By Anne Homan, Sports Reporter
Senior football players were honored at last Friday night’s game against Vermillion. Seniors are pictured and include, from left to right, Jase Langbehn, Gabe Beman, Carter Stroschein, Conner Eich, Lance Spieler, Zach Rezac, Landon Slack, Camden Faulds, Braeden Wulf, Ethan Eli, Ethan Schroeder, Cody Peterson, Trayden Holland, Caden Iken, Austin Richter, Layne Kuper, Hayden Herlyn. Not pictured Braven Hanse. Photo: Anne Homan
The Friday night lights were all lit up at the Lennox sports complex this past Friday, Sept. 2 as the Orioles hosted Vermillion in the home opener.
After a scoreless opening quarter, Vermillion found their way on the scoreboard first as Trillion Sorrell caught a 19-yard touchdown pass for the score in the second quarter. The Tanager’s extra point was no good, leaving the score 6-0.
Lennox managed a score of their own in the quarter with Braeden Wulf taking it in on the quarterback keeper, scoring the seven-yard touchdown. Ethan Eli kicked through the extra point to give Lennox the 7-6 advantage that would hold into halftime.
The third quarter was scoreless before Lennox managed two scores in the fourth. First, on a Wulf one-yard touchdown run and then again as Zach Rezac intercepted Vermillion’s pass and returned it 88 yards for the score. Eli kicked through the extra points after both scores, giving Lennox a 21-6 lead.
Before the game’s end, Vermillion’s Jeremy Crowe had a two-yard touchdown run, but the Tanagers’ two-point attempt failed and ultimately Lennox grabbed the 21-12 victory.
“It was a hard-fought game,” said Lennox High School Head Coach Matt Luze. “I’m proud of how the boys handled the adversity of the game and never gave up on each other. The coaching staff did a great job of keeping the boys mentally focused on the next play and coaching them up after mistakes.”
The Orioles finished the night with 270 yards of offense, gaining 121 on the ground and 149 in the air. Vermillion had 282 yards of offense in the game, with 118 rushing and a 164 passing.
Leading the ground attack for Lennox was Wulf, who rushed for 68 yards in the game on 17 carries. He had the team’s two rushing touchdowns. Ashton Bach finished with 44 yards on 14 carries.
In the air, Wulf completed 14 of 29 pass attempts for 149 yards. He threw two interceptions in the game. Porter Ihnen was the leading receiver with four receptions for 66 yards. Talan Diercks also had four grabs for 39 yards and Layne Kuper caught four passes for 29 yards.
Defensively, Rezac had two interceptions in the game, including the one returned for a score. Lance Spieler led the team in tackles with nine in the game. Carter Benning had six and Triston Butler, Kuper, Cody Peterson, and Landon Slack each had five tackles against Vermillion.
Spieler managed to get to the Tanagers’ quarterback for a solo sack and work in tandem with Peterson to get another sack in the game. Ethan Schroeder also recorded a sack.
The Orioles now sit 2-0 and prepare to host Canton on Friday, Sept. 9 in the annual Black and Blue Bowl.
“Canton is a good team and in the Black & Blue Bowl it’s a tough, physical game,” said Luze. “We are going to work very hard on preparing for them this week.”
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. in Lennox.