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In 2007, Lyndon and Troy battled in a back-and-forth game with the Tigers winning 24-22. Six years, these two programs met again, but this time, Lyndon had no problem commanding the second half to beat Troy 37-8.
Troy’s first three drives saw the ball move, but all three possessions ended with punts. Lyndon’s explosive offense drove down the field, but the Tigers’ first drive came to a close with an interception by Troy. Lyndon’s next possession started at Troy’s 27-yard line and the Tigers punch the ball into the endzone with a 14-yard touchdown rush by senior wideout Gaige Brecheisen with 1:36 left in the first.
Junior wide receiver Dawson Swinehart blasted past the goal line from nine yards out to give the Tigers a 14-0 lead just seven seconds into the second quarter. The Troy offense finally kicked into the right gear with a huge 28-yard reception by senior tightend Colton Masters. Two plays later, junior wide receiver Collin Jasper burned the secondary and caught a 40-yard pass from junior quarterback Tristan Speer. Troy and Lyndon both had a crack at the endzone before the end of the half, but neither team could score, leaving a 14-8 advantage for the Tigers.
In the second half, one defense had to step up and hold the opposing offense. That’s what Lyndon did as the Tigers held the Trojans to just 68 total yards and forced two turnovers while gaining 254 total yards on offense. The rushing attack was extremely lethal as the Tigers ran for 8.9 yards per carry and Lyndon cruised to a 37-8 victory.
The Bank of Atchison player to bank on went to junior halfback Derek Franken after recording two interceptions and rushing 14 times for 35 yards. Tristan Speer completed 13 of his 30 passing attempts for 141 yards and a touchdown. On the receiving end was Collin Jasper, who finished with 60 yards and a touchdown off four receptions.
For the Tigers, it was all senior tailback Josh Owens as he recorded 239 yards and two touchdowns off 18 carries. Senior quarterback Joe Walsh returned after battling injuries the past two weeks and completed six passes for 70 yards and carried the ball 14 times for 28 yards. Brecheisen finished with 23 rushing yards and a touchdown while Swinehart rushed five times for 36 yards and a touchdown.
Lyndon improved to 11-0 and faces a tough Centralia-Wetmore team. Troy finished the season with a 7-4 record, but much improvement under first-year head coach Derek Jasper. The Trojans had a combined four wins over the past two seasons and made the playoffs for the first time since 2009. Troy loses some key members in the senior class, but next year, the Trojans will be ready to face new competition in the Twin Valley League.
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