The Greene County Rams got a satisfying 17-14 gridiron win vs the Webster City Lynx in Webster City. The Rams scored first and held a 17-0 lead over a team that scored 63 points last week. It win puts the Rams at 2-0 in Class 3A District 2 play and 2-3 overall. The Lynx are now 1-2 in district play and 1-4 overall.
The Rams’ first score was on a Nick Schroeder 30-yard field goal kick to finish their first possession of the game. The 64 yard, 13-play drive included a 24 yard Daric Whipple pass to Max Neese. With 3:50 left to play in the first quarter the Rams were ahead 3-0.
The Lynx’ next possession, their second of the game, was short-lived. They started play on their own 29 yard line. At third down and six yards to go on their 33 yard line the Ram’s Jake Carey intercepted a pass and ran 29 yards to the Lynx’ 11 yard line. He also caught the next pass, a Whipple pass directed to him, and scored the touchdown. After only two plays, the Rams had scored a touchdown to lead 9-0. Schroeder was accurate kicking again, and the Rams were up 10-0 with 2:20 left in the first quarter.
The Rams looked like they’d score again in the first quarter. There was a fumble on the recovery of the kick off and Ram Logan Lansman recovered it, giving the Rams the ball on the Lynx 27 yard line. The Lynx defense held, and on third and nine at the Lynx 26 yard line a Whipple pass was intercepted at their 3 yard line. The Lynx didn’t move the ball far, but they didn’t turn it over. Their eventual punt put the ball back at midfield at the start of the second quarter.
That Ram possession ended with a punt that gave the Lynx the ball on their own 20 yard line. In six plays they moved the ball to the Rams’ 48 yard line. Ram Keyden Pollack recovered a fumble on the snap. The Rams started that possession on the Linx’ 45 yard line but the 20 yard line was as close as they got to the goal line. The Lynx got possession again on their own 28 yard line. That possession and the Rams’ next possession ended with punts.
The last possession of the half saw the Lynx with the ball on their own 32 yard line. With less than 20 seconds to play the Lynx had a first down on the Ram 29 yard line. Carey intercepted a pass on the Rams’ 10 yard line and the half ended with the Rams up 10-0.
There were no penalties against either team in the first half. The Lynx had four turnovers and the Rams had one.
The Rams started on offense in the second half. They scored on their second possession of the half, with 5:26 left on the clock. The Rams had taken possession after a 58 Lynx punt put the ball on the Rams’ 5 yard line. The scoring drive covered 95 yards in only four plays, including an 84 yard Dylan Hamilton run down to the Lynx 3 yard line. The point after touchdown kick was good and the Rams were up 17-0 with 5:26 to play in the third quarter.
The momentum shifted. The Lynx put together an 81 yard drive in seven plays and scored with 2:44 left to play in the quarter. The drive included a 47-yard pass play shared by twins Alec and Avery Foose.
The Lynx scored again with 11:37 to go in the fourth quarter. The 64 yard drive benefited from a 15 yard horse collar penalty against the Rams with 19 seconds to play in the third quarter. It was the first penalty of the game. The second penalty of the game was called against the Lynx on the point after touchdown kick. The kick was ultimately good, and the Rams’ lead had been cut from 17 points to only three, a 17-14 score.
Both teams were penalized twice more in the fourth quarter.
During the rest of the fourth quarter, the Lynx appeared to have momentum, but neither team got within their red zone. The Lynx’ last real chance to score ended when, as they had a first down on the 50 yard line, Jordan Challen intercepted a pass on the Rams’ 39 yard line. That gave the Rams the ball with two minutes on the clock. Coach Dean Lansman managed the clock so the game ended with a Ram punt. The Lynx returned the punt to the 18 yard line but incurred a five yard penalty. The Lynx ended their homecoming game with a 17-14 loss on their 13 yard line.
