Knights come from behind for win on their Tiger hunt

“Once again, we were faced with adversity this week,” said coach Brandon Baldry. “We lost another starter, hours before kick-off.”

The loss of teammate woes continued Oct. 16, for the Cornell-Lake Holcombe Knights Football team, but perseverance got the co-oped squad through a road game at Webster.

“Our philosophy on this team is ‘Next Man Up,’” said Baldry. “That is what we did. “

While many athletes played in different roles that night, the Knights still fell behind in first-half action.

Senior Tate Sauerwein got the ball rolling in the first quarter, as he ran for a 15-yard touchdown, followed by a two-point conversion. The Knights sat at 8-0 over Webster, but wouldn’t for long, as the Tigers completed a touchdown run not long after and made their two-point conversion.

In the second quarter, it was all Webster, as they scored two touchdowns and kicked a field goal, to go up over the Knights at halftime, 26-8.

“We didn’t have the intensity or focus the first half,” said Baldry. “The second half was a different story.”

Sauerwein again hit the endzone in a 35-yard score, with the extra point good. Junior Colton Minnick also got on the board in the third quarter, with a 2-yard touchdown run. That extra point was also good and the Knights were back in the game, down 26-22.

They weren’t done there, as Sauerwein rattled in one final score for the Knights, with a 7-yard run. Cornell-Lake Holcombe couldn’t complete the extra point attempt and the score sat at 28-26 in their favor.

That’s the way it would stay, as both teams were held scoreless in the fourth quarter.

“The difference in this story, was our very own Coach (Troy) Story’s defense stepping up big for us,” said Baldry. “Creating four turnovers and two blocked punts, helped us seal the game up at the end.”

Sauerwein ended with 149 yards rushing, while Minnick turned in 20. Minnick also had 43 yards passing, with Sauerwein adding 30.

Junior Sam Ewer finished the night with 30 yards receiving, while Sauerwein notched 19 and senior Ian Lebal added 2 yards.

“Our underclassmen keep answering the calls when called upon the last two weeks,” said Baldry. “We are getting better every day and every game.”

Baldry says the team is excited to welcome some seniors back in uniform this coming week, as they continue on in Lakeland Conference play.

“I believe that once we get everyone back and healthy, we will be a force to be dealt with in the conference for the remaining games,” said Baldry.