a 23-15 loss. L&T photo/Earl WattEARL WATT • Leader & Times

 

After falling behind 17-0 on Homecoming, the game seemed to be out of reach with the final few seconds ticking off the clock before halftime. But the Redskins responded with a late scoring drive, and Liberal cut the Dodge City lead to two points before the rally fell short in a 23-15 loss.

The Redskins struggled to move the ball early against the Red Demon defense, and after a missed field goal by Dodge City, the Red Demons scored on their next three drives to take a commanding 17-0 lead.

Brooks Kappelmann threw an interception on the first play of the next drive, but the Angry Red defense stepped up and forced a three-and-out at midfield and forced a punt with three minutes to play in the first half.

Kappelmann and the Redskins put together an 80-yard, 13-play drive in the final three minutes, including several runs from Kappelmann. His last gain was 11 yards, which set up the Redskins at the Dodge City 4-yard line with less than 30 seconds to play in the half. He came up limping, but despite the pain, Kappelmann returned to the huddle for a passing play, threw a ball low to the outside edge of the end zone, and a diving Izzy Garcia-Rotolo came up with the reception, allowing the Redskins to cut the lead to 17-7 at halftime.

Kappelmann was not able to return and had ice on his knee in the second half, leaving the Redskins to turn to junior Aidan Schwindt on the first possession of the second half.

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Schwindt guided the offense to a 62-yard, 13-play drive that had a steady dose of Trystian Juarez and a 41-yard run from Schwindt and ended with a one-yard plunge from Juarez into the end zone, and the Redskins cut the lead to 17-15.

Liberal’s defense held Dodge City to a three-and-out, and the Redskins drove the ball down to the Dodge City 25-yard line before running out of downs.

Dodge City broke a 58-yard touchdown run on its next drive to take a 23-15 lead after the kick after failed, and the Redskins remained down by only one touchdown and two-point conversion.

Liberal again drove deep into Dodge City territory before Schwindt threw an interception in the end zone, and Dodge City took over at its own 20 yard line.

But the Redskin defense didn’t give up another score and forced another punt, and the Redskins marched the ball back into Dodge City territory before a fourth-and-1 came up short.

Dodge City melted the clock down to the final minute, and the Redskins had to use all their time outs to get one last shot, but an interception at midfield allowed Dodge City to secure the 23-15 win.

“We scored right before halftime, but Brooks hurts his knee,” Liberal coach Bryan Luetters said. “We had some good ideas at halftime. We had to put some kids in different positions.”

That included Schwindt.

“I’m so proud of Aidan Schwindt,” Luetters said. “He has not taken one single snap at quarterback. Our choice was to either put a freshman in or an upperclassman and see what we could do. We had about four plays we could run in the second half, and two of them effectively. The passing game was done. We scored that touchdown right after halftime, and to only lose by eight, you almost feel cheated if Brooks was in there. I feel it would have been a different situation.”

The Redskins (2-2) will host Garden City (3-1) for Senior recognition as well as honoring the 1992 and 1997 state champs.

 

EARL WATT • Leader & Times

 

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