Outlaws lose final game of season

The Outlaws football team lost 30-26 at home to Cottage Grove in their final league game of the season.

Cottage Grove scored on a 52-yard pass with four minutes left in the first quarter. The PAT was good and the Lions took a 7-0 lead.

The Outlaws answered back on their next possession. Sisters went on a 70-yard drive which was capped by a three-yard run by Drew Johnston for the touchdown. The drive was highlighted by two runs by Jared Nelson, one for 23 yards and one for 22 yards. The PAT was blocked but Sisters closed the Lion lead to 7-6.

The Lions scored at the start of the second quarter on a four-yard run. Their PAT was good and Cottage Grove pushed to a 14-6 advantage.

Levi Rowe scored on a 10-yard touchdown reception with 7:30 left in the second quarter. Quarterback Chase Kleint had six carries for 50 yards in the drive. The Outlaws were good on their two-point conversion attempt and tied the game 14-14.

Sisters scored again with 1:30 left in the half. Nick Head scored the TD on a one-yard run. The drive was highlighted by a 20-yard run from Rowe and a 25-yard run from Kleint. The PAT was blocked but the Outlaws went up 20-14.

The Lions kicked a 30-yard field goal with three seconds left on the clock and at the half closed the Outlaw lead to 20-17.

Teams exchanged back-to-back turnovers to start the third quarter and then the Outlaws threw an interception in the end zone from the 20-yard line.

Sisters scored on a 60-yard drive before the quarter ended. Aaron Fegenbush had a catch for 25 yards and Drew Johnston had a carry for 10 yards. Well executed blocking resulted in a five-yard TD run by Nick Head. Again, the PAT failed, but the Outlaws went up 26-17.

Cottage Grove answered back with 10 minutes left in the game. The Lions scored on a one-yard run, the PAT was good and CG made it a two point game at 26-24.

The Outlaws put together a nice drive on their next possession. However, they were charged with a couple of penalties and then turned the ball over on the 20-yard line.

Cottage Grove drove 60 yards to score a touchdown with 4:30 left on the clock. The PAT was good and the Lions took a 30-26 lead.

The Outlaws put together another drive, highlighted by a 12-yard run by Jared Nelson, a seven-yard run by Kleint and then a catch by Randy Ketchum for 28 yards which got them past the 50-yard line. With 2:30 left in the game the Outlaws were penalized for intentional grounding and a personal foul which made it second and 30. Sisters gained four yards on the next play to make it third and 26. The next play was an incomplete pass and the Outlaws were forced to throw a Hail Mary. The Lions knocked it down, ran down the clock and earned the win.

Sisters finished with 385 total yards of offense and the Lions finished with 425.

Kleint carried 19 times for 131 yards. He also threw 6/11 for 96 yards and one touchdown and one interception.

Nick Head rushed 16 times for 34 yards and two touchdowns. Jared Nelson had four carries for 60 yards and Levi Rowe had eight carries for 65 yards. Randy Ketchum had two catches for 41 yards.

On defense, Nick Head did a great job at free safety. Head finished with 10 tackles and one interception for the night. Jordan Kolb had nine tackles and defended three passes.

"I'm really proud of the guys' effort," said Coach Dusty Macauley. "We had some tough breaks with penalties and just couldn't make enough plays down the road to hold them off."