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Warriors knocked from playoffs after tough second half battle

Though the Warriors (7-2) fell out of the hunt for a state championship with their 36-16 loss to the Hawks (7-2) of Hay Springs, Leyton's loyal followers who traveled 100 or more miles to bear witness had to have considered the drive well worth it.

For the Warriors faithful, it is the second time this season they had traveled to Hay Springs to watch their boys tussle with the Hawks. On the last occassion, the hometown Hawks sent the Leyton throng home smarting from a 58-18 whipping. That September loss was the only defeat the Warriors suffered in the regular season.

Leyton also played their last contest against their district rival without the services of its talented senior running back Brennen Cruise. Additionally, senior lineman Josh Riemers was lost for the season with a broken arm that night. So this contest at Hay Springs proved to be a very different affair from the blowout of a month earlier.

"This is the best team I've ever been a part of. We fought the whole way," said a disappointed Cruise afterwards. "They just outplayed us in the second half. That's all it was."

Despite the 20-point final spread, the game,s outcome remained in doubt until well into the fourth quarter. The two teams had opened up in a defensive struggle which included six plays for a loss in the first quarter. After the first 12 minutes, neither team had found the end zone.

The ice was finally broken with 7:17 left in the half when Warriors quarterback Alex W. Frerichs found Cruise down the visitors sideline for a 41-yard touchdown pass. The score was the only play of the drive as the Warriors had just taken possession at their own 39 after a Hawks punt. Cruise capped it off with a two-point conversion run.

Hay Springs almost answered on the ensuing kickoff. But a touchdown-saving tackle by Cruise at the 27 at least gave the Leyton defense a chance.

The Hawks soon parlayed their field-position advantage into a touchdown. They did it with a 13-yard pass play from quarterback Joey Johnson to Stevin Horrocks. The score didn't come easy, as it took Hay Springs seven plays to travel the 27 yards. When the conversion attempt failed, the Warriors still maintained an 8-6 lead with 2:27 left in the half.

Leyton followed the Hawks touchdown with a promising drive that began on their own 25-yard line. With two solid runs, Jared Westman picked up a first down on his own. Frerichs then found Dylan Brenner open for a 20-yard gainer to the Hawks 20. Though Brenner hauled in another six-yard pass the drive stalled on downs at the 14.

In the final drive of the half the Hawks found success with an 18-yard reverse but the Warriors gave them little else. The half ended with Leyton holding an 8-6 lead.

The Warriors came out for the second half as determined as they were in the first. They received the Hawks kickoff at their own 12. It took only five snaps before Leyton found the end zone. But for a scramble by Frerichs that went for no gain, all the plays on the drive were decisive.

Brenner caught a pass for 15 yards on the play number one and Cruise rumbled for 33 yards on the third call. Another 15-yard pass play was complete to Cruise despite a declined-face guarding call against the Hawks. Brenner lugged the rock in the final five yards and caught the conversion pass for a 16-6 lead.

Depite the inspiring start to the second half, the Warriors did not score again. For the Hawks, the efforts of their 235-pound back, Horrocks, proved decisive. He was given the ball early and often the rest of the way.

"(Horrocks) was totally different in the second half," said junior James Rushman. "That first half we had him pretty well contained. The second half his running was just amazing."

The Hawks' initial second-half possession began on their 15-yard line. They proceeded to go on an eight-play 65-yard touchdown march that took just under three minutes. Six times during the drive Johnson handed the ball to Horrocks with which the back bulled ahead for 53 yards. The final eight brought Horrocks to the endzone. The failed conversion still left Leyton with a 16-12 advantage.

"Both teams played hard," said Brenner. "In the second half they just played good football and out played us."

The Warriors responded with a 47-yard procession highlighted by a 22-yard run by Frerichs. A couple of pass plays to Westman and Cruise brought Leyton to the Hawks 15. But the drive stopped there and the Hawks came back with a score of their own.

Again Hay Springs dished off to Horrocks to get the job done. On this drive he was given the ball on five of 10 snaps which accounted for 43 yards. The final 26 were accomplished with a pass from Johnson to Chris Ray. After Johnson ran in the conversion the Hawks took their first lead of the game at 20-16 as the fourth quarter began.

The Warriors first play of the final 12 minutes almost put them back on top. A 68-yard pass completion to the Hawks five-yard line ended in a fumble. Hay Springs turned the ball back the other way and gobbled up 75 yards. Horrocks went the final 12 for a 28-16 led with 6:50 left.

The resilient Leyton team again came up big, but were again stopped by a gut-wrenching turn-of-events. A 74-yard touchdown pass from Frerichs to Brenner on fourth down was called back. Unfortunately, the penalty played no part in the action on the field. The officials had judged that a Warriors player on the sideline had come onto the playing surface before the Brenner had scored. The ball was brought all the way back inside the Leyton five.

With seconds to to go Horrocks added another touchdown to end the scoring at 36-16.

While the city of Alliance had very little to do with the Nebraska D2 playoff game in Hay Springs last evening, the local business population there just might want to extend an offer of thanks that there are so many loyal fans of the Leyton Warriors.

And when dozens of Leyton loyalists stopped in Alliance on the way home to patronize the eateries of Alliance, their Chamber of Commerce must have very pleased. The number of fans on the visitors sideline at the playoff contest may even have rivaled the entire population of Gurley.

Leyton had a lot of support behind them.

"This was a good year. Everybody played well and I'm really proud of having been a part of this team," Brenner said after his last game for Leyton. "Good luck to the guys next year."

 

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