LYNDEN – After allowing a touchdown on the opening drive, the Lynden defense adjusted and didn’t allow another single point as the Lions defeated Lakewood 37-6 at Rollie DeKoster Field on Friday night.
It was more of the same for the Lion offense, which has been relying on a strong run game behind its massive offensive line. Running back Steven DiLorenzo had another big game, finishing with 121 yards rushing on 22 carries. He also scored the final three touchdowns of the game, one on a swing pass from Baylor Ayres that DiLorenzo took 37 yards into the end zone.
Ayres had the biggest rushing game of his career, with 102 yards on the ground. He also looked very good through the air, completing 10-of-14 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns.
Senior Brock Heppner scored a touchdown in the first quarter to answer the Cougar touchdown, and Ayres found 6-foot-5 junior tight end Ian Jacob on a 10-yard touchdown pass in which Ayres really threaded the needle.
With the score 14-6 just moments before halftime, Lynden elected to try a 44-yard field goal. It looked as easy as an extra point for the left-footed senior kicker Marko Samoukovic. It was the 16th field goal of his career, which is now one away from the Whatcom County record of 17 field goals which is held by former Lynden standout kicker, Santiago Lopez.
Linebacker Jordan Elsner and defensive tackle Carter Van Diest led the defense in tackles, and cornerback Evan Potter intercepted a pass.
The Lions (4-1) will travel to Burlington-Edison (1-4) to take on the Tigers on Friday.
Lakewood 6
Lynden 37
LAKE 6 0 0 0 – 6
LYN 7 10 14 6 – 37
LAKE – 3 yard touchdown run (kick blocked)
LYN – Heppner 3 run (Samoukovic kick)
LYN – Jacob 10 pass from Ayres (Samoukovic kick)
LYN – Samoukovic 44 FG
LYN – DiLorenzo 3 run (Samoukovic kick)
LYN – DiLorenzo 37 pass from Ayres (Samoukovic kick)
LYN – DiLorenzo 1 run (run failed)
LAK LYN
25-99 Rushing Att-Yards 51-287
11-25-1 Comp-Att-Int 13-18-1
126 Passing yards 178
Individual Leaders
RUSHING – LYN: DiLorenzo 22-121, Ayres 14-102, Heppner 8-52, White 3-11, Slayton 2-6, Moore 2-(-5). LAKE: N/A.
PASSING – LYN: Ayres 10-14-0-153, Heppner 2-3-1-17, Slayton 1-1-0-8. LAKE: N/A.
RECEIVING – LYN: E. Bode 5-33, DiLorenzo 3-70, Jacob 2-25, Potter 1-34, Heppner 1-8, Anderson 1-8. LAKE: N/A.
