By Jeff Hodge
Contributing Writer
LEBANON – From the opening kickoff Sept. 26, host Lebanon was in total control of the Tigers’ 38-7 Sagamore Conference victory over Southmont.
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Jason Sickels took the opening kick up the middle and broke to the right side, dashing 68 yards to the Southmont 12-yard line. It took Lebanon’s Andrew Stevens three rushes to score on a four-yard run and, after a failed extra-point boot, the Class 4A Tigers (2-4 overall, 2-2 conference) were up 6-0 in the first two minutes of the game.
Southmont was forced to punt on its first possession, and the one-yard kick – yes, one yard – gave the Tigers the ball at 3A Southmont’s 28. Lebanon could not capitalize on its great field position, turning the ball over on downs at the Mounties’ 10.
On first down, however, Lebanon’s Austin McKinsey smashed through the outmatched Southmont offensive line to sack Logan Petry in the end zone for a safety. Now up 8-0, the Tigers took control of the game with a subsequent 14-play drive covering 6:36 as Jon Sickles boosted the Tigers lead to 14-0 with a two-yard run.
Southmont’s Logan Petry scored the Mounties’ sole touchdown in the second quarter on a seven-yard run, the drive set up after Scott Paris intercepted Lebanon’s Matt Beard. But Jesse Boley nailed a 48-yard field goal for Lebanon as time expired to close out the first half with Lebanon leading, 18-6.
Southmont hoped to get back in the game with the first possession of the second half, but the Mounties turned the ball over on an interception. The Tigers then rolled over the undersized Mounties on a 10-play, 39-yard drive, pounding the ball on the ground before Kameryn Wright scored from a yard out.
Beard later connected with Austin Swafford on a 15-yard touchdown pass one play after Lebanon recovered a fumble by Southmont (27 carries for just 59 yards on the ground), and Trent Richardson scored on a 15-yard run for the final score of 38-7.
Lebanon, led by Beard’s 79 yards, rushed for 221 yards and four touchdowns in a game where it could have been worse than what the final score showed.
“The seniors are leading by example – the younger players are following their seniors and just not giving up,” said Lebanon coach Kent Wright. “Tonight we played a complete game throughout the night.”
Wright feels that his team is peaking at the right time and has a chance to catch either 3A No. 5 North Montgomery (6-0, 4-0) or Crawfordsville (4-2, 4-0) for the conference title. The Tigers, in fact, travel to Crawfordsville next Friday.
Southmont, meanwhile, returns home Oct. 3 for a conference clash with Frankfort (1-5, 1-3).
