A Ram victory over the third ranked Webster City Lynx was within reach a couple of times, but the 3A District 2 game ended with a third loss in close games in three weeks. Final score was 36-34. The Rams are now 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the district.
The Rams had three turnovers for the game while the Lynx had none. Like last week against Creston/Orient-Macksburg, it was turnovers that made the difference. In both games, the Rams had more offensive yardage but also had more turnovers. (C/O-M also had no turnovers last week.)
The Rams had 417 total yards of offense, with senior quarterback Daric Whipple completing 18 of 27 passes for 301 yards. Of the team’s 116 yards rushing, Whipple accounted for 97 of them.
The Lynx had 367 total yards of offense, with 112 yards of passing from senior quarterback Avery Fuhs.
With that much scoring, the game was totally entertaining.
The Lynx ended their first possession with a punt and the Rams took over on their own 48 yard line. They weren’t able to capitalize on the good field position. On a third and seven play on the Lynx 48 yard line Ram quarterback Daric Whipple’s pass was intercepted and then returned 37 yards to the Ram 20 yard line. The Lynx scored two plays later and with the point after kick good the Lynx were ahead 7-0 after just 2:54 of play.
The Rams’ went out on downs on their next possession and after a 41 yard punt by Reid Lamoureux the Lynx had the ball on their own 41 yard line. They moved the ball down to the Rams’ 29 yard line but lost the ball on downs.
The Rams had just three offensive plays before Whipple fumbled and the Lynx recovered it on the Rams’ 39 yard line. The Lynx scored nine plays later and with 10:47 left to play in the first half and a good PAT the Lynx led 14-0.
The Rams got on the board with 7:08 to play in the half with a 70 yard 13-play drive that included a Whipple run of 22 yards and a Whipple 17-yard pass to Nick Schroeder. Max Neese carried the ball across the goal line on a third and goal play from the 1 yard line. Schoeder’s point after touchdown kick was good and the score was 14-7.
The Lynx scored next on a six play 44-yard drive that got a good start with a long kick off return and came to a quick end with a 30 yard Avery Fuhs pass on a fourth and 7 play. With 3:37 to play the score was 21-7 for the Lynx.
Whipple found his arm for the next drive, a six play, 79-yard drive that included a 20 yard pass to Lamoureux and a 45-yard pass to Schroeder that put the Rams at first and goal on the 9 yard line. Whipple carried the ball in the last three yards for the score, his eighth rushing touchdown of the season. After Schroeder’s PAT kick the score was 21-14 with 1:52 to play in the first half.
The half ended big for the Rams. The Lynx went out on downs in their possession and punted. Tyler Beger returned the punt 58 yards, but a penalty for an illegal block in the backfield nullified the return and the Rams had the ball on their own 26 yard line. The Rams ran seven plays that ended with a 19-yard pass to Lamoureux deep in the end zone with 7.5 seconds to play in the half. The Lynx were called off sides on the kick after touchdown, so the Rams instead tried a two-point conversion. The attempt failed and the score was 21-20 with the Rams down by just one point.
But, before the half ended, the Lynx had scored again on a 64-yard Avery Fuhs pass to Alec Fuhs with no time showing on the clock. It was the Rams’ turn to be called off sides on the PAT kick, but the Lynx were successful with the two-point conversion, and rather than a one-point game at the half it was a nine point game. The Rams were on the short side of a 29-20 score at half time.
The Rams started the second half with a touchdown after just 1:03 of play. The Rams moved the ball 67 yards in four plays, including a 47-yard Whipple-Lamoureux pass play that got the Rams to the 3 yard line. Neese again carried the ball across the goal line and the PAT was good. With 10:57 to play in the third quarter, the Rams were within two points at 29-27.
The Lynx nearly scored but the Ram defense held them on downs at the 5 yard line. Whipple rushed for 16 yards on the first play and then three on the second play, but he was dropped for a loss and the possession ended with a 35-yard Lamoureux punt that gave the Lynx possession on the 50 yard line. The third quarter ended with Webster City at second and 10 on the Rams’ 35 yard line and the score 29-27.
The possession ended with a punt that went out of bounds and the Rams had the ball on their own 21 yard line. The Rams were unable to move the ball and Lamoureux ended up punting it out and the Lynx regained the ball on the Ram 48 yard line. The Lynx scored with five plays, aided by a 15 yard personal foul penalty (horse collar) against the Rams and a 30 yard touchdown run by Payton Kannuan. With a good PAT, the Lynx were up 36-27 with 7:31 to play in the game.
The Rams looked like they could score on their next possession with successful passes and helped by a 15-yard penalty against the Lynx for pass interference. The Rams were on the Lynx 28 yard line at second and 4 when Lynx Jordan Moen intercepted a pass in the end zone.
The touchback game the Lynx the ball on their own 20 yard line. The possession ended with a punt from their 36 yard line. A 39-yard punt gave the Rams the ball on their 25 yard line with 2:44 to play in the game.
Whipple did a short pass to Max Neese who carried it 47 yards with blocking by Lamoureux. On the next play Whipple passed to Cunningham who carried it 26 yards to the 2 yard line. Whipple made it to the end zone on the next play, and with 2:00 to play, the Rams were within three points, 36-33. Schroeder’s PAT made it a 36-34 game.
The Lynx threatened to score in the last two minutes, making it to the Ram 11 yard line on a 31-yard Kannuan run. The ball got away from Avery Fuhs on first and 10 and although the Lynx recovered it, it was back on the 19 yard line. The Lynx ran out the clock and the final score was 36-34.
Statistics: Whipple completed 18 of 27 passes (66.7 percent) for 301 yards. He threw for two interceptions and one touchdown.
Whipple also rushed for 97 yards in 21 attempts, averaging 4.6 yards per carry. He scored two touchdowns rushing. Max Neese rushed for 19 yards in seven attempts.
Nick Schroeder was the leading pass receiver, with four passes totaling 78 yards. Reid Lamoureux caught three passes totaling 87 yards and Neese caught three passes for 64 yards.
Keyden Pollock was leading tackler with eight solo tackles and six assists. Noah Juergensen made four tackles and had nine assists. Matthew Gordon had four tackles and three assists and Lamoureux had four tackles and one assist.
Schroeder was four of four kicking the point after touchdown. On six kick offs he totaled 264 yards. Lamoureux punted three times with an average of 37 yards.
Anthony Cunningham returned three kick offs for 61 yards total. Neese returned one punt for 24 yards.
