It took Lusk just one week to match last season’s win total, and a second to double it. Friday’s home opener against Tongue River would be a litmus test for both teams in an early conference showdown.

The teams traded punts and possessions in a fast-moving quarter that had zero penalties, pass attempts and points scored. NCHS got all they needed in the second quarter with a pair of touchdowns. The first one came as senior Kyle Anderson returned under center. A screen pass to Drake Lamp looked for a short gain before the freshman broke a pair of tackles and raced to the goal line. James Stone was stopped on the conversion, but Lusk led 6-0 barely two minutes into the period.

The Tigers cut the penalties down from last week but the ones picked up happened to be untimely. “We’ve got to finish drives,” said head coach Ryan Nelson. “You can’t get inside the five yard line and then just stop.” Lusk did finish their last drive before the half as Anderson plunged in from three yards, but Lamp was denied on the conversion attempt. At halftime NCHS led 12-0.

While the offense had their chances to blow the game wide open, and missed, the defense kept the Eagles from any kind of momentum. TR gained just 17 yards in the quarter, and 19 in the fourth- yet when Ryan Gilkey intercepted an Eagle pass, all the hope seemed to fade from the visitors. Again in the final stanza, NCHS moved the ball but came up short of the endzone. The score could have been much more lopsided if the Tigers capitalized on more of their missed opportunities. “Like I told the boys, it still goes down as a win and we’re 2-0,” added Nelson. “But these next three weeks are the toughest stretch of our season, and we’ve got some things to fix and be ready.”

SCORE BY QUARTERS

TR 0 0 0 0 0

NCHS 0 12 0 0 12

TEAM STATS

TR: passing- 2 comp/10 atts, 11 yds; rushing- 34 atts/93 yds; 6 first downs; 5 penalties/35 yds.

NCHS: passing- 2/5, 72 yds; rushing 56/167; 10 first downs; 6 penalties/45 yds. 3 fumbles/1 lost.

NCHS PLAYER STATS: Passing- Anderson 2/5 72 yds, TD. Rushing- Lamp 14/68, Stone 22/60, Damien Molzahn 11/35, Gilkey 2/12, Anderson 7/ -8 TD. Receiving- Lamp 1 catch/40 yds, TD; Gilkey 1/32. Defensive points: Molzahn 23, Garrett Wurdeman 13, Gilkey 12, Cole Mellott 11, Lamp 8, Jake Heil 8, Dmitri Richards 5, Anderson 3, Stone 3, Teagan Tschacher 2, Jacob Miller 2, Jasper Caldera 2, Traylin Bruegger 1, Ryan Bruegger 1. 

On Friday the Tigers head north to face the Upton-Sundance Patriots. It will be the first game at Sundance’s new field near the grade school and swimming pool. “They still have Dawson Butts who has two 1,000 yard rushing seasons already, and their quarterback throws a better ball than the one who graduated,” stated Nelson. “Opening their new field, I’m sure they will be fired up.” Precluding the varsity game the Peewee Tigers will face Sundance at 4:30 p.m. before kickoff at 7.