Lions return to the run in 49-24 win over English Valleys

By Jeff Yoder and Emily Marner
Posted 9/5/22

After gaining nearly two thirds of their yards through the air in a week one loss, the Lions entered Friday’s matchup with English Valleys looking to establish a running game. 

Lone …

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Lions return to the run in 49-24 win over English Valleys

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After gaining nearly two thirds of their yards through the air in a week one loss, the Lions entered Friday’s matchup with English Valleys looking to establish a running game. 

Lone Tree’s second possession began at its own 18-yard line. It took just four carries from the quarterback for the Lions to take a 7-0 lead. 

With 62 rushing yards on the drive, Ethan Bockelman nearly matched the team’s total of 65 from the previous week. He finished with 261 rushing yards and five total touchdowns in Lone Tree’s  49-24 win over English Valleys. 

“I was really pleased with the way we ran the football tonight,” Lone Tree coach Joe Donovan said. “ We struggled with that the first week of the season, so I was real happy with how we ran the football.”

A couple of 24-yard runs helped the Bears take a brief 8-7 lead early in the second quarter, but the Lions would answer. A 31-yard touchdown pass from Bockelman to freshman receiver Emmett Burke gave Lone Tree the lead again. 

The Lions’ offensive line of Andrew Hotz, Mitchell Koedam, and Cole Abott wore down the Bears defense as the half drew to a close. An 18-yard run from Bockelman moved the ball across midfield. Three more runs from the Lone Tree quarterback gained 29 yards, reaching the end zone with 22 seconds remaining in the half. 

Asked about the players who stepped up in Friday night’s win, Donovan pointed to his blockers, including tight ends Broday MaGruder and Caden Smith. 

“I think our whole offensive line as a group — running the football,” he said. “I don’t know how many yards we had, but we had quite a few. 

“Ethan Bockelman I’m sure had a ton of yards at quarterback and I know Maddox Jondle came in there and ran the ball well, but again that’s credit to the offensive line. So as a group, I’d say tip of the cap to them.”

The Lion defense added another touchdown before the half when senior linebacker Joe Boxwell scooped up a bad snap and took it into the endzone. 

Lone Tree would extend the lead to 42-8 in the third quarter with another touchdown run from Bockelman, and an 11-yard touchdown carry from sophomore Maddox Jondle. 

Jondle had four carries of at least 11 yards in the second half, and Harry Brenneman had a 28-yard run that reached the 2-yard line in the fourth quarter. 

The Bears finally answered with 4:36 left in the game with a 9-play 52-yard drive that followed a Lone Tree turnover. The Lions answered on the next play from scrimmage with a 55-yard touchdown run from Bockelman. 

The Lions missed field goals of 25 and 29 yards, but Jader Sanchez and Drew Gauley combined to go 7-for-7 on extra points in the win. 

Tyce Alt led the Lions with six tackles. Caden Smith had 5.5 tackles, including two for loss, and Braden Viers had 5.5 as well. Andrew Hotz had four tackles, including one in the backfield.  Dominic Graap made an interception in the fourth quarter. 

The Bears had over 200 rushing yards, but went 5-13 on third downs.

“I thought defensively we played better and then we got sloppy late in the game,” Donovan said. “I’m really pleased with our kickers Jader Sanchez and Drew Gauley kicking our PATs, they both are really fantastic kickers and our snapper Jack Patterson — I was really pleased with him too. 

“Our special teams were good tonight. Christian Baltazar punting the ball, he only had two, but they were both really good. We spend time on that stuff, so it’s good to see them play well.”

Lone Tree averaged over eight yards per carry on the way to a total of 341 rushing yards. 

“We’ve changed some things up this last week and so it was good to see that work tonight,” Donovan said. “So I’m just pleased with the total team effort.”

SCORING SUMMARY

LT: Ethan Bockelman 43 run (Jader Sanchez kick)

EV: Josh Osborn 5 run (Treyton Shaw run)

LT: Emmett Burke 31 pass from Bockelman (Gauley kick)

LT: Bockelman 9 run (Sanchez kick)

LT: Joe Boxwell fumble recovery (Sanchez kick)

LT: Bockelman 12 run (Gauley kick)

LT: Maddox Jondle 11 run (Gauley kick)

EV: Myles Grove 4 run (Osborn run)

LT: Bockelman 55 run (Sanchez kick)

EV: Osborn 35 run (Ben Coffman run)