Football: Golden Warriors Fall to LP

STERLING – With an opportunity to clinch at least a tie for the NCIC Reagan championship, the Sterling Golden Warriors got off to a great start vs. visiting LaSalle-Peru. Unfortunately for Sterling, the finish was even better for L-P as they scored a late TD to come away with a 28-24 victory.

The game could not have started better for Sterling (5-2, 3-1) as they scored easily on their first two possessions after forcing L-P to go three and out on their first two chances on offense. Lazaro Sifuentes scored from 34 yards out to put the Golden Warriors on top 7-0 with 8:54 left in the first quarter. Niko Rivera increased the lead to 14-0 with an eight-yard TD run at the 3:30 mark of the first.

The two teams exchanged punts at the start of the second quarter and then L-P grabbed some much-needed momentum on one play. After being pinned back at their own six yard line by a Rivera punt, the Cavaliers (5-2, 2-2) cut the Sterling lead in half as Cody Bush raced 94 yards for a TD. The PAT trimmed the Sterling lead to 14-7 with 10:19 left in the 2nd quarter.

L-P had an opportunity to tie the score with just a few seconds left in the half, but the Sterling defense kept them out of the end zone and forced a field goal attempt which was blocked on the final play of the half.

After four straight empty possessions, Sterling got some breathing room and increased their lead to 17-7 by virtue of a 34-yard field goal by Raciel Ocampo with 6:10 left in the 3rd quarter.

Two minutes later, L-P caught a break as a short punt hit a Sterling player in the back and was recovered by the Cavaliers at the Sterling 26-yard line. Two plays later, L-P cut the lead to 17-14 on a 24-yard TD run by Cameron Puetz.

L-P capitalized on another Sterling turnover early in the 4th quarter. After the Cavaliers recovered a fumble near midfield, Sam Renk tossed a 34-yard TD pass to Karch Kowalczyk to put the Cavaliers on top 21-17 with 8:59 to play.

The Golden Warriors responded with a seven-play, 60 yard drive and regained the lead on a 38-yard TD run by Jake Hermes. Ocampo’s PAT put Sterling on top 24-21 with 5:54 left in the game.

Sterling then forced L-P to a three and out and looked to run out the clock and win the game as they moved deep into L-P territory with less than three minutes to play. However, faced with a fourth and two at the Cavalier 17-yard line, Sterling was unable to convert and left L-P with two and a half minutes to mount a comeback. They only needed 15 seconds.

On the first play following the turnover on downs, Renk connected with Eric Jenkins down the right sideline for an 83-yard TD. The PAT pushed the L-P lead to 28-24 with 2:26 left in the game. Any chance of another comeback by Sterling fell by the wayside as the Cavaliers recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff return.

L-P out-gained Sterling 392 to 256 yards in total offense. Renk connected on 8 of 17 passes for 209 yards and 2 TDs. Jenkins caught two passes for 112 yards.

Sterling out-gained L-P on the ground 239 to 183. Hermes again led the Golden Warriors with 85 yards and a TD on 16 carries. Ben Minnick added 84 yards on 6 carries. Cody Bush led the Cavaliers with 117 yards and a TD on 14 carries.

The Golden Warriors will have an opportunity to clinch their second conference championship in three years as they host the Ottawa Pirates (6-1, 3-1) in Week 8. The winner of that contest will win at least a share of the NCIC Reagan championship.

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