Last week the Little Lions found themselves in a situation they didn’t respond well to a tough running game and they gave up chunks of yardage, eventually getting their first loss of the season. Last night at Memorial Field, the State College again found themselves in that situation. Central Dauphin East came at the State College defense in a similar fashion, with their versatile and athletic quarterback Kane Everson and bruising running back Mike Jones pounding away at the center of the Little Lion defense for big gains. The the Little Lions made the adjustment, and with the help of some big plays and a monster game from Tristen Lyons and Cohen Russell out of the backfield, were able to pull away in the second half for a 34-14 win.
The Panthers opened the game with Jones and Everson moving the ball in that fashion, but the Little Lions held them at the 36. The Lions took over at their own twelve and it was here that Lyons set the stage for what would be a huge night for the Senior Slotback. On first down at the 48 yard line, quarterback Tommy Friberg handed off to Lyons and he took off for a 21 yard run, then a nother for 40 yards to the 8 yard line. It was there that another star on the night, Cohen Russell showed what he had in store for the Panthers with this 8 yard td run.
State college strikes first 8 yard td from cohen russel. pic.twitter.com/DnruS76Tki
— WPAFootball (@WPAFootball) October 13, 2017
“Cohen is one of the best football players I’ve ever been around. He may not be the biggest, strongest kid out there, he is maybe the fastest kid out there and he’also the kid that’s out there every play and will give every ounce of heart and effort he has” said Little Lion head coach Matt Lintal. The Panthers again turned to the ground game and Jones, who ended the night with 131 yards and a score. Russell had two huge pass defenses on long throws from Everson, nearly picking off one of them. The drive ended when Jackson Heasley got his first of three sacks as he just flew through the line and dropped Everson for a 10 yard loss, forcing a punt. State couldn’t move and once again the Panthers ground out another drive, only to have this one end with a blocked punt by Brandon Clark, who also scooped the ball and ran to the endzone for an apparent TD but the refs didn’t see the CDE player touch the ball. The Little Lions took over at the 49 and from there Lyons put the home team up 14-0 on a 17 yard run.
Lyons 17 yds SC up 14-0 pic.twitter.com/KqOHy4JDKj
— WPAFootball (@WPAFootball) October 13, 2017
“They decided to play power football and they moved the ball, but our defense held strong in bend don’t break mentality” said Lintal. The Panthers again went power, moving the ball methodically down field on the powerful running of Jones, who ended the drive with runs of 24 yards and the 9 yard td to make it 14-7 with just 1:25 left in the half.
Mike jones 9 yards 14-7 state college 1:25 left in half. Has 115 on 17 carries pic.twitter.com/HD3zeFfZnl
— EasternPAFootball (@EPAFootball) October 14, 2017
State College opened the second half with a bang as Isaiah Edwards returned the kick 81 yards, and Lyons finished the drive from the 11 to make it 21-7 early in the third. The Panthers failed to convert on fourth down and State College capitalized with a 23 yard TD run from Lyons, his third of the night. The Panthers again tried to rally, driving to the State College 19. But on third down, Russel reached into a giant pile of players, popped the ball loose and was off to the races making several ankle breaking moves on his way to a 91 yard fumble return for the score. The missed pat left it at 34-7 with 2:30 left in the third period.
Monster strip and 91 yard fumble return by @cohenrussell201 34-7 state high end third pic.twitter.com/G7Ih6IEqtV
— WPAFootball (@WPAFootball) October 14, 2017
Central Dauphin East would get one more score, a to pass from Everson to Corey Gray for 81 yards. State College moves to 6-1 and it doesn’t get any easier as they travel to face division leader Harrisburg. CDE will play Carlisle
