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The Loyal-Greenwood varsity football team started their second season strong by defeating the Abbotsford Falcons at Abbotsford last Friday night, 24-12. This was nearly a complete reversal from last year’s contest with Abby, also a season opener that LG lost 32-16.
Abbotsford was the first to strike in Friday’s game, scoring a touchdown on a 26-yard pass in the first quarter. LG responded with a touchdown in the second coming off an 8-yard run by Jake Lindner. Abbotsford scored later in the second on a 52-yard run.
However, in the third, LG made it into the end zone twice, first from an 11-yard run by Jerome Buchanan and then by a 6-yard run by Colten Sandelier. LG picked up the 2-point conversion on all three of their touchdowns.
LG was able to keep Abby out of the end zone for the final quarter to pick up the 12-point win.
Co-head coach Chris Lindner chalked up the win partially to greater experience and more confidence on his team.
“We are a year older; we had a lot of sophomores and juniors last year that are upperclassmen now,” he said.
“We have a year behind us [of the co-op program]. There’s a little more cohesiveness than in the past.”
He also said there was a comfortability between the Loyal and Greenwood students, as they had played together at younger levels.
“They’ve known each other for a number of years. You can see it in this year’s freshmen especially, as they’ve been playing football together for three years,” he said.
Offense Chris Lindner also outlined some of the key players for LG this season.
“Kolton Pagenkopf, Sandelier, Reed Stieglitz, Isaac Zabel, Adam Kautzer, and Buchanan will all share roles in the backfield this year,” he said.
Jake Lindner will serve as quarterback. Cain Toufar and Rory Hanson will serve as ends on the offensive line. Pagenkopf and Jackson Meyer will be tackles. Heath Jordan and Tony Morales will serve as guards. Zak Kind will be at center.
Josiah Kayhart will provide some additional depth on the offensive line.
Defense Toufar and Jake Luchterhand will serve as defensive ends, with Morales rotating in. Defensive tackles will include Kind, Meyer, Jordan, Pagenkopf, and Kayhart.
On the middle/inside will be Sandelier and Jake Lindner, while Hanson and Kautzer will play the outside.
Making up the secondary will be Stieglitz, Zabel, Landen Landini, Buchanan, and Brady Rakovec.
Overall This season, Cody Halpin and Josh Niemi are taking on some more responsibilities, with Halpin as the offensive coordinator and Niemi as the defensive coordinator. Co-head coaches Chris Lindner and Dean Lindner are giving more overall oversight rather than one focusing on offense and the other on defense.
Chris Lindner said he’s looking forward to the rest of the season.
“We are looking to improve every day. That’s the goal,” he said.
LG’s next game will be this Friday at 7 p.m., at Loyal versus Neillsville-Granton.
